Work Experience
Before becoming a creative for hire, I’ve seen my share of action in advertising agencies on both sides of the Atlantic. 3 Countries. 4 tours of WPP. 2 tours of TBWA. 2 X SidLee. 1 X BBDO. 1 X Zulu Alpha Kilo. My experience also encompasses a broad range of disciplines. I’ve meddled (and medalled) in everything from social, events & promotions to good old-fashioned TV, radio & print.
More Highlights
Going ‘All In’ to win the Adidas pitch in Canada, launching the Adizero brand, proved to be not only the biggest win for Canada, but the most successful Adidas launch in history. Staying with sport brands, the work that followed on Gatorade was also ultra-successful in Canada. My output on Nissan, Infiniti, Ford, BMW and, more recently, Subaru all yielded record-breaking results. In South Africa, my work on Standard Bank help make it eclipse Coca-Cola to become the no.1 brand. That’s why I was considered to be the financial guy long before being the car guy. And why I am writing a financial book. In Canada, financial brand experience includes Meridian, Interac, Ninepoint, BlackRock, i-Shares, Home Equity Bank and Visa.
Car Experience
No two brands are alike, especially in the automotive industry. I should know, I’ve worked extensively on BMW, Ford, Subaru and Nissan. I launched the BMW M2, M3CSL, M5 and 7-Series (twice), Ford Mustang, New F-150, 2nd generation Nissan Leaf, plus Subaru Outback, Legacy, Impreza, Forester and the Subaru Wilderness brand. All great experience for developing iconic brands.
Good Causes
Beyond charity organizations, I believe every brand can do good in the world. The same goes for advertising agencies. And advertising people. That’s why I take pride that all my good work has actually run. I stand by this because your name is everything… even if it happens to be as ubiquitous as John Smith.
Advertising Awards: Agencies tend to be obsessed with creative awards while marketers look for sales results. Obviously, your best work does both.
D&AD
1 Yellow Pencil, 1 Graphite, 3 Wood
Cannes Lion
Gold, 2 Bronze, 6 finalists
CMA
Best of the Best, 5 Golds
Marketing
2 Gold, 2 Bronze
ADCC
2 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze
Adweek
Top 10 TV, Top 10 Digital, OOH Impact Awards
Muse
1 Platinum, 1 Gold
Clio
Silver, 2 finalists
One Show
2 Merits, 2 Shortlists
Webby
Finalist
Young Gun
Gold
AdFocus
Big Idea Award
Loeries (South Africa)
Grand Prix, 3 Gold
Effie
Silver, Finalist
Communications Arts
6 entries
References
I had the pleasure of working with Jonathan as his client when we developed the welcome to uncommon platform for Subaru Canada. He is insightful, clever and magnificently quirky in his thinking and approach. He really explored the far corners of the play-box that we provided in the brief. Apart from that he is a genuine and truly kind soul and I look forward to the opportunity to work with him again.
Jonathan Smith is one of the most original thinkers that I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Outgoing and friendly with a wicked sense of humor, clients love Jonathan. He rewards that love with big ideas that builds their brands and sells their products. Within the department, Jonathan shares his passion for his craft with his co-workers inspiring them to bigger, better, and bolder work. He would be an asset to any creative department.
Executive Creative Director
Jonathan is not only a brilliant creative, but also an excellent strategist. He works well in both traditional and non-traditional media and is a true 360 thinker. He is amiable, intelligent, an excellent presenter, and a meticulous craftsman. I’d love to work with him again.
VP, Creative Director
Jonathan is a thinker. He looks at problems differently from everyone and isn’t afraid to challenge thinking that is ordinary or conventional. I have met no other creative with the power of insight that Jonathan has. Very strategic. Very rare in a creative to be so different in their output, so informed in their thinking. A true measure of the man though is his willingness to mentor the young. I know that the juniors on both creative and account side felt that they learned so much in the time they worked with him, that he was so willing to find the time to nurture their potential. Sorely missed.
Executive Creative Director
Jonathan is the best type of client for a music house to work with. He provides us with top level creative. He’s a great collaborator – sharing his vision and criteria for the project but allowing us to explore, experiment, bring new ideas to the table. I’ve worked with Jonathan for 3 years now and hope to be working with him for a lot more.
Partner Eggplant Collective
Jon Smith is a brilliant writer who thinks. Or is he a brilliant thinker who writers? I’m not sure, but I valued both of these qualities in him. He’s one of the best I’ve worked with, and I’ve worked with some top people. He works hard, he’s excellent with clients, he’ll make your team much stronger. Thank you for everything, Mr. Smith.
Writer & Creative Leader
Having worked with Jonathan at Sid Lee, I found him not only a pleasure to work with but also took much inspiration from his approach to the industry. I would describe Jonathan as a 360 copywriter, as adept at crafting headlines and television scripts as he is at coming up with ‘the big idea’. I worked with Jonathan on a variety of projects but mostly for the adidas client and their sub-brands. During my time working with Jonathan, it was easy to imagine him leading and inspiring a team of creatives. Imagining that he would tend to lead by example rather than rule by the iron fist. All being said, I would not hesitate to work with Jonathan again and would highly recommend him to those who have the opportunity to collaborate with him.
Creative Director
Jonathan is one of the most gifted creative directors I have ever worked with in my career. There is a reason why he wins awards. He is able to take your vision and make it a reality, maintaining the integrity of the project and taking your goals on as his own. His care for your direction and sensitivity to being respectful of the subject is what makes his projects win, standout and generate buzz and attendance. He is exceptional at taking a concept that has never been done and giving it a life and brand that sets it apart from all others. He is equally capable of breathing fresh perspective into long time brands. I consider Jonathan to be one of the brightest creative lights in this country and would be happy to discuss the projects he led for us with any prospective clients.
CEO – The 7 Virtues | Dragon’s Den Judge
When sitting in the first group reviews with Jonathan, the depth of his ideas always astounded me. A true thinker with the ability to draw an astoundingly clear line between thought and product, something one does not encounter very often. With Jonathan in the mix, be prepared for some astoundingly original thoughts and the brilliant big-idea campaigns that will follow.
Creative Consultant
Jonathan possesses one of the my most sought after and admired characteristics: passion. His attention to detail and his desire to rethink what has already been thought to ensure he and his team have wrestled the most out of the work before finish ensures a high standard of quality and execution. Jonathan’s understanding of client-agency mechanisms and campaign objectives is richer and more insightful that most people twenty years more experienced. But most importantly Jonathan’s fresh directions and original concepts make him a valuable asset in any creative arsenal. One project alone can leave an indelible impression.
Directorial Practitioner