Snap Lures Creative Chief Out of Retirement

Snap has lured former Wieden+Kennedy President Colleen DeCourcy out of retirement to lead its global creative efforts as its Chief Creative Officer, according to a report by AdWeek.

DeCourcy will report to Snap CMO Kenny Mitchell and help the company elevate its brand image and storytelling in support of its marketing efforts.

Discussing her reasons for coming out of retirement, DeCourcy touched on the importance of social impact at Snap. “My concerns about the impact of social technologies on society are pretty well known. At Snap I’ve met a thoughtful group of people with values and a mission that can make a difference. That’s 100% why I’m doing this,” she said.

Snap’s new creative chief is no stranger to the social media platform and has previously done work on several Snap campaigns, including Snap’s first-ever ad for the Academy Awards.

In a statement obtained by AdWeek, Mitchell said, “Her exceptional strategic and creative leadership makes her the perfect person to help transform the way we bring the Snap brand to life around the world. Colleen has already made a tremendous impact on the organization, and we can’t wait to see how her incredible talent, passion, and imagination continue to fuel creativity at Snap.”

DeCourcy’s tenure begins as Snap continues its journey into hardware with the launch of a Snap-branded drone and the next generation of its camera-infused glasses.

“I’m at a ten-year-old company that’s just getting started in terms of the good it can do with a camera. That’s an incredible opportunity for a creative thinker,” DeCourcy said.

In the first three months of 2022, Snap’s revenue jumped 38% to $1.06 billion, compared to $769 million the prior year. The company also saw 332 million daily active users in Q1 2022, up 52 million, or 18%, year-over-year.

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