Damon Stapleton
- Chief Creative Officer
- New Zealand
- Member since 2013
Damon has just opened The Monkeys a part of Accenture Song in New Zealand. He is a founder and the Chief Creative Officer. Before that he was Regional Chief Creative Officer for DDB (New Zealand and Australia). He was also Chief Creative Officer of DDB New Zealand where he won 20 Agency of the Year titles, including DDB New Zealand being named creative agency of the year in Australia. Before this he was Executive Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Australia and TBWA Hunt Lascaris, which was voted South African agency of the decade in 2010. He has worked on global brands such as BMW, Toyota, Nissan, Heineken, Visa, Cadbury, McDonalds and the FIFA World Cup campaign for Adidas in South Africa.
Damon has collected awards at some of the most prestigious international advertising festival shows, receiving 55 D&AD Pencils – including two very rare Black D&AD Pencils (The Zimbabwean and Samsung I-Test) and 7 yellow D&AD Pencils. He has also judged D&AD three times. In 2022, he was ranked in the top twenty Chief Creative Officers globally by D&AD. He’s won over 70 Cannes Lions, including the Grand Prix and 10 Gold Lions including an Integrated and Innovation Lion, Three Grand Clio, 11 One Show Gold Pencils, and the first ever ADC Black Cube awarded.
He is most known for his “Trillion Dollar” bill campaign for The Zimbabwean and Penny the Pirate for OPSM which have won over 200 international awards between them. Penny the Pirate was judged to be the most effective campaign in the world by the WARC 100 last year. The Zimbabwean is in the permanent collection of the British Museum.
He has been recognised as one of the top 10 Executive Creative Directors in the world by both Creativity Magazine and the Big Won Report on multiple occasions. In 2011, Finance Week awarded him Achiever of Year in South Africa. He’s had a variety of short stories published as well as articles for various magazines and writes a blog called damonsbrain.com. It is stuff he thinks about instead of world domination.
Damon also went to sixteen schools as a child and was only expelled twice. He received no reward for this achievement. This still bugs him.
Contact Damon.
D&AD Awards (59)
-
Samsung iTest
- Media
- Media
- Mobile
- 2022
-
Trillion Dollar Flyer
- Graphic Design
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Zimbabwean Newspaper
- Graphic Design
- Leaflets
- 2010
-
Samsung iTest
- Experiential
- Experiential
- Online Experiences
- 2022
-
The Baby That Changed HIV
- PR
- DDB Group New Zealand
- New Zealand Aids Foundation
- PR
- B2C
- 2021
-
Re:scam
- Digital Design
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Netsafe
- Digital Design
- Service Design
- 2018
-
Unforgotten Soldiers
- Branding
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Sky TV
- Branding
- Brand Experience & Environments
- 2016
-
Trillion Dollar Campaign
- Integrated
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Zimbabwean Newspaper
- Integrated
- Integrated
- 2010
-
Trillion Dollar Billboard / Trillion Dollar Wallpaper / Cheaper Than Paper / Z$250 000 000
- Outdoor Advertising
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Zimbabwean Newspaper
- Outdoor Advertising
- Poster Advertising Campaigns
- 2010
-
Tsotsi
- Direct
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- SAFACT
- Direct
- Direct Digital
- 2007
-
Samsung iTest
- Media
- Media
- Direct
- 2022
-
Re:scam
- Direct
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Netsafe
- Direct
- Direct Response/Digital
- 2018
-
Silicon Valley URXXL
- Writing for Advertising
- DDB Group New Zealand
- SKY Television New Zealand
- Writing for Advertising
- Writing for Direct
- 2017
-
Fargo Woollens
- Direct
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Sky TV
- Direct
- Direct Mail
- 2016
-
Fargo Woollens
- Direct
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Sky TV
- Direct
- Direct Acquisition & Retention
- 2016
-
Penny the Pirate
- Direct
- Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney
- Luxottica
- Direct
- Direct Integrated Campaigns
- 2015
-
The Last Ones Left
- Outdoor Advertising
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
- Outdoor Advertising
- Poster Advertising Campaigns
- 2012
-
A Campaign Designed to Drop Sales
- Outdoor Advertising
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- International Organisation for Migration
- Outdoor Advertising
- Ambient
- 2011
-
Tsotsi
- Ambient
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- SAFACT
- Ambient
- Experiential
- 2007
-
Samsung iTest
- Digital
- Digital
- Mobile
- 2022
-
Emerson's Tiny Pub
- Art Direction
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Lion New Zealand
- Art Direction
- Experiential
- 2021
-
McDonald's Reflections
- Press & Outdoor
- DDB Group New Zealand
- McDonald's
- Press & Outdoor
- Poster Campaigns
- 2021
-
McDonald's Reflections
- Photography
- DDB Group New Zealand
- McDonald's
- Photography
- Fine Art & Conceptual
