Hi there.
I'm a passionate, smart, strategic creative. Sheesh. Did I just call myself smart? That's terrible, isn't it.
My last job was as Creative Director at BuzzFeed in Sydney, using social video and memes to help brands connect with audiences online.
My previous roles have included Creative Director at DDB Sydney, Head of Ideas at Naked Sydney, Creative Director at BBH London, and senior copywriter at DDB London.
I've also set up a successful social media agency - Hungry Beast - which led to an occasional column in Mumbrella about social and digital creativity.
I'm in my 40's, married, with two kids, and a very cute but extremely stupid dog. She's learned approximately four words of English in four years. That's an average of one word a year.
I've written six screenplays, two of which got optioned. One idea was made... but not from my script, and unfortunately my edgy drama became a teen comedy starring Zac Efron.
In a previous life I was a journalist, writing articles for The Guardian, The Sunday Times, GQ, and women's magazines. A lot for women's magazines. Long story...
I was educated at Oxford University, where I studied Philosophy & French.
British/Australian citizen.
Cannes - 5 Cannes Lions, including 1 Grand Prix and 2 Gold Lions
D&AD - 2 pencils, 6 pencil nominations, 40 in-book entries (roughly)
Others - various - it's kinda embarrassing how many award shows there are in our industry.
My first book was published in May 2010 and has been translated into 7 languages. Yup, I have the Korean edition somewhere.
The publisher commissioned it after seeing a series of tips I was writing for young creatives on my blog, Scamp.
I really enjoy training young creatives. I've also taught at Miami Ad School, and gave the opening lecture at Award School three years in a row.
My second book, 100 Ideas That Changed Advertising, came out in January 2015.
It forms part of a series which includes 100 Ideas That Changed Art, 100 Ideas That Changed Fashion, etc.
I've always been into technology. I learned to code at age 14 and still keep my hand in with html. I'm also an avid gamer. In short, it's great news for me that being a geek has become socially acceptable.
I was somehow the first creative in the UK to start a blog. Scamp quickly gained a wide following and at its peak was getting tens of thousands of visitors a week - over 1.6 million pageviews and 18,000 comments so far. It also got me into a lot of trouble, but the less said about that, the better...
It later became a weekly column in Australia's leading advertising trade magazine, Campaign Brief and then a column in Mumbrella.
I can be contacted on +61 402 123 823 or simon.veksner@gmail.com.
Thanks for visiting : )