5 Minutes with…. Andy Fergusson
Andy Fergusson joined Leo Burnett Australia three years ago, when he stepped into the position of executive creative director. As of 2022, Andy was appointed national executive creative director, and has since worked on countless iconic campaigns with his team at Leo Burnett.
Prior to Leo Burnett, Andy spent 10 years at Droga5. He started his journey there as a senior art director before moving up to group creative director.
During his career, Andy has worked with brands such as, Google, Pizza Hut, Facebook, Destination NSW, Kellogg’s, Nintendo, Lifeblood, The Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
The most notable campaigns he has worked on include the Suncorp Group and the emotional, informative and life changing campaign for Resilience Rd. As well as HBO, where he worked on the iconic Game Of Thrones series.
LBB’s Casey Martin spoke to Andy Fergusson to learn more about his incredible journey, and his enduring love for great ideas.
LBB> When did you know you wanted to be a creative director?
Andy> I don’t think anyone necessarily sets out to be a creative director. It was more a case of me realising that I had to do that job to get what I wanted out of the work. When I was at university, I soon realised I would never be as good at drawing and designing as many of my colleagues, but I was pretty good at coming up with ideas and setting the vision. So, over the years, I’ve tried to embrace my role in the process and borrowed from the strengths of others to make work that’s far better than I could have done on my own.
LBB> What’s a piece of work you’ve seen recently that made you jealous you didn’t come up with it?
Andy> There’s a lot of work I’m jealous of. But one recent standout was ‘The Artois Probability’ by GUT Buenos Aires. It’s such a clever and beautiful way of talking about a brand’s heritage in a completely non-formulaic way.
LBB> You’ve been a part of some incredible creative projects, from work on Game of Thrones to Suncorp’s Resilience Road and award-winning Super Bowl ads. Which one stands out and makes you most proud?
Andy> I have had the privilege of working on so many great brands and with so many talented people, so It’s very hard to choose.
In terms of lasting impact, I’d say ‘One House To Save Many’. We’ve been building something really special with Suncorp Insurance over the last few years, creating purpose-driven work in its truest sense. Ideas like ‘One House’ and ‘Resilience Rd’ are not only influencing how the company operates, they’re influencing the insurance industry and even public policy about resilience in Australia. And I’m also very proud that my most-awarded piece of work is for an insurance company.
In terms of pure ‘pinch me’ enjoyment, I’d have to say the #ForTheThrone campaign for HBO. There were just so many bucket list moments throughout the process. From making a Super Bowl ad, to creating an immersive experience at SXSW, to getting a shoutout from George RR Martin. But the ultimate icing on the cake was when an NYC taxi driver started telling me how much he liked the Game of Thrones Super Bowl ad, which I happened to have made.
LBB> Each year in advertising, we see new trends and emerging technologies; what’s something you’re excited about right now?
Andy> I think great ideas always win. So, I’m excited about how AI will help people with brilliant ideas get them out in the world without any need for formal training or technical skills. We are already seeing incredible content on social media that has been made using tools that simply weren’t possible a few years ago. And I think it’s making the creative process much more egalitarian.
LBB> Leo Burnett refers to itself as the ‘HumanKind agency’, what does this mean to you?
Andy> We often refer to Leo Burnett’s quote, ‘what helps people, helps business’, to explain what HumanKind means. But ultimately, I think it comes down to always asking the question, ‘why would people care?’. Why would people care about the brand? The product? The idea? The medium they are viewing it in? If we constantly ask that question, we avoid the trap of making wallpaper or work that only appeals to people in the advertising industry.
