Kiwi-born and bred

AUCKLAND, Today: Special Group founder/CCO/ceo Tony Bradbourne has speedily responded to M+AD’s query about ownership, and the leadership of the offshore branches of the group.

“Special is founded, owned and led by the New Zealand partners,” he said. “We have additional shareholders or local partners in each office outside of New Zealand.

“Special is the first agency from New Zealand to successfully open an office in Australia, and now with four offices (so far) we are proudly the first global independent agency network founded in New Zealand.

“This is something recognised by Campaign UK when they named us Best Global Creative Agency in the World, the first for any agency in the Southern Hemisphere.

“Each office is built to be independent, rather than micro-managed from afar.”

“And we are lucky enough to have the very best in the world heading up our different offices. We are very humbled that the Special brand is such an international draw card for world-class talent.

“Each office is built to be independent, rather than micro-managed from afar as in the traditional holding company model.

“But like any successful global company we have one consistent brand, proprietary tools, approaches to brand building and creativity, values, and ways of working.

“We work as one team where that’s best for clients’ needs and business challenges, and as individual offices when that is best for achieving a client’s business goals, or for conflict or confidentiality purposes.

“And that’s one of the strong benefits of independence – the ability to make your own choices, for the right reasons.”

• Cloud over Special Group’s USA award ‘wins’: mad-daily.com/cloud-over-specials-us-wins