Darren has led some of the world’s most award-winning agencies as the Chief Creative and Managing Director, bridging the gap between traditional and digital creative, working in the UK, the Netherlands, USA, Canada, and Germany. While leading agencies, Darren has earned over 100 international awards for projects from print design to product innovation, including work for Pepsi, Smart Car, and Getty Images.

In this Q&A, Darren shares how he thinks about the intersection of technology and design, what captures his interest outside of work, and his career journey from financial industry software programmer to chief creative.

Q: How would you define what a “creative technologist” is?

A: I believe a creative technologist can come from tech, creative, production or consulting. Many people think of creative technology as a niche, but I think it’s a massive discipline with many different facets offering many different viewpoints. Take designers for example, you can have an industrial designer, a product designer, a communication designer, a packaging designer — you get the point. The same applies to a creative technologist — the tech vs. creative vs. production vs. consulting skills are dialed up or down depending on the individual.

There is a sweet spot though where a creative technologist has had time in both camps and can look at ideas first from a brand point of view, and then look at how the technology can enhance concepts so that the tech and ideas seem to work together seamlessly, as if they had belonged together all along.

Q: You began your career working as a programmer and found your way into the creative agency world, can you share a bit about that evolution and what guided you?

A: I started my career as a programmer working in the financial industry on the big broker software. While working in that sector though, I always found myself playing and tinkering on my lunch break — always creating little Windows desktop games. The passion I’d had as a teen just stayed with me, even in finance. One day my manager threw Macromedia Flash 2 on my desk and said, “Darren, take a look at this, please. We want you to lead on the new intranet development, but we want it to be engaging and interactive.”

As you can imagine, I was in heaven! I installed the software almost immediately and began playing with the functions and timeline coding. I wanted to learn more though, so I set up a forum which was purely based on Flash and the coding language, Actionscript. That forum ended up becoming the biggest forum in Europe and competed with others across the USA.

Throughout the entire experience, I had learned so much from others and also shared my experiences as well. Web Designer magazine, a global publication, approached me to write magazine articles on design, UX and coding. It was a great way to pass on all the knowledge I had learned from others. Eventually, I was even approached by book publishers to do the same and I ended up co-writing three books on the subject matter.

As you can probably imagine, by this time I was hooked on creating entertaining experiences! A small independent agency working for the BBC approached me to become their interactive creative director and lead the way in creating digital experiences on and offline.

Eventually, I went on to R/GA and Isobar – still in the digital realm – but it wasn’t until I left the UK in 2010 to work on the Adidas World Cup campaign that I learned the dark arts of traditional creative. I found it to be just as fascinating as the digital realm that I had left. Eventually, I moved on to Canada to work as a creative director at CP+B and then back again to Europe as the Chief Creative Officer of BBDO and Proximity in Germany and then CCO of Havas. In 2019 I finally headed back home to the UK and joined WPP to lead one of their biggest clients, and today I am here at Vivaldi.

That’s probably the really long way to answer your question! The short way would be: the shift was easier than I thought. I am one of those lucky people that are able to use the left and right sides of the brain at the same time, so I found it a natural fit and have enjoyed the ride so far.

Q: If you were just starting out in your career today, is there a sector you would gravitate toward?

A: Trick question…of course, consulting! The reason I moved from the world’s biggest ad agency was that I saw the value is with the conversations at the C-suite level; they hold the vision for their brands and are ultimately the decision makers. Having a direct connection will enable you to find and create the right solutions. Also, unlike some consulting agencies, Vivaldi has the ability to deliver end to end solutions, not just stopping at the strategy.

This is where anybody starting their career can make the biggest impact, for themselves with growth and learning and moving brands forward.

Q: You have written a couple of books – how does writing influence or impact the creative work you do?

A: At the time it hugely impacted me, because to author a book you must do tons of research to make sure your subject matter is not all subjective; this was especially true for the books I was writing on programming and design. It is a massive undertaking, and you come out of the process with more knowledge than when you started, so it’s hugely rewarding.

Q: What excites you about creativity now?

A: The way technology has advanced so much and will continue to do so. This in turn has opened the opportunities for better creative solutions and I want to be the one inventing these solutions. What excites me specifically is BIG ideas that have been beautifully executed so the consumer can see the idea and message clearly and connect to the idea and the brand.