- 2021
-
L05T
- Experiential
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Lotto New Zealand
- Experiential
- Gamification
- 2020
-
Re:scam
- Direct
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Netsafe
- Direct
- Direct Product & Service
- 2018
-
Fight for Territory
- Experiential
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Lion
- Experiential
- Tech Led
- 2018
-
Fight for Territory
- Experiential
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Lion
- Experiential
- Out-of-Home
- 2018
-
Fight for Territory
- Media
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Lion
- Media
- Use of Interaction
- 2018
-
Re:scam
- Digital Design
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Netsafe
- Digital Design
- Websites
- 2018
-
Reverse April Fools'
- Direct
- DDB Group New Zealand
- BMW New Zealand
- Direct
- Direct Response/Press & Poster
- 2016
-
Unforgotten Soldiers
- Direct
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Sky TV
- Direct
- Direct Response/Ambient
- 2016
-
Unforgotten Soldiers
- Spatial & Experiential Design
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Sky TV
- Spatial & Experiential Design
- Experiential Design
- 2016
-
Fargo Woollens
- Art Direction
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Sky TV
- Art Direction
- Art Direction for Direct
- 2016
-
Unforgotten Soldiers
- Outdoor Advertising
- DDB Group New Zealand
- Sky TV
- Outdoor Advertising
- Ambient
- 2016
-
We Compost Weekend
- White Pencil - Creativity for Good
- DDB New Zealand
- We Compost
- White Pencil - Creativity for Good
- Advertising & Marketing Communications - Brand
- 2015
-
Penny the Pirate
- Direct
- Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney
- Luxottica
- Direct
- Direct Mail
- 2015
-
Murmuration
- Film Advertising
- DDB New Zealand
- SKY Television
- Film Advertising
- TV Commercials
- 2015
-
Riverine Rabbit
- Outdoor Advertising
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
- Outdoor Advertising
- Poster Advertising/Free Format
- 2012
-
Northern White Rhino
- Outdoor Advertising
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
- Outdoor Advertising
- Poster Advertising/Free Format
- 2012
-
The Last Ones Left
- Press Advertising
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
- Press Advertising
- Press Advertising
- 2012
-
The Last Ones Left
- Art Direction
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
- Art Direction
- Art Direction for Press Advertising
- 2012
-
Peace Star
- White Pencil
- Saatchi & Saatchi
- Peace One Day
- White Pencil
- White Pencil
- 2012
-
A Campaign Designed to Drop Sales
- Direct
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- International Organisation for Migration
- Direct
- Direct Response/Ambient
- 2011
-
Cassette
- Direct
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- City Lodge Hotels
- Direct
- Art Direction for Direct
- 2011
-
Cassette
- Graphic Design
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- City Lodge Hotels
- Graphic Design
- Greeting Cards & Invitations
- 2011
-
Golf Ball
- Press Advertising
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Endangered Wildlife Trust
- Press Advertising
- Press Advertising
- 2011
-
Bottle Top / Golf Ball
- Photography
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Endangered Wildlife Trust
- Photography
- Photography for Press & Poster Advertising
- 2011
-
Lighter / Rope
- Photography
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Endangered Wildlife Trust
- Photography
- Photography for Press & Poster Advertising
- 2011
-
Trillion Dollar Mailer
- Direct
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Zimbabwean Newspaper
- Direct
- Addressed Direct Mail Very Low Volume 1-500
- 2010
-
Cheaper Than Paper
- Outdoor Advertising
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Zimbabwean Newspaper
- Outdoor Advertising
- Pavement Posters
- 2010
-
Cheaper Than Paper / Fight the Regime / Z$250 000 000
- Graphic Design
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Zimbabwean Newspaper
- Graphic Design
- Posters
- 2010
-
Cheaper Than Paper
- Art Direction
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- The Zimbabwean Newspaper
- Art Direction
- Poster Advertising
- 2010
-
High Dog Flap
- Direct
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- MARS South Africa
- Direct
- Direct Mail Door Drop Low Volume 501-10,000
- 2008
-
Drunk Caller
- Direct
- TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, Johnannesburg
- Drive-Alive
- Direct
- Direct Radio Commercials
- 2006
-
Samsung iTest
- Direct
- Direct
- Acquisition & Retention
- 2022
-
Lotto On Ice
- Digital
- Digital
- Promotional Websites
- 2022
-
Samsung iTest
- Digital
- Digital
- User Participation
- 2022
-
Samsung iTest
- Experiential
- Experiential
- Use of Technology
- 2022
-
The Baby That Changed HIV
- Direct
- DDB Group New Zealand
- New Zealand Aids Foundation
- Direct
- Innovation
- 2021
-
A New New Zealand
- PR
- DDB Group New Zealand
- KiwiRail
- PR
- Use of Media Relations
- 2019