Introducing a bold new creative voice… Soursop hires its first ECD - Annie Chiu!
Joining one of Amsterdam’s principal ‘next-gen’ agencies, Soursop, Chiu will focus on
cultural relevance and championing alternative voices
Soursop, one of Amsterdam’s most buzzy creative agencies, has hired its first ECD - the hyper-talented and all-round visionary Annie Chiu. A KICK-ASS woman who can walk the talk, and fight her corner (or any corner) - but most importantly believes in the power of leading with vulnerability. We feel she embodies the spirit and soul of what a modern creative leader should be.
The outspoken New Yorker, who was first featured on an Adweek front cover a decade ago, is joining Soursop from Amsterdam’s TBWA\NEBOKO where she spent 4 years as Creative Director. It’s a move that’s raising eyebrows in the ad world: TBWA is seen as one of Amsterdam’s most established creative agencies - while Soursop is proudly leftfield and non-mainstream in its approach, at the same time as working with some of the world’s best-known brands such as Nike and Gucci.
So WHY DID SHE
MAKE THE MOVE?
Annie says:
“The advertising industry as a whole isn’t moving fast and forward enough. When I think about the new generation and the work that resonates with them, I don’t see that reflected in bigger traditional agencies. The ethos at Soursop is different: what drives the agency is not business, it's humanity. It’s about making space at the table for voices that aren’t being heard. For me, those are the new stories that need to be told. And the idea of being able to craft those stories with these super-talented people is really exciting for me. Moreover, It’s particularly meaningful to be part of a predominantly female team here at Soursop and to contribute as another POC female leader - to be able not to just open doors, but keep them open, for all those who may not have realized that this path exists for them too.”
Ravi Amaratunga Hitchcock, co-founder of Soursop adds:
“As an incredible copywriter and a visionary creative, Annie’s work speaks for itself - but we were looking for much more than that. We needed someone who shares Soursop’s values and ethos, and who could creatively drive a new kind of agency - one that takes a fresh approach to advertising, champions alternative voices and creates work that shapes rather than follows culture - and Annie is that creative. She’s been labelled ‘the future of advertising’ throughout her career - and now, she’s finally getting the opportunity to realise that potential. We can’t wait to start working with her.”
As a POC-founded agency, Chiu’s appointment as its first Executive Creative Director bolsters Soursop’s commitment to platforming and celebrating alternative points of view across the board - evident in its internal teams, collaborators and the stories it tells.
More about Annie:
A born and raised New Yorker, Chiu started her advertising career at W+K Portland, going on to work as a copywriter, art director and creative director at some of the leading advertising agencies in the US including; SapientNitro, Brooklyn Brothers and BBDO in New York; and Sid Lee in Los Angeles and New York, before moving to Amsterdam. During the course of her career, she has worked on campaigns for global brands such as The North Face and Facebook. Most recently, she caused a stir with ‘The Breast Gallery’ for Adidas, a photographic exhibition of naked breasts which ran across social media as part of the sports brand’s #SupportIsEverything campaign.