Q: Is there a book or podcast you’d recommend?

A: I spend more of my time on LinkedIn and blogs, learning as much as I can. Seeing technology that I might be able to hack into a solution for clients or beautiful art that might inspire a design direction. I’m a bit of a sponge like that.

Q: Do you have any passions or interests outside of work that people might not expect?

A: My son’s football team, where I am the manager. I am also a creative nerd gamer (very cliché). I play on Xbox and VR mainly, but have all the other consoles, even the old ones like the first PlayStation. Music. I have quite a lot of vinyl and my taste is very varied. I have classical, jazz, blues, rock, pop, dance, rap… the list is long so I will spare you. But my favorite artist is the one and only Mr. Jimi Hendrix.

Q: How are you thinking about this new role at Vivaldi?

A: I’m excited! We have super smart and talented people, and everyone I’ve met has been very welcoming. My role will be to push and get the best out of the creative; to connect creative, technology and strategy to solve business problems, and partner that with our strategy team to find the right solutions for the clients. I also have a good track record of leadership, therefore, I would like to instill my learnings and help our talent become future leaders. And lastly, have fun doing all of the above.

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Formerly the Vice President of Business Development for AccuWeather, facilitating partnerships in Europe and Latin America, Michael brings decades of experience working in television and international markets.

He also previously spent nearly two decades at Axel Springer Group, leading US business and helping it grow into the leading European media company within the US media and agency community. During his time there, he enabled Axel Springer Group to become a world-class digital publisher with a significantly expanded footprint in the Americas.

In this Q&A, Michael shares insights on the evolution of television, the impact of new technologies, and what he most enjoys outside of work.

Q: How did you originally get connected to Vivaldi?

A: I met Erich Joachimsthaler a few years ago through a mutual friend. We have both been active in two organizations with “German executives living in the US.”

Q: Your business background includes time working with AccuWeather, SevenOne Media in Germany and Viacom/MTV in Latin America — how have you seen the television space evolve over the years?

A: Over the last few years there has been a strategic focus of big broadcasters to digitize TV building advanced TV products. Furthermore, there is major consolidation in the TV market to become more competitive versus the big players like Google, Meta, etc.

There are challenges in the TV spaces in terms of digital transformation:

1. TV usage shift/decline: There is an accelerated shift to OTT (over-the-top television) and VOD (video on demand).
2. Fragmented inventory: Various OTT platforms; tech challenges (like ad serving) and no holistic measurement.
3. Market and company structure: Transformation of silo structures internal/external; major change process.
4. Increasing competition: Netflix, Amazon and Disney enter AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) business; Google’s TV attack growing CTV reach.

Digitizing TV will reposition the TV space to secure and lever existing TV revenues and build advertising products to participate in a growing digital market.

While Linear TV is declining over the next five years, Advanced TV (Programmatic TV, Total Video and Addressable TV) will all grow steadily. This will secure and lever ad revenues for broadcasters in the future.

I do see the evolution from linear to digital/addressable TV. Streaming and personalized video formats are on the rise and related business models will drive the future for publishers and all players involved.

Q: How has location/region played a role in the work that you’ve done, knowing you’ve concentrated on different geographic areas? 

A: I have lived and worked in Europe, the US, LATAM, and Asia. In previous years, it was very important to be present locally. I learned a lot about customs and business practices which was very valuable. I traveled very regularly to all the markets I covered to stay in touch personally.

I feel that location/region does not play as big of a role today. You can perfectly do your job from anywhere remotely and it is more accepted, especially after covid. If need be, you can always travel and meet clients or colleagues in person.

Q: What are some current trends or challenges that you’re paying special attention to in the media and entertainment space?

A: The future is based on three building blocks: content, data, and tech. The combination of those three will drive the next years (e.g. Apple, Netflix …)

Also, cryptocurrency. There will be a massive runway ahead as the number of consumers trading crypto will double in the next 12 months. Crypto is expected to power ecommerce, video gaming, data, and NFTs. It’s going to become a mainstream payment method. Even on the ad side. It will be totally integrated. But it’s not clear what it will look like yet.

Q: How are you seeing the pandemic and work-from-home impacting what’s in store for the future of media?

A: Increased consumer time spent with technology and media has been sustained coming out of the pandemic. As the entire growth curve has shifted upwards, more consumer time will lead to new opportunities to grow and build businesses.

