Leo Burnett, the agency whose signature was big bowls of apples that greeted guests, has hired a Big Apple creative star and modern Peggy Olsen story as its chief creative officer.
Susan Credle joins the Publicis Groupe-owned agency Oct. 5 after 24 years at BBDO, New York, the last 10 as its high profile EVP/executive creative director.
She was hired after an eight month aggressive internal and external search to succeed John Condon, who left the agency last February.
At Burnett, she will oversee the creative output at both the agency and its Arc Worldwide subsidiary.
As EVP/CCO, Credle will report to Burnett Worldwide chief creative officer Mark Tutssel, who called her “a creative powerhouse ? and the perfect leader to take on this responsibility.
“Susan has a demonstrated ability to lead blue-chip clients to outstanding creative heights while creating work that truly matters to people.”
Credle, 45, started her agency career as a secretary at BBDO in 1985, after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She soon moved up the ladder to copywriter and eventually to creative director.
Most recently she was lead creative on BBDO’s M&M and Mars candy business and is credited with creating the popular spokescandies, in the tradition of Leo Burnett’s iconic product characters of years past.
An AAF Hall of Achievement inductee, Credle is a frequent juror at major awards shows, including the Cannes Lions and the ANDY awards, and her work has won at Cannes, New York Festivals, Effies, Communications Arts and many others.
Credle’s predecessor, John Condon, a 20-year veteran left the agency after being asked to resign or take a demotion.
