GAV MCGRATH is a copywriter and creative director. At VMLY&R, London, he won a BAFTA for his work on the BBC Winter Olympics, and won the agency its first pencil for the Department for Transport. Before joining, he spent three years in the US, as group creative director on Acura at Mullen Lowe, Los Angeles, and creative director on the global Samsung account at Leo Burnett, Chicago.
Previously, he was at BMB, London, creating award-winning campaigns for Carling and Thomson, as well as TBWA and Simons Palmer Clemmow Johnson.
AWARDS
Dept for Transport 'Pint Block'
D&AD Wood Pencil
BBC Winter Olympics 'The Fearless Are Here'
BAFTA Winner
D&AD Graphite Pencil, Wood Pencil
Clio Silver
THOMSON 'Ogre'
Cannes Silver
D&AD Wood Pencil
One Show Merit
Kinsale Sharks Gold
THOMSON 'Time for a Holiday?'
D&AD Graphite Pencil, Wood Pencil x 3
BTAA Silver
Creative Circle Awards Gold
Kinsale Sharks Silver x 2, Bronze x 4
CARLING 'Space'
Cannes Silver
D&AD Graphite Pencil
BTAA Gold, Silver x2
Creative Circle Bronze x 4
Campaign Big Awards Silver
CARLING 'Out'
Cannes Silver
BTAA Silver Arrow x 2
Creative Circle Silver, Bronze
Campaign Big Awards Silver
One Show Merit
SELFRIDGES 'Wonder Room'
D&AD Wood Pencil
Creative Circle Gold
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID
"Dear World,
I have known GAV MCGRATH for a very long time. Long enough to know that he is a Class Act. I first encountered Gav as a vibrant young creative whipper-snapper capable of holding his own against the finest senior creative talent that TBWA had to offer in the halcyon late 1990s. When I left TBWA to form my own shop, BMB in 2005, Gav was the first creative hiring I made.
What I didn’t expect was how quickly he’d become one of the chief creative architects of my company. Gav’s work for CARLING, McCAIN, TUI and FIRST CHOICE won us each of those accounts and rapidly turned our ‘umble start-up into a force to be reckoned with.
His ‘Space’ commercial for Carling remains the finest piece of work BMB ever produced.
Gav is a writer. He’s an art director. He’s a brilliant presenter of work. He’s a dream for clients, he’s a motivational hero for young creatives. I’d say he was a Visionary, but he’s also a Northerner, so he’d not appreciate such flowery nonsense from a Brummie like me.
Gav will make your company a better place. He made mine a brilliant one.
Yes, he’s a Huddersfield Town fan. But nobody’s perfect.
Hire him before your deadliest rival does."
TREVOR BEATTIE
"Gavin is genuinely one of the very finest creative writers and CDs I have ever had the pleasure to work with. His work always exceeded expectations in every way - imaginative, on point and on brief, beautifully written and without fail wonderfully surprising. It doesn’t hurt that he’s also an excellent human being to boot. I can’t recommend him highly enough."
JONATHAN BURLEY
Chief Creative Officer, Consultant
"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Gavin for the last 4 years. In that time he has been an incredible asset to the agency, producing personally or helping direct much of the agencies very best work.
His obsession with detail and storytelling made sure our BBC Winter Olympics trail picked up a BAFTA and some D&AD pencils for the agency.
He’s lead the DfT account for the last 18 months during which time he’s helped create some amazingly varied work from 'Pint Block' where we launched a pub to 'Everyone's Journey' where we charmed the country into being more considerate on public transport.
So if you’re looking for an incredibly talented writer or Creative Director capable of getting to great work, Gav’s your man.
However that is really only half the story because most of all Gav is a really lovely, kind, generous and funny man. He was loved by all and will be greatly missed and I strongly recommend him to an agency."
MARK ROALFE
Chairman, VMLY&R
"Gav is one of the best copywriters I've ever had the pleasure to work with. He also led the team that won VMLY&R its first pencil. And he's a lovely bloke. You'll be very lucky to have him on your team."
LAURENT SIMON
Chief Creative Officer, VMLY&R