Ari Weiss, lauded global creative leader and founder of indie Quality Experience (QX), has died at the age of 46, after a long battle with cancer. Weiss had an enviable career, working on some of the industry’s most iconic campaigns—a selection of which is below—for brands like Nike, AXE, PlayStation, McDonald’s and Coors. But it was 2019’s Broadway the Rainbow (and other iterations) for Skittles that showed his innate creativity and playfulness.
Before starting Quality Experience in 2024, Weiss was the Global Chief Creative Officer at DDB Worldwide. Under his seven years of leadership, DDB was named Global Network of the Year at The Effies, The One Show, D&AD, and The Cannes International Festival of Creativity—a first in DDB Worldwide’s 75-year history. He was also named the most awarded creative in the world at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Ari honed his craft at creative powerhouses including Cliff Freeman & Partners, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, BBDO, Wieden + Kennedy, and Bartle Bogle Hegarty. He lived in Tribeca, New York, with his wife, Dara, and their three children, whom he adored.
Ad Age first reported the news, and creative leader Amir Farhang penned a tribute featuring several of Weiss’ contemporaries.
A statement from QX partners Colleen Leddy, Cristina Reina, and Dan Gonda and operations manager Shannon Kelley read:
In Loving Memory
As friends and colleagues of Ari Weiss, each of us at Quality Experience are deeply saddened by his passing on Friday after a long battle with cancer.
His unwavering passion, ambition and relentless pursuit of excellence will continue to inspire, leaving a lasting impact on all of us and on the industry.
While we are grieving his loss, we are so grateful to have been able to go on the journey of realizing his dream of building Quality Experience together over the past year.
Most of all, we extend our deepest condolences to Ari’s family–to his wife Dara, and their three, beautiful children, Layla, Luca and Lev. Ari will forever live on through those lucky enough to have known and loved him.
Dan, Cristina, Colleen and Shannon
Ari Weiss: A collection of some of his greatest hits
2008 – Nike: Leave Nothing
2013 – AXE: Susan Glenn
2014 – PlayStation: Perfect Day
2016 – Netflix: House of Cards FU2016
2018 – Skittles: Exclusive the Rainbow
2018 – McDonalds: The Flip
2019 – Skittles: Broadway the Rainbow
2022 – Coors: Chillboards
2023 – Skittles: Apologize the Rainbow
2024 – Tonal: Stop Working Out in the Past
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Doug Zanger is the founder and editor-in-chief of Indie Agency News. He is also the founder of the Creative Bohemian consultancy, lives in the Pacific Northwest and is insufferable about it.
