The Language of Disruption: Inside TBWA\Chiat\Day NY’s Creative DNA

The agency’s leaders speak on the power of disruption to transform brands and drive growth

por India Fizer , AdForum

 

TBWA\Chiat\Day New York
Todo en uno
New York, Estados Unidos
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Emily Wilcox
CEO TBWA\Chiat\Day
 

Dustin Tomes
Chief Creative Officer TBWA\Chiat\Day
 

Creativity and disruption form the DNA of TBWA\Chiat\Day NY. I had the pleasure of chatting with CEO Emily Wilcox and CCO Dustin Tomes, two key leaders shaping the agency's vision, about TBWA's unique approach to brand storytelling, its enduring legacy of disruption, and how creativity serves as a driver of business results. 

Emily Wilcox and Dustin Tomes bring a wealth of leadership experience and a shared passion for the people and the work to their roles at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York. Wilcox joined the agency as CEO in April 2024, following a successful tenure as CEO of Johannes Leonardo, where she led transformative work for brands such as Volkswagen, Kraft, Adidas, and Amazon. Known for her ability to merge creativity with business objectives, she is deeply committed to building an environment where creative excellence thrives through real work for real clients with real impact.  

Dustin Tomes, who serves as the agency's CCO, joined TBWA after holding senior creative positions at renowned agencies Le Truc, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Droga5. With a reputation for delivering innovative and disruptive work, Tomes is focused on assembling a team that is relentlessly obsessed with great ideas that drive both cultural and business impact. Together, the duo is guiding TBWA\Chiat\Day New York into its next era of creativity, where bold thinking and disruptive strategies continue to drive results for clients across industries.

A Culture of "Positive Friction"

CEO Emily Wilcox reflected on her first six months, emphasizing the importance of fostering creativity through collaboration and intentional friction. “Great creativity takes an environment of positive friction between the agency and clients, that means being comfortable debating, pushing one another and open to new ways of thinking on the Agency and the Client side” she explained. This dynamic, she noted, helps TBWA strike a balance between respecting a brand's DNA and adapting it for modern audiences.

The best work I’ve been a part of has been an artful exercise of mining the brand's DNA and unlocking ways to bring it to life in a modern context to drive new growth with new audiences,” she shared.

"Genuine Alligator" Heisman House 2024 | Nissan

Disruption as a Guiding Principle

TBWA’s globally recognized disruption philosophy continues to serve as a unifying force for its network. Both Wilcox and Tomes underscored that disruption at TBWA is not merely a buzzword but a behavior. “We’re united by the language of disruption,” Wilcox said, describing it as a framework that seamlessly connects teams and clients worldwide.

This disruptive mindset, rooted in the agency’s history, also attracted Tomes to join TBWA. Referencing iconic campaigns like the groundbreaking 1984 Apple commercial, he noted, “The DNA of disruptive creativity and the consistency around it is what drew me here. The beauty of disruption is that it evolves with context—what was disruptive in 1968 can adapt to 2024.

"Ashe Versus" | Moderna x US Open 2023

Creativity Meets Business Impact

Wilcox emphasized the importance of aligning creative strategies with clear business objectives, noting that every client brief is anchored by measurable goals. She explains, “Proving the efficacy of creativity allows it to thrive. If you’re a real advocate for creativity, then the best thing you can do is deploy it in service of meaningful impact for clients. There is no quicker way to convert skeptics or elevate creativity to its rightful place as a meaningful driver of impact.

For instance, the agency’s work with LG focused on shifting brand perception and engaging younger audiences through the “Optimism is Brave” platform. This campaign not only resonated culturally, and captured attention of a new and younger audience but also helped LG reclaim a spot on Interbrand’s list of top global brands, a major milestone.

"Click to Optimism your feed Now" | LG

Similarly, Hilton’s “For The Stay” platform has driven key business metrics ranging from things like increases in room bookings to increased engagement, consideration and awareness among new and emerging audiences. “Every project starts with a lot of discussion about the business problem we are solving and the way in which we will measure our progress toward solving that problem - which can range quite widely depending on what we are trying to achieve. What doesn’t vary is our commitment to holding ourselves accountable to the impact we are setting out to have.” Along with significant organic growth across its roster of clients, the agency also won Carnival Cruise LineWells Fargo and Optimum Nutrition this year. 

It Matters Where You Stay "Marco" | Hilton

Both leaders stressed the importance of cultivating an environment where creativity can flourish. Tomes highlighted that fostering creativity requires collective buy-in across all disciplines: “Creativity can fix your talent problems, bring in new business, and lead to growth. It can transform an agency, a business, and a brand.

Wilcox echoed this sentiment, emphasizing entrepreneurialism within the agency. “Whether you’re big or small, an entrepreneurial spirit is key. My job is to protect and grow it here,” she noted. This commitment to fostering a creative culture extends beyond the New York office, leveraging TBWA’s global network to share resources and ideas seamlessly.

Creativity is King

With a leadership team that champions creativity and a history of pioneering disruptive work, TBWA\Chiat\Day NY is well-positioned to continue delivering results that inspire both clients and the industry at large. “We see nothing but potential and huge opportunity ahead of us,” Wilcox said.

At TBWA, the mantra “creativity is king” drives everything—from groundbreaking campaigns to measurable ROI—proving that disruption and creativity remain a winning formula.