Saatchi and Saatchi’s former Group Creative Director South Africa joins Lankan unit

Industry specialist and former Group Creative Director for Saatchi & Saatchi in South Africa, Eric Frank has joined the Sri Lankan outfit of the global advertising firm.

 “Frank has an extraordinary creative and strategic reputation and we are extremely excited that Eric Frank is now part of our team,” Saatchi & Saatchi Sri Lanka Managing Director Dushantha Ahangama said.

Eric is also excited to be part of Saatchi & Saatchi in Sri Lanka.

“The agency is young, hungry, client-centric and media neutral. This creates the perfect space and freedom for ideas to flourish and where intelligent channels and solutions can be chosen to take the message to the heart of the target consumer,” says Frank.

“Brands must be relevant to connect with the people we are asking to buy our products. To outperform our competitors, our work has to connect faster, simpler and be more engaging to break through in an increasingly complex media landscape,” Frank added.

According to him the culture at Saatchi & Saatchi Sri Lanka is enthusiastic, passionate and collaborative. “We are driven to create great work that sells products and builds brands. We believe in ideas that go beyond advertising, because we are in the business of making our brands touch the lives of people on a deeper level. And, because we are connected to the world - renowned Saatchi & Saatchi Global Advertising Network, we are able to bring global expertise to bear whenever required to,”   Frank added.

A South African by birth, Frank has a wealth of experience in advertising communications. He began his career as a graphic designer, working under the tutelage of world-famous German typographer Gerhard Schwekendiek. After a decade in design, he shifted focus and entered the world of advertising at PN Barrett Co. as an art director. He quickly rose through the ranks and within three years was promoted to creative director.

As South Africa prepared for a new democracy under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, Saatchi & Saatchi World-Wide, appointed the merged entity of PN Barret Co. (Barrett’s) and Klerck & White to represent their global network in South Africa. Within five years, Frank was appointed Group Creative Director for Saatchi & Saatchi in South Africa.

“The chance to play on a worldwide stage was a fantastic opportunity for a country emerging from the disgrace of apartheid; we were motivated and inspired to do fantastic work that would be world-class; I have always felt that a developing country need never feel inferior to big global guns;” says Frank. “And we proved it. We were awarded at Cannes, the London International Awards, The New York Festivals, Clio’s, The One Show, Eagles and, obviously, the South African Loerie Awards.”

Later, when GUINNESS asked Saatchi & Saatchi to present ideas on how the brand could double volume sales in Africa within five years, Frank helped set up a taskforce of strategic and creative and minds from across Africa and the rest of the world to find a solution. This led to the legendary Michael Power idea, which not only exceeded its target within four years, but is also recognised as the best advertising idea ever produced for the brand.

On the strength of this performance, Eric was appointed Executive Creative Director for the Saatchi &Saatchi Africa Network where he coached the Saatchi & Saatchi brand culture through the implementation of programs such as Lovemarks, Re-invention and Sisimo. He was also responsible for initiating, convening and leading creative and strategic workshops across the region with the 23 network agencies and their clients in the region.

“I've been fortunate to have worked with amazing people and on a wonderful array of diverse brands. I thrive on inspiring and nurturing creative passion and accountability in the agency as well as creating a one team one dream culture where people can become the best they can be. My career has seen me create ideas that have had significant impact on popular culture and society, says Frank. “Brands like Orange, MTN, Windhoek Lager (beer) and GUINNESS have become integral to society in their respective markets and they are now fully-fledged Lovemarks. The GUINNESS Michael Power idea even resulted in a full-length feature film which was shown around the world.”

When he is not dreaming up or coaching ideas, Eric takes long walks, paints, takes lots of photographs and tries to catch the odd fish.