BigStar has hired creative director John Leamy as creative director, where he will bring more than two decades of experience shaping advertising, marketing and branding campaigns to the creative services agency.

He joins the company as it celebrates 15 years in business, marking its expanded footprint as an entertainment marketing and branding partner of major TV networks and over-the-top content providers, including show launches and campaigns for FX, HBO, ABC, Amazon, AMC, Turner, and Syfy.

BigStar also continues to increase its work in feature films and documentaries, such as creating the main titles, VFX sequences and graphics package for National Geographic’s 2018 top-grossing documentary Free Solo.

“BigStar is an all-hands-on-deck kind of company, so we set out to strategically expand our team around talent that can execute across a range of mediums and creative disciplines,” said Carson Hood, BigStar executive producer, in a statement. “John fit the mold perfectly. Ultimately, bringing him on board signals our strong commitment to investing in ourselves, doubling down on who we are, and bringing our A-team to every single job.”

Leamy is best known for his design, live-show graphics, film and print work. He has been on campaigns for clients such as ABC, Red Bull, MGM Grand, and LG, and is currently working on the title design and branding for upcoming PBS series Chasing the Moon.

Most recently, he served as executive creative director at Leroy & Clarkson working with clients such as National Geographic, Nickelodeon and ABC News. Prior to that he was creative director for eight years at Spontaneous, where he led projects for clients such as AT&T, Wendy’s, Maybelline, and Lockheed Martin.

In addition, he was a long-time creative partner of U2 creating live-concert visuals, music videos, film, and print content for the globally known rock band.

Leamy started his career as a freelance artist at companies such as Imaginary Forces, RadicalMedia, Freestyle Collective, and MTV.

It was then, more than 20 years ago, that he met BigStar founder and executive creative director Josh Norton when they were both freelancers. They’ve stayed in touch ever since, waiting for the right opportunity to work together again.

“I’d trust John to parallel park my standard car in a hurricane,” Norton said in a statement. “That’s a tribute to the level of precision and care he brings not only to his craft, but also his experience leading creative teams at highly regarded companies in our industry. I’m excited for our team to feed off of John’s ideas, creative energy, and hands-on approach as both an artist and mentor. He will help elevate our promise to tell the bigger story and deliver premium creative to our clients.”

“I’ve always felt a simpatico relationship with Josh as a creative,” Leamy added. “We share a genuine commitment to storytelling that is strategically informed, and a constant hunger to make new discoveries in the process. I truly believe it’s these kinds of values that have distinguished BigStar as one of the industry’s premier creative studios. My goal is to build on that tradition and continue nurturing the long-lasting relationships BigStar has with its clients. I’m really looking forward to working alongside—and learning from—an exceptionally talented and passionate team of artists to achieve new heights.”

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