After failing second-year art school for proactively approaching a real client on a subject’s brief, I haven’t stopped trying to make ideas happen for real since.

I'm a Creative Director excited by ideas that give people a bit of a tickle – work that combines contemporary design & crafted copy with an idea that inherently gets people talking. Over the past decade I've worked at the best agencies in the world; winning pitches (BMW, Microsoft, Adidas, NAB, Four’N Twenty, and Movember to name a few), and helping brands do amazing things.

All this has helped me rise to rank #8 at D&AD, and #43 in the Drum World Creative rankings.
In short, I like to make stuff people love.

gmswatson@gmail.com
au.linkedin.com/in/gilesw
instagram.com/giles.watson

Awards / Recognition

D&AD Ranking - Art Director - #8
The Drum, Global Creative Ranking - #43

lurzers archive - Interview feature - v03/2023
NGV - Innovation series: “Creative Potential” - Guest speaker - 2022


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Rejected Ales - Matilda Bay

Immortal Awards - Commendation

D&AD – Yellow Pencil – Writing for design (Storytelling)
D&AD – Yellow Pencil – Experiential
D&AD – Yellow Pencil – Direct
D&AD – Graphite Pencil – Writing for design (Packaging)
D&AD – Graphite Pencil – Writing for design (Naming)
D&AD – Wood Pencil – Packaging Design
D&AD – Wood Pencil – Direct (Acquisition)
D&AD – Wood Pencil – Product Design (Promo)
D&AD – Wood Pencil – Campaign branding
D&AD – Shortlist – Integrated

Cannes Lions - Silver - Experience & Activation
Cannes Lions - Silver - Design
Cannes Lions - Silver - Direct
Cannes Lions - Bronze - Packaging Design

Contagious Magazine - Campaign of the Week - April 12, 2022

AWARD - Gold - Direct
AWARD - Gold - Packaging Design
AWARD - Silver - Integrated
AWARD - Silver - Retail Marketing
AWARD - Silver - Verbal Identity
AWARD - Silver - Ambient Media
AWARD - Bronze - Experiential
AWARD - Bronze - Brand Engagement
AWARD - Bronze - Best use of Copywriting
AWARD- Bronze - Integrated campaign


London International Awards – Grand Prix – Ambient & Activation
London International Awards – Gold – Ambient & Activation - Direct
London International Awards – Gold – Ambient & Activation - Beverages, Alcoholic
London International Awards – Gold - Non-Traditional - Beverages, Alcoholic
London International Awards – Silver - Evolution
London International Awards – Bronze - Package Design - Beers
London International Awards – Bronze - Package Design - Promotional Packaging
London International Awards – Shortlist – Design
London International Awards – Shortlist – Copywriting

2022 Effies - Bronze - Most Original Thinking

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Kind Royale - Project Rockit

AWARD – Bronze – Branded Content
AWARD – Bronze – Digital
AWARD – Bronze – Social Responsibility
AWARD - Shortlist - Innovation

Caples – Silver – Not for profit
Caples – Bronze – PR
Caples – Bronze – Digital
Caples – Bronze – Gaming

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Creative Index - Jarden

AWARD – Bronze – Digital Craft
AWARD – Bronze – Innovation
AWARD – Bronze – Digital Tools / Utilities
AWARD - Shortlist - Data visualisation
AWARD – Shortlist – Service Innovation
AWARD – Shortlist – Early Stage

Caples – Best In Show – Highly commended
Caples – Gold – New product launch
Caples – Silver – Creative use of data
Caples – Bronze – Branded Content

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Square Pegs - Made by Dyslexia

AWARD – Bronze – Digital Craft

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Unsubscribe - Funlab

AWARD – Shortlist – Film

Caples – Bronze – Film

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Hunger Insurance - Snickers

Cannes Lions - Shortlist - Brand Experience & Activation

Immortal Awards (Little Black Book) - Finalist

Caples - Bronze - Branded Content
Caples - Bronze - Creative Use of Data
Caples - Bronze - Innovation
Caples - Bronze - Integrated
Caples - Bronze - Mobile
Caples - Shortlist - Ambient, Guerilla and OOH

Cresta - Silver - Integrated
Cresta - Silver - Ambient and Experiential
Cresta - Silver - Digital Design
Cresta - Bronze - Creative Technology
Cresta - Shortlist - Digital DesigN

