2 Minutes With ... Serviceplan Worldwide ECD Jason Romeyko

Jason Romeyko is a curator of stories across multiple platforms. Forged as a writer at Saatchi & Saatchi in 1993, he spent 23 years bouncing around the world before joining the Serviceplan Group in 2016 as worldwide executive creative director.

He has won over 500 awards, including MTV Video Music Awards’ Video of the Year for Katy Perry’s “Firework,” made when he was at Saatchi.

His favorite projects include the HIV+ Magazine, Sea Hero Quest and the audacious rebranding concept of BMW’s luxury range into Bayerische Motoren Werke. A Screenager to the core, together with his partner Alex Schill, he purposes the output of all 34 offices behind ÜberCreativity, driving Serviceplan closer to its goal to be the world’s number one independent agency group.

Jason is pure energy, speaks seven languages fluently and has a cat named Bauer.

We spent two minutes with Jason to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations, and recent work he’s admired.

Jason, tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

Childhood in Australia (Tamworth, the capital of country and western music), Europe (France, Switzerland, Poland and more) and a 12-meter yacht from New South Wales to Japan. These days, I live permanently in Vienna, Austria, but am currently working in Paris for a few months.

What you wanted to be when you grew up.

Always tossing up between doctor, singer and a diplomat.

How you discovered you were creative.

Perhaps it was ballroom dancing (don’t ask). It could have been rug hooking (don’t ask) or making paper carnations from tissues lightly brushed with nail polish (really don’t ask). It definitely was NOT coloring in, as I always went outside the lines. Maybe it was the newspaper I started at seven with a mimeograph or the first school play I directed at eight. Writing was and still is my jam.

A person you idolized creatively growing up.

Alexandre Dumas.

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

Being bullied for being queer and not yet really knowing it therefore not understanding why the aggression.

The first concert you saw, and your favorite band or musician today.

First concert. Vince Jones and Kate Ceberano—outstanding Australian jazz musicians.
Favorite singer today. Céline Dion in French (don’t judge me) and Troye Sivan.

A visual artist you admire.

Yayoi Kusama.

Your favorite fictional character.

The Green Lantern.

A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.

Civilizations by Laurent Binet.

How Covid-19 changed your life, personally or professionally.

I went from traveling 150-200 days a year to 30 (not counting this sejour in Paris). Not being able to travel into Australia until 2023. On the upside, spending time with my 17-year-old cat Bauer.

Your favorite creative project you’ve ever worked on.

All my collaborations on Deutsche Telekom’s “Life Is for Sharing.” This campaign spanned multiple markets and multiple interpretations of the idea ranging from mass karaoke in Trafalgar Square to shooting Angry Birds live to an award-winning music video for Katy Perry to holograms of Mariah Carey to the history’s largest medical research into dementia with a fun mobile game to lunch for thousands on ancient lakes to showering cities with rose petals. The list goes on and on. This campaign was more than just a brief and more a long moment of creative joy. Only made possible by amazing client partners for whom I am very grateful.

A recent project you’re proud of.

Varo Bank’s “Democratized Dollars.” This is the first big campaign out of our U.S. House of Communication and it helps democratize the discussion around the $20 bill.

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.

British Airways’ “The Face” from Saatchi & Saatchi London and Paul Arden, Graham Fink and Jeremy Clarke. It put the agency’s name in my head and I worked for them 23 years. My first client and first-ever award being on British Airways. And I was thrilled to see the original storyboard and find myself at dinner with the legends behind the work.

Someone else’s work that you admired lately.

Droga5’s work for Lululemon. As a jogger I could relate to the imagery and story—particularly the last scene when the hero cries because he is free from lockdown.

Your main strength as a creative person.

Generosity.

Your biggest weakness.

Generosity.

One thing that always makes you happy.

Being on set filming.

One thing that always makes you sad.

Selfishness.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

A novelist or a proud farmer of tomatoes.