Hey there!
I’m a brand strategist and creative director. I help brands work out what they stand for, then lead the teams that bring it to life. That’s global names like Samsung, Ford and Porsche, and founders building something new.
I’ve done it for 16+ years across Asia, Europe and North America, at We Are Social, at BBDO and in-house at Samsung, for brands like Amazon, Activision and Mercedes-Benz.
Most recently I was Executive Director at Erin, a platform I built with Erin Brockovich to help regular people stand up to corporate harm.
I get excited about setting an inspiring vision, defining clear objectives and building a strategy a team can’t wait to get started on. The work has to solve a real business problem, and people have to find it relevant, interesting and memorable, wherever it shows up.
I want teams where people are happy and set up to do their best work. I’m Danish, so I’m friendly, open-minded and keep things flat. My creatives get real ownership of their work and the freedom to run with it, and my feedback is clear, kind and useful.
With clients, I don’t just hand over a finished idea. I bring them into the process through close collaboration and workshops, so we agree on where the brand needs to go before we make anything. In my experience, that’s how big changes get approved, and how they last.
Outside of work I cave dive to push myself, meditate to find myself and shoot the stars to humble myself.
“Martin is a man of great talent, but this is only exceeded by his character. He lifts the entire department with his presence, and meets each day with unparalleled energy and positivity. Being around him makes you a better person. And I count myself lucky to have met him.”
Pierre Lipton, CCO McCann
“One of the things I loved about working with Martin was his ability to convey vision and strategy through powerful storytelling — everyone who joined our team became passionate about our movement after just one conversation with him. … If you need someone who can take a broad concept, turn it into a comprehensive vision and strategy for a brand or product, and then motivate a team to get it built, Martin’s your guy.”
Stefanie Minter, Senior Product Manager Erin
“Martin’s ability to lead and lift the creative work through sheer positivity is second only to his first aid ability. Why you may ask? Not only have I had the pleasure to work alongside Martin in his element during a high pressure pitch run, but I’ve also had the honour of having him re-align my dislocated finger. Most people would keep wide berth of a heavy-set woman with a look of fire and brimstone, but he got right in there and popped that sucker right back in. Seriously though, I can not recommend Martin enough. Usually good things come in small packages, but in this case the creative talent had to be contained in a much larger frame.”
Tracy-Lee Ellis, Creative Services Manager Proximity
“When I get tapped to work on a pitch, I cross my fingers in hopes Martin will be the one to lead it. Under his leadership on a pitch for Perrier, I learned there is such a thing as a pitch where everything goes smoothly – a great white buffalo with no late nights or working on weekends; a unicorn with no re-briefs or safe ideas just in case the client finds the thinking too risky. … We won this pitch thanks to Martin’s ability to truly lead.”
Alejandro Castro, Creative Director 360i