AdStars - Silver - Branded Information
AdStars - Silver - Creative eCommerce
AdStars - Bronze - Data Insights
AdStars - Bronze - Data Storytelling
AdStars - Bronze - Diverse Insights
AdStars - Bronze - Brand Experience and Activation
AdStars - Bronze - Design
AdStars - Crystal - Social Data & Insight
AdStars - Shortlist - Mobile
AdStars - Shortlist - Outdoor
AdStars - Shortlist - Branded Viral Videos

Dubai Lynx - Grand Prix - Integrated
Dubai Lynx - Silver - Digital
Dubai Lynx - Silver - Brand Experience & Activation
Dubai Lynx - Silver - Direct
Dubai Lynx - Bronze - Media
Dubai Lynx - Shortlist - Direct - Use of Mobile
Dubai Lynx - Shortlist - Media - Use of Digital Platforms
Dubai Lynx - Shortlist - Mobile

Contagious Magazine - Campaign of the Week - September 15, 2020

Adforum PHNX - Bronze - Online Advertising
BestAdsOnTV - Best: September 30th 2020
Communication Arts Magazine - Award of Excellence - Advertising Annual 2020

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Golden Nugget - Bowel Cancer Australia

Adstars - Finalist - Use of Interactive
Adstars - Finalist - Diverse Insights
Adstars - Finalist - Government

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Homeless Delivery - Deliveroo

Adfest - Finalist - Direct, Mobile marketing

One Show- Finalist - Direct Marketing
One Show - Finalist - Interactive utility
One Show - Finalist - Innovation Mobile
One Show - Finalist - Mobile utility

AWARD - Finalist - Digital Innovation
AWARD - Finalist - Service innovation & Design

THE WORK - Winner - mobile

Directory Magazine - Featured
MADC - Digital / Charity

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Boxing Day PreSale - Latitude Financial

Dentsu Innovation Awards - Best in show

THE WORK - Winner - Digital

AC&E - Pinnacle - Best use of Data
AC&E - Finalist - Best acquisition Strategy
AC&E - Finalist - Effectiveness campaign of the year

Directory Magazine - Featured

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Remove the Barrier - Dylan Alcott Foundation

AWARD - Finalist - Original Composition
THE WORK - Winner - Work for Good

MADC - Charity / Design & Photography

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Great Northern

2019

Effies - Grand Effie

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Breakpoint - Transport Accident Commission (TAC)

Clio - Finalist - Outdoor Billboard

One Show - Merit - Mobile, utility
One Show - Merit - Outdoor, user-generated campaign

Award Award - Silver - Outdoor, campaign
Award Award - Bronze - Digital, Best Integrated Social Campaign
Award Award - Silver - Digital, User-Generated Content
Award Award - Bronze - Digital, Innovative Use of Social Media
Award Award - Finalist - Digital, Direct Response, Campaign
Award Award - Finalist - Integrated, campaign

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Tough Tap - Mercury Cider

Award Award - Silver - Best Use of Ambient
Mumbrella - Finalist - Social idea of the year

Sirens Round 5 Winner - Radio (Sneeze)
Sirens Round 5 Shortlist - Radio (Handshake)

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Hearts Aligned - Pedigree

Cannes - Finalist - Promo & Activation, Digital and Social
Cannes - Finalist - Film

Spikes Asia - Finalist - Promo & Activation, Digital and Social
Spikes Asia - Finalist - Film

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Rate my Roof - Origin Energy

2016

Cannes - Bronze - Creative Data
Cannes - Shortlist - Cyber

One Show - Gold
One Show - Merit

New York Festivals - 1st - Digital comms

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Other

2022

D&AD Independent agency of the year - Howatson+Co

2020

Young Lions Australia - Judge
Dentsu Innovation awards - Judge

Campaignbrief Hot list - Top 10 - BWM Dentsu Melbourne

2018

AWARD - Award school tutor - Student finished 1st

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Agency of the year

Howatson+Company - 2022
D&AD Independent Agency of the Year

Clemenger - 2018
One Show
Cannes Lion
D&AD
Clios
Mashies
AWARD
Big Won Report
Campaignbrief


Clemenger - 2016
Contagious Runners up Agency of the Year


Isobar - 2011
Adnews Digital Agency of the Year