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Start creating legendary campaigns today with your AI-powered creative director.
“It all starts with a passionate idea. The rest is the relentless pursuit of perfecting it.”
Rick Boyko is an advertising legend whose career has defined creative leadership in modern advertising. Beginning as a designer and art director, he rose through the ranks to become Co-President and Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy North America — where he helped shape the creative vision of one of the world’s most influential agencies and led it to be named Advertising Age’s Agency of the Year. A fearless believer that great work demands passion, curiosity, confidence, and the courage to fail, Rick built some of the most iconic brand campaigns of our time — for American Express, Dove, Nike, IBM, Jaguar, Pizza Hut, Ford, Reebok, and Huggies, among others. His approach to creativity was always grounded in a relentless pursuit of truth: What is the brand’s story? What makes it meaningful? And what would you do if it were your own? In true pirate fashion — not the navy — Rick made a bold pivot from executive to educator, stepping down from Ogilvy to become Director of the Virginia Commonwealth Adcenter. Over nine transformative years, he expanded the curriculum, rebranded it as the Brandcenter, raised funds for a landmark building designed by Clive Wilkinson, and turned the school into one of the most creative institutions in the country. Today, in partnership with the Advertising Club of New York, Rick continues to inspire the next generation through the Inspiration documentary series — a celebration of advertising’s most legendary creative minds.
One Club Creative Hall of Fame, American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Fame, Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Wall Street Journal Ad Legend Series, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, FDNY Honorary Deputy Chief (for Brotherhood), Jay Chiat Award, Creator and Producer of the Advertising Club of NY Inspiration Series: featuring documentaries of Legendary advertising creative icons.
Boyko's creative approach is founded on the relentless pursuit of a powerful, singular idea, executed with uncompromising, inspirational perfection. He believes that passion for a brand’s core truth is paramount, and that the craft—the art direction, writing, and production—is how you honor that idea. His methodology involves integrating creative vision across all touchpoints to build a cohesive and impactful brand narrative that fulfills the brand’s promise. A skill he honed while unifying Ogilvy's North American network, where he acted as leader and a mentor, pushing teams to “find the truth by asking what would you do if it were your company?” Then challenging them to ensure every detail of the message they create memorably adds to the brand story.
Cinematic & Considered Realism. Boyko's visual style is rooted in, high-craft art direction with an eye always on what will set the communication apart and make it more memorable. There is no set photography style, instead this is meant to enhance each execution. Therefore it can range from a beautifully evocative feature film composition to documentary style hand held rawness. Color palettes and typography most often are informed by the brand and its attributes. No matter the style, every visual choice is meant to serve and amplify the core human and brand truth.
Elevated Human and Brand Truth
Co-President, Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy North America
Unknown-2002
Creative
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Creative
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Director and Professor
2002-2012
Founder
2012-2016
Chief Creative Office who led the award-winning global campaign highlighting the establishment’s that honored the card.
Created "Solutions for a Small Planet" – an iconic campaign that positioned IBM as a provider of solutions for global challenges.
Inspirational in the real women repositioning for Dove's on-going Campaign for Real Beauty.
Launched the brand's first foray into woman’s apparel without the use of athletes.
Introduced the brand's very first home gardening line that "Runs Like a Deere."
After 9/11, conceived of and led a small team creating a coffee table book "Brotherhood" capturing the memorials that sprung up in front of the effected fire houses across NYC. All the proceeds went to families of the 343 fallen heroes via a fund set up in their names.
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Conceived and produced the 'inspiration' documentary series, featuring interviews with advertising icons like Lee Clow, Sir John Hegarty, and Dan Wieden to inspire and educate the industry.
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