Bob Scarpelli
Chairman, DDB Chicago
DDB U.S. Chief Creative Officer

Bob Scarpelli is a valiant subscriber to Bill Bernbach's mantra that "word of mouth is the best medium of all." In his 25-year career at DDB Chicago, he has created some of the most iconic, talked-about and awarded advertising in the U.S. He is such a passionate believer in "Talk Value" that he trademarked the term and made it part of the fabric of the Agency. Creating campaigns that transcend advertising to become part of popular culture is at the heart of Bob's vision for his clients and for DDB. Bob also created the Agency's Battle Cry and promise to clients: BetterIdeasBetterResultsā.

He joined Needham Harper, Chicago as a copywriter in 1977 and was elevated to Creative Director in 1980. In 1994, he was named Chief Creative Officer for DDB Chicago, and a year later was named Vice Chairman. In 1998, Bob was elected to the DDB Worldwide Board of Directors and in 2000 named U.S. Chief Creative Officer.

Under his leadership, DDB Chicago has won numerous awards from the CLIOs, One Show, ANDYs, Chicago International Film Festival, Communication Arts, International Advertising Festival of New York, The International Advertising Festival at Cannes, London International Advertising Awards, EFFIEs, ADDYs, the Radio Mercury Awards and CLIOs, among others.

Commercials created by DDB Chicago for Anheuser-Busch have been voted #1 most popular spots on the last three Super Bowls, according to the USA Today, and the Budweiser "Whassup" campaign, created by DDB Chicago, won the 2000 Grand Prix at the International Advertising Festival at Cannes, the Grand Clio and ten other Best of Show awards the last two years. DDB Chicago won the Grand Clio in radio in 2003 and DDB Chicago earned Clio's Agency of the Year Award.

Bob was named a member of Adweek's 1995 National Creative All Star Team and has served as a jury member at the 1997 International Advertising Festival at Cannes and has judged several other creative award shows, including the London International Advertising Awards, the Belding Awards, the EFFIEs and the International ANDY Awards. He served as Chairman of the 2000 International ANDY Awards, the 2001 Radio Mercury Awards and the 2001 Irish International Advertising Festival at Kinsale. He recently served as the Chairman of the 2003 Clio Festival.

In addition to his advertising life, Bob serves on the Executive Committee of the Governing Board of the Chicago International Film Festival and the boards of the Art Directors and Copywriters Club of Chicago, The Off the Street Club and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

Outside the office, Bob devotes his creative energies to following Chicago's sports teams and trying to be a good Dad.