No stranger to the local advertising industry, Vervroegen came to South Africa after having been crowned best creative director in Belgium for several consecutive years. As a creative director at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, he received more awards than any other creative in the country.
He followed Tony Granger to Bozell NY as a creative director and helped make Bozell one of the best creative agencies in the US. In 2002, he became executive creative director at TBWA\Paris, and in 2003, he was appointed president of the company. Vervroegen has been voted best creative director in France for four years running, and in 2006, TBWA\Paris was voted Agency of the Year at Cannes for the fourth year running.
“I think we have lots and lots to learn from South Africa,” he says. “When I was working there, we were talking about defining a South African style, and we tended to look overseas. But today, it seems like the country is looking more into Africa, and that vibe is in everything that comes from there.”
Aside from judging The Loeries, Vervroegen is looking forward to being back in South Africa and checking out his old haunts. “I'm kind of sentimental, so I'll go to my old house in Melville and have a couple of drinks there,” he says.
