A tribute to Dave Dye's journey by MOM

Dave Dye is amongst 28 legendary Art Directors of the world featured in THE ART DIRECTION BOOK. (Second book in the series of D&AD MASTERCRAFT SERIES, THE COPY BOOK was the first.)

His entry into advertising, in his own words…
“I could draw, so people would say ‘you should be a Commercial Artist’.
I didn’t really know what it was, but it sounded cool…it had the word ‘Artist’ in the title.
I did Fine Art then Graphics at college but in retrospect, came out knowing nothing.
I applied for jobs with titles like ‘Studio Assistant’, ‘Design Studio Tea Boy’, ‘Dogsbody to Some Design Folk’. I eventually got one, but it turned out not to be as glamorous as the ad made it sound.
But whilst there I started reading magazines in reception - Creative Review, Direction and Campaign, and I discovered tatty copies of a book called D&AD at the back of the studio
So I’d regularly look at the pictures in those.
It made me want to get a job where I was paid to think up funny ideas.”

His advertising journey so far…
He started his career at Brooks Legon Bloomfield Agency as Art Director, nobody in London ever used the name of that agency and the word ‘creative’ in the same sentence.

He struggled at a number of unremarkable agencies (Cromer Titterton, Edwards Martin Thornton, Delaney Fletcher Delaney Bozell) before getting his big break at what was then, London’s most creative agency - Simons Palmer Denton Clemmow & Johnson, where he won awards on Nike.

When the creative partners (Palmer & Denton) were kicked out, Dye left to spend the next 5 years cementing his growing reputation as one of the industry’s best Art Directors at Leagas Delaney.

He then worked at BMP/DDB, overseeing Volkswagen, American Airlines and London Transport. (A year later the agency was No.1 in The Gunn Report.)

In 1999, Dye joined AMV/BBDO, replacing Ron Brown to become only its 2nd ever Head of Art
and creative Director on The Economist, Volvo, RSPCA, British Telecom & Sainsbury’s.
(A year later the agency was No.1 in The Gunn Report.)

Campbell Doyle Dye was launched in 2002. The agency created famous work for clients such as Mercedes Benz, Adnams, Merrydown and The Macallan.
In 2004, Dye designed the D&AD Annual, bringing in 40 famous designers around the world under the idea ‘Now That’s What I Call Advertising/Design.

After launching Dye Holloway Murray in 2007 (which changed its name to Hello People) and creating award-winning work for the likes of Howies, Google and The Economist, in 2012, Dye designed the 50th D&AD Annual. this time using simply a handful of coloured pencils and his own insecurity.

He joined Mother as its first Head of Art (and Creative Director) in 2013, amongst his output was a Gold Clio winning campaign for PG tips.

He joined JWT in 2015 as Head of Art and Creative Director.

He founded the THINGY Creative Consultancy in 2017 and Love or Fear in 2019, and divides his time between the two.



During his career he has won a huge number of awards including –

19 One show Pencil
100 + mentions in the book
5 D&AD Silver
19 Silver Nominations
200+ mentions in the book, &
A sack full of Cannes Lions.


His advertising influences…
Barry Brooks, Brian Stewart, Dave Trott, John Hegarty, Mark Reddy, Derrick Hass, Paul Arden, Chris Palmer, Mark Denton, Tim Delaney, John Knight, Tom McElligott, Helmut Krone, Paul Rand, Bill Bernbach…I could fill the page.

His creative influences outside of advertising…
Woody Allen, Louis C.K., Preston Sturges, P.G. Wodehouse, Jean Paul Goude, David Bowie, Charles & Ray Eames, Steve Martin, Wes Anderson, Barney Bubbles, Irving Penn, Shakers, W.C. Fields, Adam Curtis, Robert A. Caro, Bill Forsyth, Guy Bourdin, Saul Steinberg, Paul Rand, Jerry Seinfeld,

His take on the creative process…
“Few people see what’s right in front of their nose; they are too busy trying to be ‘clever.”