Jon Canning, a creative director at Bates Dorland, has been named
as the new creative director of Court Burkitt & Company.
Canning replaces Mike Court, who departed for McCann-Erickson this
summer after only 18 months at the agency which still carries his name
above the door (Campaign, 22 August).
At Dorlands, Canning was one of three creative directors who have been
running the agency’s creative department since Tim Ashton, the executive
creative director, was fired in June. Since then, Jay Pond-Jones,
formerly at Mother and GGT, has been named as Ashton’s successor.
Canning, a copywriter, was closely associated with the Safeway
account.
His art director of 14 years, Russell Waldron, was killed in a road
accident last May. Together, the pair created the acclaimed ’Harry’
campaign for the supermarket chain. Canning directed some of the Safeway
commercials and had been considering a move into full-time
directing.
He commented: ’Court Burkitt is a famous agency with a good name but it
is small enough for me to work on a personal level.’
Hugh Burkitt, the chairman of Court Burkitt, said: ’We have a grown-up
planning and account handling team, and Jon will work well with them,
but he’ll be prepared to put them back in their boxes when necessary.’