We will see more and more IoT (internet of things) such as AR/VR to go mainstream — in businesses as well as in households. Gamification will create access to Web3. In terms of ecommerce, in 2025, 10% to 15% of all automobiles will be sold online. Other categories like jewelry and furniture are expected to grow.

Q: What do you see the future of entertainment looking like? What opportunity areas do you believe are on the horizon?

A: With Web3 kicking in we will see more and more interaction of consumers in the metaverse. Real life is morphing into digital and the other way round. Brands needs to ask for support and knowledge to identify possibilities.

Video games are the next technology leading to the metaverse, and search, social, shopping, events, and banking will increasingly take place inside of video games.

Reach super users (26% of all users) account for the majority of time and money spent on ecommerce, VR, music, and video games, and super-serving them will be critical to drive growth.

Q: Looking over your career roles, including time in digital publishing with Axel Springer Group and in Business Development at Blockbuster Video, what would you say is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned?

A: The most important lesson is to stay in touch and nurture the relationships with business partners, clients and old colleagues. Never burn bridges with old employers, as the world is very small and even more connected — you always meet twice.

Q: What is a book or podcast you’d recommend, and why?

A: Bharat Anand’s “The Content Trap.” It talks about how to do well and not become a victim of digital transformation. It describes great case studies (Tencent, Shibsted and NYTimes) that are relevant lessons with learnings to avoid mistakes in digital transformation. A key takeaway is how content enables customers’ connectivity in a connected world.

For a podcast: Amobee Out Loud “Live from the Croisette,” talking about this year’s Cannes Lions.

Q: What’s a passion of yours outside of work?

A: I’m very passionate about sports — tennis, swimming, race biking, and skiing. I used to do track and field competitively. I’m also interested in political science and arts and enjoy history. Traveling is a big passion of mine. It opens your mind and puts things in a different perspective.

I left home at age 10 and went to boarding school in Switzerland. People were from all different countries, different religions, different food preferences. You really learn to understand people. It really helped in my career when I’ve traveled for business or private life. I’m able to have connections with people in different areas of the world. That’s the beauty of travel.

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However, given the terrible war in Europe and its implications on the international energy market, energy is now a high involvement topic. Consumers are willing to rethink their energy supply and their individual setup. The pressing questions are complex and costly: Is my next new car an electric vehicle? Where do I get a charging point and what does it cost? Should I get solar panels on my roof and a battery in the garage? Is gas still a reliable source of energy for my company? What is the most efficient heating system? These are all complex buying decisions that are far from being low involvement. 

These buying decisions also sit under an even more complex layer of socio-economic questions: How dependent are we from energy imports? Should we aim for more energy autarky? How can people make their businesses more sustainable? Even decisions made long ago are up for discussion again. For instance, as recent research shows, 70% of Germans now support extending the operating lives of nuclear power plants. 

Neither energy consumers nor energy suppliers can answer these pressing questions on their own, but energy suppliers must play an active role. According to Vivaldi’s research**, even weeks before the war in Ukraine consumers expected energy companies to play a proactive role in the transition towards new energy solutions. 

To meet these consumer expectations, energy suppliers must get active in two areas: First, they must proactively start a dialogue about the most pressing questions with their customers. This can include regular consumer panels across regions and market segments, social listening approaches, or a consumer advisory board that discusses with management. And second, they must develop new and innovative solutions and services. For example, the leasing of solar panels, heating as a service, or bundles around smart energy management. Both areas must be addressed simultaneously. But the good news: these topics are closely interrelated and can support each other. Gaining new insights from customers through focused research can serve as input into the innovation process, and newly developed services will in turn stimulate new conversations. 

There are massive challenges for the energy industry, but currently, the window of opportunity has never been open wider. Major players of the industry have clearly understood the challenge. E.ON’s latest campaign states: “The time for action is now,” and presents a cross-disciplinary initiative of scientists, consumers, analysts, and operations managers, thus stimulating new conversations. 

The field for innovations is broad. Companies should consider opening investments in renewable energy and related ventures as does the Swiss investment firm smartenergy. German company BayWa r.e. encourages its partners to rethink energy for good: “How it is produced, stored, and can be best used … is essential to the future of our planet.” They come with impressive references for how they support businesses, regions, and even whole countries to cut CO2 emissions and to get energy transformation going. Innovative players from other industries are also pushing into the energy market: Tesla offers solar roofs to produce clean energy, electric cars, and an app to control everything in one place. Smart home technology is being developed by IKEA, with its IKEA Home smart App. 

