Jonathan Horner
Advertising Creative Director Writer

THE ME

Born in Auckland • New Zealand in the 80s looked a lot like the rest of the world in the 70s • Locked myself in a toilet •.Won a Sega • Became a national sausage judge • Became a journalist • And a court registrar • Filled out bail terms for Upper Hutt criminals • Tried to restore cars • One car caught fire while driving on the highway • Stopped restoring cars • Got into advertising on a bet • Became an Art Director • Moved countries • Started an ad agency • Won shiny things • Closed down the ad agency • Moved to Kenya • Made friends with the Nairobi national park • Learned how to walk again • Moved to the Middle East • Shot with soccer stars and found out Rinaldo has a body double • Moved to London • Didn’t meet the Queen • Switched to being a writer • Seized green card • Pond hopped to New York • Became a Madison Avenue fixture • Owner of a US passport • Ran accounts • Saved accounts • Ordered food in the evenings • Saw my name mispelled in various festivals and publications, including Cannes, One Show, Ad Age, The Drum, DMAs, Campaign, The Work, Ad Stars, Lurzer’s, and CA • Good at manifestos • Better at looking beyond them • Can replace a boiler.

 

2025.

The tariffs have taken effect.

The resulting economic devastation spurs two types of brands.

Those who advertise to be seen in these times. And those who batten down the hatches and cut marketing altogether.

Out of this chaos comes Creative Director writer, Jonathan, seeking his fortunes in the former.

Known for his work across 5 continents (Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe & America) his adaptability has seen him launch brand campaigns from Face Moisturizer to Financial Literacy.

CMOs and brand managers have come to know him as someone who can reliably translate brand thinking into campaign platforms.

He is no alien to the start-up culture having launched an ad agency and grown it across two countries working on clients such as Mountain Dew, Olympus & Amnesty International.

New York is where he now calls home.

And in his time here has been responsible for brand creative on a range of accounts from The Wall Street Journal to BlackRock.

Taking cultural cues and translating them into actionable content, he seeks out ad agencies and brands, with the hope that their hard-won philosophies will attune their sensibilities towards doing brave work that works. Something Jonathan believes in as well. His time in Madison Avenue has seen him oversee creative silos as small as one (himself) to as large as 25.

He has mentored Miami Adschool students, overseen teams at all levels, and understands when you need to be scrappy to get work out, and when to sweat the craft.

Brooklyn by day, Silverlake by some weekends. He is open to working wherever E Pluribus Unum is mentioned.

2025 will change agency and brand behavior and Jonathan Horner is a Creative Director writer here for the ride.

 

RECOGNITION

CANNES LIONS / ONE SHOW / ANDY AWARDS / SHOTS SHOWCASE / WPP ANNUAL SHOWCASE / LÜRZER’S ARCHIVE / DMA / ADMA / EFFIES / THE WORK / AWARD / AXIS / (A FEW OTHERS I CAN’T REMEMBER BUT IF YOU SHOWED ME THE TROPHY IN A LINE UP I MAY BE ABLE TO GET THERE WITH A “THAT’S IT”)

RECENT AGENCIES FREELANCED WITH

DROGA5 NYC / MCCANN NYC / FCB NYC / HUGE NYC / ADAM&EVE DDB NYC /

ACCENTURE SONG NYC / PUBLICIS NYC / MRM NYC / THE COMMUNITY NYC / FIG NYC

EMAIL

jonathan.horner@gmail.com

RESUME

See here

Creative director writer who can be yours

🫦

Creative director writer who can be yours 🫦

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