Gavin Heron resigns from TBWA

Johannesburg – After less than two years as MD of TBWA Hunt Lascaris, Gavin Heron has resigned to pursue private business interests. At the time of writing, comment was still being sought from Heron and agency chairperson Reg Lascaris.

It is understood that the parting is "very amicable", and will be effective from the end of Heron's contract with TBWA. Also, the agency will not rush to appoint a successor, and is looking both internally and externally for the next MD.

Heron, a South African, spent a decade in China where he established TBWA's reputation as a creative and strategic agency, and built it into a multi-disciplinary company. During his tenure, TBWA China was awarded China's first Cannes Gold Lion.

In South Africa, he has presided over a creative renaissance at Hunt Lascaris, which had slipped off its pedestal as South Africa's leading creative agency.

The high point of this revival has been the Trillion Dollar Campaign, which has become the most-awarded advertising campaign in the history of world advertising.

The focal point of the campaign is a billboard plastered with real Zimbabwean currency notes, making the point that thanks to the Mugabe regime, the money is not worth the paper it’s printed on.

The campaign was devised for The Zimbabwean, an exile newspaper, by creative director Damon Stapleton and his team. It has won more than 60 awards around the world. They include the top (best-of-show) awards at D&AD (Black Pencil), Cannes (Grand Prix), Art Directors Club of New York (Black Cube), two Grand Clios and a Loerie Grand Prix.

- Fin24.com