David Droga is this year's Clio Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

Droga5 founder and creative chairperson David Droga will receive the 2019 Clio Lifetime Achievement Award at the 60th Clio Awards ceremony, which will be held at the Manhattan Center in New York City on 25 September.
David Droga.
David Droga.

“From Sydney to Singapore and London to New York, David Droga has earned a reputation as one of our industry’s most iconic and consistent creative leaders. Since David settled in New York to create his own agency just over a decade ago, he has built it into a powerhouse and irrefutable benchmark for the global creative industry. His vision and audacious leadership have fostered some of the most impactful advertising ideas of our generation,” said Nicole Purcell, Clio president.

“From the Marc Ecko Air Force One stunt to ‘Decode Jay-Z’ and Newcastle Brown Ale to MailChimp, David helped us redefine and reimagine what advertising could be. With Honey Maid, Prudential and Under Armour, David challenged consumers to think differently about traditional social roles and with the Unicef Tap Project and The New York Times, he has shown the power advertising can have in highlighting important issues. His contributions are not just a gift to the advertising community, but to the world at large.”

Proud and humbled

In 2017, Droga became the youngest recipient of the Lion of St. Mark; he is also a laureate of the Asian Media and Marketing Hall of Fame, the New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame, the AdNews Advertising Hall of Fame, the Australian Writers and Art Directors Hall of Fame and the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement. His namesake company, a creative agency with offices in New York and London, has been named Agency of the Year more than 23 times since 2007.

It has become one of the only agencies to be named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the world list multiple times and is the only agency to have appeared on Advertising Age's A-List for eight consecutive years.

Droga said: “Any recognition of a proud creative voice is a celebration for all of us who care about the future of this amazing industry. I can think of many talented, creative individuals who deserve this accolade. Clio is such a highly respected awards programme in the creative community, and I am both proud and humbled to receive the Clio Lifetime Achievement Award, particularly as they celebrate their 60th anniversary. Thank you.”

Prior to founding Droga5 in 2006, the Australian native’s resume was accentuated by a tenure as partner and executive creative director of OMON Sydney at just 22, CCO of Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore (Advertising Age’s International Agency of the Year in 1998) and CCO of Saatchi & Saatchi London (winner of multiple Agency of the Year awards).

For more information about the Clio Awards, visit www.clios.com.

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