Brand experience studio DE-YAN, founded in 2014 by CEO Dejan Jovanovic, has named Jason Kreher as its chief creative officer. Kreher, a veteran creative executive, has garnered assorted honors, from multiple Grand Prix awards at Cannes and Ciclope, to the AICP’s Best in Show, to an Emmy. He is recognized globally for his work on Old Spice, KFC, Meow Wolf, Target, Coca-Cola, Coinbase, Verizon, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Kreher will work alongside Jovanovic to spearhead DE-YAN’s creative vision and offering. Kreher has spent his career at leading agencies, including nearly 15 years at Wieden + Kennedy and, most recently, overseeing creative across Maximum Effort’s investment, marketing and production arms. Prior to that he was tapped by David Droga to run Accenture Song’s creative practice in North America, earning the agency a Cannes Grand Prix and Droga5’s first ever Emmy win. Outside of advertising, Kreher is a published author, screenwriter, speaker, and a frequent collaborator with indie rock band Portugal the Man.
Kreher joins DE-YAN as live experiences have continued to realize double-digit growth, exceeding pre-COVID levels. His addition to DE-YAN comes on the heels of Shamrock Capital’s investment in the brand experience studio, yet another industry nod to experiential’s value.
“Clients are finding enormous value in human-first experiences; we are seeing so many new types of brands looking to us to find innovative ways of connecting with customers,” said Jovanovic. “We are thrilled to have Jason at this pivotal moment for DE-YAN. He has the big scale strategic thinking we need to achieve our ambitions, plus the deep respect for creativity and craft we live by. Jason is here to unlock new creative territories for brands, connecting them with people in meaningful, unforgettable ways.”
Kreher is no stranger to memorable work. From the QR code that broke the Super Bowl, to the chicken sandwich launched into space, to the Verizon network built inside Minecraft, to the hauntingly beautiful fight promo for Fury vs Nganno, to surreal and artful campaigns for Meow Wolf, his work is best characterized by its inability to be categorized.
“We all know the industry feels uninspired right now. Everybody seems paralyzed, the work seems familiar and safe,” said Kreher. “But this whole bored-and-scared vibe does not line up with the fact that we are living through the biggest creative sea change in recent history. Dejan has built this remarkable place based on creativity, craft and a deep understanding of what human beings respond to. With that foundation, and all the incredible things happening with technology and data, we truly are able to take a brand anywhere. DE-YAN is about to create a whole bunch of delightful, extraordinarily impactful things that nobody has ever seen before. And I am giddy to be here for it.”
