Hi. I’m Hincey
Hince. Rhymes with ‘mince’. Or better yet ‘prince’. Prince Hince – now that would be nice. With a big castle and one of those draw-bridge thingies. In the meantime, I’ll be ECD at Hardhat.
I have nearly thirty years of industry experience as an Art Director and qualified Graphic Designer. I also have three years of beekeeping experience. Hopefully that never comes in handy around the office.
Specialties: Creative Concepts, Art Direction, Branding, Bee Keeping and Jousting (soon).
If you want to build a ship,
don’t drum up the people
to gather wood, divide the
work, and give orders.
Instead, teach them to yearn
for the vast and endless sea.
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,
Work History
Hardhat
Executive Creative Director, Sep 2019 – October 2023
My copywriter Andy Segal and I have been together for over 11 years now. Over the last four years, we have hung our hats at Hardhat where we went from a couple of freelancers to an ECDuo.
We came to Hardhat with a mission. To help grow its profile into a serious brand agency.
It has meant being hands-on – doing everything from leadership meetings to leaderboard banners. We thrived on the hustle and brought creative ambition to the agency. Well-established agencies went from not knowing Hardhat existed to having us nipping at their heels, pitch after pitch.
We worked hand-in-hand with the digital CX side of the business learning all new tricks and skills. We didn’t just make ads, we built enduring brand platforms that were clickin’ awesome and made it look dead easy.
We got Hardhat onto the Campaign Brief ‘Hot or Not’ list for the first time, and only got hotter year on year.
We won awards, pitches, and lifelong friends, working alongside super-talented people.
We’re now leaving it in a place where it’s ready to kick some serious arse. And so are we.
GTB
Associate Creative Director, Jun 2015 – June 2019
Senior Creative Team, Aug 2013 – Jun 2015
Until June 2019, my copywriter Andy and I were Associate Creative Directors at Global Team Blue – WPP’s global agency for the Ford account. Changing Australia’s perception of Ford from ‘whoa’ to ‘go’.
JWT
Senior Creative Team, Aug 2013 – Jun 2015
Andy and I threw our passion into building up the JWT business, working on various pitches and existing clients. After less than two years we were seconded from JWT to work exclusively on WPP’s biggest global account, Ford Motor Company.
BWM
Senior Creative Team, Jan 2011 – Aug 2013
Sharing a passion for ideas, Andy and I came together at BWM to work across some of Australia’s most popular FMCG brands such as Birds Eye, Edgell, Leggo’s Pasta Sauce, and Brown Brothers Wines. As the senior team, we were also given a leadership role on realestate.com.au and Amcal pharmacies to ensure its smooth running.
CLEMENGER BBDO
Designer & Art Director, Dec 2004 – Jun 2010
At Clemenger BBDO I played the various roles of senior graphic designer, head of design, and art director. While I was the head of design, the department thrived adding to the creative and financial bottom line. When James McGrath promoted me to Art Director I teamed up with Senior Copywriter, Chris Taylor.
During my time at Clemenger BBDO, I was involved in the concept development, presentation, design and production of television, radio, press, magazine, outdoor, and ambient advertising campaigns including all major pitch work.
Clients: Masterfoods (M&M’s, Snickers, My Dog, Starburst, Catsan, Fling); Crown Casino; SCA (Sorbent, Libra and Tena); Dulux Australia; NAB; Foster’s (Pure Blonde, Carlton Dry, Strongbow, Carlton Mid and Cascade); RACV; Daimler Chrysler (Mercedes, Jeep, and Chrysler); BUPA (HBA and Mutual Community); Herbert Adams (Four n’ Twenty, Nana’s, Herbert Adams); Melbourne Convention & Visitor’s Bureau; Collingwood Football Club; Gillette; Primus; Repco; Beat Home Loans; and National Foods (Big M).
VARIOUS DESIGN STUDIOS
Graphic Designer, 1997 – 2004
GRAVY
Graphic Designer, Jan 2000 – May 2010
In parallel to working full time I also ran my own successful design business.
REFERENCES
(More references from peers and clients on my LinkedIn Profile)
James McGrath
Executive Creative Chairman
Clemenger BBDO, Melbourne
Chris has always been a wonderfully reassuring presence at Clemenger. As he made his way from our Craft and Design department to being a fully fledged Art Director he has consistently demonstrated all of the hallmarks of excellence that we expect (and as importantly Chris expects of himself). He has always shown an ability to capture and enhance the idea, at whatever relative level the project demanded. We always say at Clemenger that we need people who are radiators not drains, and Chris lives by that definition. Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly if I can be of any further assistance.
Richard Muntz
Executive Creative Director
JWT & GTB, Melbourne
Empathy for the punter, a passion to create and innovate on any brief, a cool head throughout even the most convoluted, stakeholder intensive, creative development process, a canny knack for extracting the most out of any production budget, design smarts and art directorial nous, Chris is a rare combination of skills.
He’s also a key contributor to the culture of any project team. Chris combines a willingness to collaborate (I’ve seen this first-hand at regional and global hothouses), with a whip sharp sense of humour (his impersonations are just very funny).
And as creative work is increasingly the product of a combined effort, Chris understands that to create great work, you have to take inspiration and input from across every discipline, from strategy to search to digital platforms.
In short: hire him.
Carl Ratcliff
Managing Director
BWM Melbourne
The following letter provides reference for Christopher Hince. A senior Art Director I had the immense pleasure of working with when his Managing Director at BWM Melbourne.
First: he is a first rate scholar of design. With a superb aesthetic. His conscientiousness has a beautiful energy and his pursuit of excellence is, well, excellent…
But, Chris isn’t just a designer. Or any old director of art. Because he is a master conceptualizer too. Some of the very best ideas I have ever seen, emerged from Chris’ brain when I worked with him on – what became – a legendary pitch performance. For Holden. A case of the agency – for once – playing the ball, and not the man. And blimey what a kick it was. Get Chris to tell you about it. Because once he does he can explain how Daft Punk stole the idea. And, indirectly, how Audi did too.
Another characteristic to dwell with is Chris’ presentation ability. He has a wonderful, understated charm that works magic on clients. His talent – in respect of unpacking and explaining the potency of a creative idea – is an enviable one.
In personal terms, Chris is a man you can trust. With high emotional intellect. And a work ethic that runs deep. Both key quotients for leadership. Yet, his play ethic is strong too. Consequently, his outlook is wonderfully rounded. And underpins a brilliant sense of humour!
In any conflict. In any pitch. In any moment, that this bundle of crazy we call work throws at us, I couldn’t recommend Chris more highly.
CLIENT EXPERIENCE