Energy companies must step up and connect more deeply with customers. Developing reliable and flexible products and services, including hardware, software, and tariffs, will be a step in the right direction. Creativity and innovation will be the tools to keep customers happy, to manage energy transformation, and to develop future-proof business models. 

* Source: Accenture New Energy Consumer research, 2017 

** Vivaldi conducted a representative study among the general population in several European countries with over 3,000 participants, conducted Q1 2022. 

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Recently, our CEO Erich Joachimsthaler spoke with ETBrandEquity.com to discuss how personalization is becoming the key factor in developing a more competitive edge and building a new brand. Read the full article here.

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Sweetgreen – Arming Hospital & Medical Workers with Locally Sourced Sustenance 

With in-person services and socialization put to a halt until further notice, the restaurant industry is among the hardest hit by this pandemic. However, despite the threat of daunting revenue projections and an unforeseeable future dictated by COVID-19, Sweetgreen – the locally sourced, healthy, fast-casual salad chain – is putting the medical community fighting this pandemic first. Acting on their company’s mission “to inspire healthier communities by connecting people to real food,” Sweetgreen has repurposed and dedicated its outpost operations to delivering free salads and bowls to the hospital workers and medical personnel sacrificing their lives to combat this crisis.

Vita Coco – Using their Gains to Benefit Communities In Need

As consumers attempt to prepare as best they can for the unknown and continued disruption to their lives, people are stocking up in droves on the household and pantry items that they deem essential. So, while many other industries are suffering from staggering sales declines, other F&B and household product brands are experiencing the opposite. Among the F&B products consumers have chosen to amass, Vita Coco – a nutrient-rich, shelf-stable, coconut water brand – has seen a dramatic uptick in sales, increasing upwards of 100% across large, key retailers. As Co-Founder and CEO, Michael Kirban reflected on the company’s recent spike, he took to LinkedIn to ask, “But when things get bad, shouldn’t we be doing good?” Vita Coco has since committed to donate $1MM of their incremental profit gained as a result of this pandemic to organizations directly helping those that need it most. Kirban is also urging other businesses that are in similar positions of privilege to “make [Vita Coco’s] donation seem small!”

ClassPass, CorePower Yoga, and Peloton – Bringing Fitness to Everyone

Once flocked to by consumers looking to improve or maintain their health and well-being, workout studios have shut their doors to protect people from the potential spread of dangerous germs that group exercise and shared equipment could enable. As the COVID-19 situation unfolded, ClassPass, the online fitness class booking platform, continuously updated its response with the health and safety of their customers in mind, while also recognizing that the urge to workout and stay fit was not going to go away for their customers. ClassPass’ first move was waiving the cancellation fees and rolling over any unused credits to encourage anyone who felt unsafe and/or uncomfortable attending classes to take precautions. Less than 2 days later, as the gravity of the COVID-19 situation became more apparent, ClassPass revisited their plan and put the onus on the company to act responsibly. ClassPass removed the ability for its customers to book any upcoming classes and suspended billing on all memberships until further notice. Despite no money coming in from its members, the company is still continuing 

to provide members access to their audio and video workouts online for free as part of their dedication to “helping people feel their best.” Similarly, CorePower Yoga, a cardio-yoga fitness studio chain, has made their special collection of online classes free while their studios remain closed, and Peloton has extended their free trial of its app by 3x to 90 days.

AB InBev, Diageo, and Pernod Ricard – Taking their Inputs to Produce New Outputs

With healthcare workers and consumers alike fearful of the spread of COVID-19, a dire shortage of medical and other disinfectant supplies continues. While some individuals are taking to Amazon to make a killing by upcharging these products by an exorbitant amount, many large spirit manufacturers are temporarily repurposing their operations in an effort to produce and donate hand sanitizers to those who need it most. Pernod Ricard was among the first major distillers to disclose their plan to produce and donate 70,000 liters of alcohol for hydroalcoholic gel. Shortly thereafter, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Diageo, the world’s largest beer company and largest distiller, respectively, both committed to donating millions of liters of alcohol to make disinfectant products and distribute them to healthcare systems and workers.

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