I handle big accounts, convert big pitches, and win big awards.

I’ve spent most of my career as a Creative & Creative Director at DDB, Leo Burnett, and AMV, where I was also sole ECD of Ford of Europe, Deputy ECD and part of the agency’s Creative Council.

In 20+ years as a CD, I’ve created platform ideas such as Heinz’s ‘It Has to Be’ and VW’s ‘Small but Tough’ and have been Creative Director on Guinness’s ‘Made of More’, DFT’s ‘Think!’, Sainsburys, Metropolitan Police, Doritos, UK Counter Terrorism Police, Visa, Meta, and TENA.

As sole ECD on Ford of Europe, I led agency teams, collaborated with partner agencies and stakeholders, and worked with many levels of clients to create the brand’s EV platform ‘Bring on Tomorrow’. And over 4 years, I led 11 multi-channel, cross-market campaigns, including 7 new product launches, and turned Ford into an award-winning account, with the Explorer launch - the last campaign I ECD-d, winning the 2025 Automotive Webby.

I’ve led and written winning pitches for Heinz Global, Ford of Europe, Visa, DFT ‘Think!’, and the Metropolitan Police, and won top-tier awards for all.

My awards as a Creative include Grands Prix at Cannes, BIMA, Creative Circle, the Andys, Kinsale & Epica, and Golds at Cannes, British Arrows, Clios, Campaign Big, London International, and Creative Circle, plus a D&AD Yellow Pencil.

Awards as a Creative Director include a BIMA Grand Prix, a Webby, and Golds at Campaign Big, BIMA, Clios, Eurobest, Kinsale, and London International Awards, and Silvers at Cannes, Campaign Big, One Show, and British Arrows, plus 3 Graphite Pencils at D&AD.

This has been for work across Digital, Social, Film, Content, Print and Audio.

I’m proud to have written long-running campaigns that both I and other creatives have won multiple awards for, such as ‘It Has to Be’ for Heinz, which became their global platform and continues to win awards today, and the Cannes Grand Prix & Yellow Pencil-winning ‘Small but Tough’ campaign for VW Polo.

Other work includes my Cannes Grand Prix-winning ‘Choose a Different Ending’ digital campaign for Metropolitan Police, the Guinness ‘Compton Cowboys’ content campaign, which won Graphite at D&AD, and the famous ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ commercial for Golf GTi.

As half of AMV's Awards Team, I selected the agency’s work and categories and co-created case studies.  After the original Hope Reef case study won only a One Show Bronze, I created a new case film, which won 2 Cannes Grand Prix. In 5 years, AMV won 9 Cannes Grand Prix and in 2021, won Global Agency of the Year at Cannes, One Show and D&AD.

I’ve served as a juror on all the major shows, including Cannes, D&AD, Creative Circle, and British Arrows.

I work as an ECD, CD or - as a writer with a graphic design background, I also work as a Sole Creative.

Alternative ‘About’:

While shooting a Visa campaign in Russia, I was arrested by the KGB.

Spike Milligan offered to appear in one of my campaigns for nothing. (Still have his letter.)

Zlatan Ibrahimovitch said I knew him better than he knew himself after reading dialogue I wrote for him.

The House of Commons has had two motions demanding an ad I wrote that was pulled, be put back on air.

I had to write to Gene Kelly’s widow for permission to use him in a VW ad.

George Sampson won Britain’s Got Talent by re-enacting it.

Before marrying Posh in the ‘Beckham’ documentary, David sings the song from my Allied Dunbar campaign, ‘There May Be Trouble Ahead’.

I went to a lake to shoot a Ford campaign to find that the lake was gone.

DFT data proved one of my road safety campaigns saved seven people’s lives.

(More details on all of this can be found throughout the site.)

ALEX GRIEVE, BBH CCO

There’s an easy way to describe how good Martin is and it goes like this. He truly knows what a big idea is. And then he knows how to make that idea simple, famous and effective. And he knows how to sell it. And how to push the idea. Right until the point it’s about to burst through the envelope. But no further. And he knows how to cajole. How to cuddle (appropriately). How to charm. He knows how to win an award. Lots of awards. He knows how to do it all. But here’s the true compliment and test. Whenever Martin was on a project, a brand, a pitch I relaxed. I stopped worrying. I didn’t hope it would turn out well, I knew.

NADJA LOSSGOTT, AMV CCO

Martin is an exceptional writer, Creative Director and Deputy ECD. He has a rare talent - he is highly awarded and has experience in running huge global accounts as well as national ones. He takes both creativity and the business of it seriously. Martin consistently manages to create highly effective work that makes brands famous and always believes in making the very best for his clients, by truly listening to them and steering them in the direction that pays off. Not only is he brilliant at what he does, he is also kind and caring in how he does it.

PETER ZILLIG, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, FORD OF EUROPE

Martin delivered some brilliant campaigns and ideas for Ford Motor Company at a time of huge transformation for the company. I was always impressed by his ability to spot a big idea, bring it to life in a simple and powerful way and then execute across multiple channels. He combined this with excellent leadership of teams, positive collaboration with other agency partners, and for always being himself - a good, down to earth and trustworthy man!

LYN WEST, MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, FORD OF EUROPE

Martin is a star among creative leaders. He has the ability to think strategically and to pull multiple stakeholders together to deliver outstanding work. Most importantly he listens and is wonderful to work with.

JUSTIN ACUFF, SENIOR DIRECTOR, VISA GLOBAL BRAND MARKETING

Martin was part of the creative leadership on the global Visa account. He created arguably the most successful and culturally significant FIFA World Cup campaign for Visa in the history of our sponsorship. His fearless creativity tapped into a cultural connection matched with a clear role for the brand that not only drove results but put Visa at the center of the conversation during the worlds biggest event. I will never forget when football icon Zlatan, who was central to our campaign said, and I quote, “you know Zlatan better than Zlatan.” I regret not being able to partner with Martin for more ground breaking creative work

DOUGLAS HARAKAL, DIRECTOR, VISA GLOBAL

Martin created some of the best work of my career at Visa and arguably one of the most impactful campaigns ever for Visa. He possesses that rare combination of brilliant creative mind and adept strategist to get the work sold in and produced. He intimately understood our business and friction points to truly operate as an extension of our team, seamlessly moving between AMV and Visa to find solutions and evangelize the entire marketing team. And he did it all with an infectious enthusiasm. Thank you Martin.