James Spence
Executive Creative Director
Los Angeles, CA, USAJames is a highly experienced creative leader who has worked extensively on a wide range of global brands.
Known for creating effective, award-winning cross platform marketing campaigns, James has a history of fostering collaboration between disciplines and establishing strong relationships with clients. Over his career he has built and re-engineered multiple creative departments. As a Creative, ECD and Director he has picked up numerous awards including Clio, Cannes, LIAA, D&AD, BTAA, Creative Circle, Promax and One Show. In 2009 he was awarded Honorary Master of Arts at the University of the Creative Arts in his native UK.
Known for creating effective, award-winning cross platform marketing campaigns, James has a history of fostering collaboration between disciplines and establishing strong relationships with clients. Over his career he has built and re-engineered multiple creative departments. As a Creative, ECD and Director he has picked up numerous awards including Clio, Cannes, LIAA, D&AD, BTAA, Creative Circle, Promax and One Show. In 2009 he was awarded Honorary Master of Arts at the University of the Creative Arts in his native UK.
Work Experience
YouTube
ECD YouTube Brand Studio
Provide creative leadership and strategy for brand campaigns and all original content and on the platform. Responsibilities include overseeing print, digital and video advertising for on and off platform promotion, guiding the global branding of YouTube’s Original Content offering, leading and developing the creative team, agency partners and developing and directing work across all media delivery platforms.
January 2018
- November 2021
California, United States
HBO
SVP Creative Marketing
Responsibilities included verseeing a team of approximately 40 producers, editors, directors, writers and designers responsible for the creation and production of marketing AV assets, both short and long form, across all HBO linear and digital platforms.
July 2015
- December 2017
New York, United States
NBC Universal, Syfy
SVP Creative
SVP Creative for creative output across all disciplines.
October 2010
- July 2015
New York, United States
Red Bee Media
BBC Group Creative Director
Group Creative Director on BBC brand and programming creative for:
BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four,
BBC Sport, BBC Kids, BBC IPlayer, BBC HD
Responsibilities:
Advertising campaigns (on and off air), Branding identity, programme promotions.
Commercial Director. Representation: Red Bee Media.
BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four,
BBC Sport, BBC Kids, BBC IPlayer, BBC HD
Responsibilities:
Advertising campaigns (on and off air), Branding identity, programme promotions.
Commercial Director. Representation: Red Bee Media.
April 2007
- October 2010
London, United Kingdom
Great Guns
Commercials Director
Three films in the 2006 Cannes Shots New Directors Showcase. AppealNow featured on ITV, BBC, Sky news, and The Evening Standard. Winner at the Comedy Smalls Short Film Festival.
2005
- 2007
London, United Kingdom
TBWA
ECD
Creative Director
ACCOUNTS: Nissan Infiniti, Apple, AGF, Direct Energy, Adidas, Elastoplast, EFFEM (Whiskas & Uncle Bens), Absolut Vodka, Nivea
Recruited as part of new management group to re-engineer TBWA\Chiat Day into TBWA\Toronto. Co-created Tequila\Toronto, the through the line wing of TBWA\Worldwide. In 2004 TBWA\Toronto made its first appearance in the Cannes Top Ten North America Agency Rankings.
ACCOUNTS: Nissan Infiniti, Apple, AGF, Direct Energy, Adidas, Elastoplast, EFFEM (Whiskas & Uncle Bens), Absolut Vodka, Nivea
Recruited as part of new management group to re-engineer TBWA\Chiat Day into TBWA\Toronto. Co-created Tequila\Toronto, the through the line wing of TBWA\Worldwide. In 2004 TBWA\Toronto made its first appearance in the Cannes Top Ten North America Agency Rankings.
2002
- 2004
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
HHCL & Partners
Head of Art
ACCOUNTS: ITV, Martini, Egg, Guinness, UDirect TV, Tango, London Eye, Ambrosia, Amazon
HHCL & Partners. Agency of the Decade 2000.
HHCL & Partners. Agency of the Decade 2000.
1998
- 2000
London, United Kingdom
Education
University College For The Creative Arts At Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone And Rochester
Awarded Honorary Master of Arts in 2009 for work in Broadcast and Advertising
United Kingdom
Recent Awards
2019 Clio Entertainment Awards: 2 Gold, 2 Silver
2017 Clio Entertainment Awards: 1 Gold
2017 Promax/BDA: 1 Gold, 1 Silver
2017 Webby Awards: 2 Winners
2016 Clio Entertainment Awards: Bronze
2015 Clio Entertainment Awards: Grand Clio
2015 Promax/BDA: 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze
2014 Keyart Awards: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze
2014 Creativity Awards: 1 Platinum, 2 Golds, 2 Silvers
2014 Promax/BDA: 2 Golds
2013 Creativity Awards: 1 Platinum, 2 Golds, 3 Silvers
2013 Promax/BDA: 3 Golds, 7 Silvers
2013 Keyart Awards: 1 Bronze
2017 Clio Entertainment Awards: 1 Gold
2017 Promax/BDA: 1 Gold, 1 Silver
2017 Webby Awards: 2 Winners
2016 Clio Entertainment Awards: Bronze
2015 Clio Entertainment Awards: Grand Clio
2015 Promax/BDA: 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze
2014 Keyart Awards: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze
2014 Creativity Awards: 1 Platinum, 2 Golds, 2 Silvers
2014 Promax/BDA: 2 Golds
2013 Creativity Awards: 1 Platinum, 2 Golds, 3 Silvers
2013 Promax/BDA: 3 Golds, 7 Silvers
2013 Keyart Awards: 1 Bronze
Not So Recent Awards
2012 Promax/BDA US: 2 Golds
2012 One show
2012 W3: Gold
2011 Promax/BDA US: 9 Golds
2011 D&AD
2011 Sony Radio Academy Awards: Silver
2011 Promax Europe: 3 Golds
2011 Promax UK: 2 Golds
2011 Design Week Awards: 2 Commendations
2010 Promax UK: 7 Golds
2010 Promax Europe: 5 Golds
2009 D&AD
2009 Promax UK: 7 Golds
2008 D&AD
2008 Promax UK: 6 Golds
2008 Promax Europe: 3 Golds
2007 Promax UK: 3 Golds
2012 One show
2012 W3: Gold
2011 Promax/BDA US: 9 Golds
2011 D&AD
2011 Sony Radio Academy Awards: Silver
2011 Promax Europe: 3 Golds
2011 Promax UK: 2 Golds
2011 Design Week Awards: 2 Commendations
2010 Promax UK: 7 Golds
2010 Promax Europe: 5 Golds
2009 D&AD
2009 Promax UK: 7 Golds
2008 D&AD
2008 Promax UK: 6 Golds
2008 Promax Europe: 3 Golds
2007 Promax UK: 3 Golds