Jean Batthany

• Executive Creative Director EVP
  Title
• DDB Chicago
  Company
• Advertising
  Industry
• About
  Jean Batthany joined DDB Chicago in January 2012 as Group Creative Director. Her main charge has been to create breakthrough, branded communications across all channels for Safeway, the second largest grocery chain in the US. Since joining DDB, Jean and team have launched a 360-retail campaign that’s lifted sales across the system more than 20%.
  
  Before moving to Chicago, Jean built brands via TV, print, radio, digital, social, direct marketing and point of purchase for over 20 years in her native New York. As Creative Group Head at Merkley + Partners she acted as brand steward for Arby’s, AXA Equitable, Dave & Buster’s and projects close to her heart for the Ad Council winning their coveted Gold Bell in the process.
  
  Prior to Merkley, Jean was a Group Creative Director at BBDO NY where she worked on Pepsi, AOL and launched Sierra Mist with a shockingly refreshing campaign that won Addys, an Effie and consecutively ranked in the top ten USA Today’s Super Bowl Ad meter. Working closely with the masterminds in London, Jean helped start up M&C Saatchi’s New York office where she created award winning work for British Airways and Packard Bell, which earned a permanent place in the Museum of Modern Art.
  
  After graduating magna cum laude from the Fashion Institute of Technology and spending a semester abroad studying graphic design and Italian, she started her career as an Art Director at Saatchi & Saatchi NY creating ads for Northwest Airlines, Ivory Soap, British Airways and Burger King.
  
  
  Recent articles:
  http://adage.com/article/agency-viewpoint/tough-reality-facing-advertising-mother-year/298478/
  
  http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2014/02/28/i-hate-pathetic-ratio-creative-females-males-advertising
  
  http://creativeinterviews.com/advertising/jean-batthany/
  
  
  

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  Added: March 2014 • Updated: July 2015