Classic British Airways Ads, Victoria Bitter and Apple: The Work That Made Derek Green

Derek Green is the chief creative officer (CCO) of TBWA\RAAD. Throughout his career, he has led creative departments across Australia, the USA, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, serving in senior roles as chief creative officer and executive creative director. His work has earned Gold EFFIEs in Australia and the broader APAC region, as well as Gold and Silver Cannes Lions across three continents.

Passionate about solving complex business challenges, Derek blends innovative thinking with platform fluency, hacking social media, and developing bold, thought-provoking ideas across traditional and digital media. He’s created award-winning campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands, including Verizon, Samsung, McDonald’s, KFC, Novartis, P&G, Coca-Cola, AMEX, IBM, Nestlé, and Corona.

Before joining TBWA\RAAD, Derek held a leadership role at R/GA New York, where he ran the agency’s two largest global clients: Verizon and Samsung.

LBB> The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…

Derek> I’m showing my age with this one – it’s the iconic British Airways ‘Face’ commercial, where people from all over the world come together to create a smiling face. Beautiful, elegant, and perfectly on-brand for British Airways.

LBB> The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…

Derek> The classic Australian beer ads from the '80s. The Victoria Bitter ‘For a Hard Earned Thirst’ campaign ran for decades. The writing, music, and casting – everything about it was iconic. I still can’t get the lyrics out of my head, and it makes me want to crack a beer right now.

You can get it ridin’

You can get it slidin’

You can feel it comin’ on about four

A hard-earned thirst needs a big cold beer

And the best cold beer is Vic

Vic Bitter.

You can get it walkin’

You can get it talkin’

You can get it workin’ a plough

Matter of fact, I’ve got it now

Victoria Bitter.

LBB> The creative work that I keep revisiting…

Derek> I always go back to the INXS ‘Kick’ album. That album was meticulously crafted through live pub gigs, they played and played to understand exactly what got the crowd going. It was designed to be listened to all the way through, not just as a collection of singles.

LBB> My first professional project…

Derek> It was an ad for the Australian Radio Association, promoting a competition to write the best radio ad. Ironically, it was a print ad. It featured a close-up of someone giving the finger, with the middle finger morphing into a radio antenna.

The headline: “Your salute to those who think writing radio isn’t worth it.”

The copy invited creatives to enter their best radio ad for a $10,000 prize.

LBB> The piece of work that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…

Derek> Political ads during election campaigns. They focus more on attacking opponents than presenting a positive vision for the future. It’s a wasted opportunity to inspire, unify, or lead, and it reinforces cynicism in audiences. I never want to contribute to that kind of messaging.

LBB> The piece of work that still makes me jealous…

Derek> It’s a cliché, but anything from Apple. The TBWA\MAL team consistently creates work that’s beautifully crafted — simple, human insights paired with elegant product demonstrations. The language is clear, understated, and always on point.

LBB> The creative project that changed my career…

Derek> Honestly, every piece of work changes my career in some way. It’s ongoing. The work I do with my teams is always evolving, which is exactly why I love what I do.

LBB> The work that I’m proudest of…

Derek> Winning Switzerland’s first-ever Gold Lion in Film for the Novartis ‘You Look Dumber with Your Mouth Open’ campaign. Also winning Cramer-Krasselt Chicago’s first-ever Gold Lion for 'Luna Corona', where we landed the real moon on top of a bottle of Corona. Both were great ideas, but I also love getting the first for countries and agencies. That’s a special feeling.

LBB> I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…

Derek> Early in my career, we were pitching to a mattress company. Leadership had a brilliant idea: parade the creative team into the boardroom in pyjamas. Then came the icebreaker joke: “They’re usually asleep at this time, it’s 10am.”

I still shudder.

LBB> The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…

Derek> We’re working on a few exciting projects that aren’t just ads, they’re actual products and services that solve real business problems. That’s the kind of work that truly excites me. I can’t say more just yet… but stay tuned.