Sam Saunders

Started career as actor in Sydney. Performed Shakespeare. Some acclaim. Rewarded with roles in soaps and commercials.

Wasted four years on marketing degree. Kept acting. Started coaching tennis. Managed rock band. All abysmally.

Escaped to London to be Eastenders’ next heartthrob. Failed. Started modeling instead. Became Storm Model’s least successful model – ever.

Desperate for money and creative outlet. Crafted fantastical CV that won job in finance. Excelled, travelled extensively.

Loved creative writing portion of that experiment. Got job as reporter. Started private investigation business. Excelled again. Success. Kept acting on the side, still not-very-good-at-it.

Advertising then a-called.

Cut teeth at URSA. More cutting with copy legend John Bevins. M&C Saatchi for four years. Hall-of-Famer Tracy Wong at his LA office. Legends Tim Gillingham and Bob Brihn’s CD in frigid Minneapolis. Icon Marty Cooke at SS+K in NYC. Replaced Marty as ECD when he left.

Started own agency. Won Nickelodeon. Won Tommy John. Won Nightowl Canning. Won Hugh & Deb Jackman. Won The Chia Co. Won NFL + P&G. Lost one or two, too.

Merged agency with strategic partner to form strategy, consulting and creation supercell, Partners & Partners. Clients include Sonos, Estee Lauder, YSL, Lufthansa, Food Network, Raw Story, Proximity Insight, Viktor & Rolf, Hopeland, Mcintosh and ONE.org.

Sold agency to private equity. Smiled.

Written TV. Created print. Crafted experiences. Digital. Guerilla. Invented products. Games. All rather well.

Judged One Show twice, spoken at Cannes three times, consulted creatively to Apple.

Live in West Village, NYC. Beautiful wife. Fluffy rescue dog.

That’s pretty much it.