Antonio Navas  ECD/AD

Born just a couple of degrees north of the Equator, in Caracas, Venezuela, Antonio feels he has gotten by on purely bequeathed talent. At the mere age of 9 he touched a screaming Pope’s hand. He had been left alone at a friend’s house, a Francis Bacon painting of Innocent X for company. That small moment made him acutely conscious of how art can make you vulnerable and afraid at times. As though he is always trying to find his place in the whole story of the human race, Antonio refers to the past often. He has also carefully orchestrated his life around his truth that music makes life worth living. He can’t concentrate without it. His original 1965 vinyl of “A Love Supreme” is his safety blanket.

Antonio’s unerring eye (a good thing in an art director) and unfailing taste (a better thing in a creative director) have produced some of the most memorable work for some of the world's most famous brands. His love for photography and the beautiful cosmos of advertising conspired in his favor.  So it’s no surprise that he has counted among his friends people like Richard Avedon, Elliott Erwitt and Nadav Kander, or that he has collaborated with Andreas Gursky and Annie Liebovitz among others. He loves his craft, knows his brands and is able to carry art into commerce. It’s a rare talent who can combine a superb sense of design with a strategic understanding of brands. This is the gift he shares with the up and coming talent he is devoted to mentoring.

He has made a name for himself among both clients and the creative community for his ability to articulate big cultural brand truths that work across both geographical and media boundaries. His work has strong visual resonance, and his philosophy is primarily spoken through actions rather than words. When he was anointed Executive Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, the staff wondered what this Venezuelan New York native would do first on arrival. In order to inspire everyone, he opened an art gallery in the historical Saatchi & Saatchi building. In the 3 years since it’s opening it has grown into one of the most celebrated art spaces in Auckland. Prior to this he was the Worldwide Creative Director of Ogilvy & Mather, working on Kodak, Avon, Motorola and Stolichnaya and Puerto Rico Tourism. True to form, he treated all 11 floors of their building as multiple gallery spaces, attracting some of the most iconic artists in the world, including Shepard Fairey, WK, Will Barras and Luke Dubois. Previously, at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, his iconic “Frames” campaign for Hewlett Packard helped the troubled brand take ownership of the home photo printing market.

When Rolex teamed up with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science to share insight from  some of the world’s most influential directors, he created a series of beautifully shot short-films focusing on the importance of mentorship and how role models have influenced and shaped the works of Kathryn Bigelow, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Martin Scorsese, and James Cameron, Rolex shares each director’s inspirational story.

His work for brands like Levi’s, Bacardi, Stella Artois, Chobani, World Wildlife Fund and the famed American Express Portraits campaign photographed by Annie Liebovitz, have been awarded most of the major awards in the industry. Antonio has been a juror in most international advertising shows, including Cannes, One Show, Art Directors, Andy Awards and AICP.

Places: Wunderman Thompson,New York, Opperman Weiss, New York, Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, Ogilvy, New York, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, Amster Yard, New York, FCB, San Francisco,  BBDO, New York.

Clients: Rolex, Jagermeister, Gap, Lee Jeans, Don Julio, Nocheluna, Tullamore Dew, Avion, Chobani, Telecom, Skinny Mobile, Radio Hauraki, Tui, L&P, Toyota, ASB Bank, New Zealand Defence Force, Pump, Wellington Zoo, Telecom, Marmite, Weet-Bix, Kodak, Motorola, Coca Cola, Stolichnaya, Puerto Rico Tourism, Avon, Hewlett Packard, Haagen Daz, Bacardi, Stella Artois, Martini, Sol Beer, Lugz, Levi's, Mazda, Pepsi, American Express, World Wildlife Fund.

Education: Hofstra University B.A. Communication Arts (Film, Photography, Journalism) School of Visual Arts NYC.

Awards: Cannes, D&AD, Communication Arts, London International Advertising Awards, The One Show, ADDY, Art Direction Magazine, AAF, Clio, Type Directors Club, Broadcast Designer's Association,  The Art Directors Club, & AICP.

http://creativeinterviews.com/advertising/antonio-navas/

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10807930