David Jackson Becomes Apparent ECD to “Orchestrate Brand Experience Without Silos”

Apparent has appointed David Jackson, formerly Tribal DDB’s national executive creative director, as ECD.

He joins the independent creative agency a year after it hired chief creative and experience officerHamish Stewart. David told LBB in an exclusive interview he was drawn to the opportunity because of Apparent’s “combination of ambition and authenticity”, cemented by his first conversation with Hamish.

“We met up for a quick coffee, an hour later, that became lunch, and two hours later, we were talking about how we could build on the great foundation Apparent already has,” he said. “How we can raise the level of creativity to make work that genuinely connects with people and drives real outcomes for our clients.”

Hamish’s remit stretches across creative, tech, and production, which means “we can actually orchestrate the full brand experience without the silos I've experienced in past roles,” David continued. “That's a creative leader's dream.

“Apparent has this understated confidence that I found refreshing. They're not talking about what they're going to do, they're just doing it.”

Hamish said he expects David, known widely as ‘Jacko’, to “lift the floor and raise the ceiling.” The agency is now 190-people strong, with a presence across Australia, the UK, and the US, and projects that range from traditional campaigns to large-scale experiences. But it’s still underestimated, Hamish noted.

David’s skillset spans digital, experiential, and brand storytelling, and before his seven-year stretch at DDB -- during which he led projects like the Lion-winning Volkswagen RooBadge -- he worked at M+C Saatchi. His “out of the box” thinking but fundamental understanding of, and respect for, the “nuts and bolts of building brands” made him the right person for the job, Hamish noted.

“I’ve known Jacko for many years now, and I know what he’s capable of,” he said.

“He’s also an incredibly hard worker, a deep thinker, a true professional and a really positive force for the agency. When we started chatting, he and I were really aligned in wanting to shape a culture and create an agency legacy.”

David will work alongside experience design CD Cris Douglas and visual design CD Sam McGuinness to create ideas that “penetrate culture” and drive commercial outcomes. Hamish has structured the team to ensure Apparent can be a “true marketing partner” that helps marketers navigate complexity.

“There’s a reason so many organisations now have chief customer officers -- they’re charged with coordinating a wide range of disciplines, often siloed or with KPIs that aren’t aligned, to create a coherent, compelling experience for customers,” he said.

“We want to be the creative equivalent -- a team that can orchestrate the brand experience so that it addresses customers at every stage of the journey, with one cohesive story.”

That creative and agency structure will allow David to make work that feels “less like advertising” and more like “experiences or stories” people actively want to engage with and connect to.

“The beauty of Hamish's structure is that we actually have the support and capability to do this,” David said.

“I've spent my career chasing work that sits at the intersection of brand, experience, and communications. As ECD, I want to build a team that thrives in that space, people who can navigate briefs and create the unexpected ideas that connect with people in a meaningful way and drive real commercial results for our clients.”

He was integral to acclaimed DDB projects including Grave of Thrones for Foxtel, Ad Break Championship for Volkswagen, and a range of work for Quiksilver, Westpac, Virgin, and McDonald’s. In his new role, he’ll be starting by getting to know the people and the work, then elevating the craft and thinking.

“Fundamentally, it's about building momentum and confidence. The place is famous for its culture, so it's about putting in processes that empower the team to take creative risks, challenge briefs, and do work they're genuinely proud of. If we get that right, the work takes care of itself.”