Bob Scarpelli, DDB Worldwide’s Chairman, is a celebrated and awarded creative leader, and the tenacious champion of DDB’s defining values: Creativity and Humanity.

As the leader of one of the world’s great agency brands, Bob embodies Bill Bernbach’s mantra that “word of mouth is the best medium of all.” In his 34-year career at DDB, Bob has created some of the most iconic, talked-about and awarded creative work in the world. Bob is such a passionate believer in “Talk Value” that he trademarked the term which has informed and guided DDB’s evolution to ShareValue, the power of transformative ideas that people play with, participate in and pass along. Inspiring ideas and creative business solutions that transcend advertising to become part of popular culture and connect communities is at the heart of Bob’s vision for his clients and for DDB, where the core belief is that creativity is the most powerful force in business, producing what Bob calls Social Creativity which connects not only people with brands but people with people.

Under his leadership, DDB has won every advertising award there is and created a large yet nimble network of award-winning, innovative agencies. Based on creative output, since 2005, DDB and its agencies have won Agency of the Year awards 35 times. The most awarded network in the history of the International Advertising Festival at Cannes, DDB is a consistently strong performer at the Clios, One Show, ANDYs, D&AD, EFFIEs and the Radio Mercury Awards, among others. In addition, under Bob’s leadership DDB has been recognized as the top creative network by Advertising Age, Campaign, Campaign Asia-Pacific, Creativity and The Gunn Report, while its interactive unit Tribal DDB has been awarded multiple gold Lions at Cannes and Interactive Agency of the Year by Advertising Age, and Campaign Asia-Pacific.

Bob served as the President of both the Film and Press juries at the 2007 International Advertising Festival at Cannes and also the President of the Titanium and Integrated Jury for 2011. He has served as Jury Chair of five other prestigious international shows, including the 2007 Asian Advertising Awards, 2006 Malaysian Creative Circle Awards, the 2003 Clio Awards, the 2001 Radio Mercury Awards, the 2001 International Advertising Festival at Kinsale, and the 2000 International ANDY Awards.

After starting his DDB career as a copywriter in 1977, Bob 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. In 2000 he was named U.S. Chief Creative Officer, and in 2001 he was elevated to the post of Chairman at DDB Chicago. He took on the role of Worldwide Chief Creative Officer in 2005, and in 2006 was elevated to the additional role of Chairman of DDB Worldwide.

Of the recognition he’s received, he’s most proud of the Silver Medal given by the Chicago Advertising Federation for his contributions to the industry and the community.

A resident of both New York and Chicago, Bob serves on the boards of the Chicago International Film Festival, The Virginia Commonwealth University Brand Center and The Off the Street Club. Outside the office, Bob devotes his creative energies to following his favorite sports teams, reading (particularly history), photography and living vicariously through his two sons.