Fredrik Bond
Swedish director, Fredrik Bond began his career as a still photographer, eventually studying at NYU Film School after a stint as an offline editor and writer for Swedish TV Channel 1, which took him on a round-the-world trip and gave him his first taste of directing. Upon graduation, Bond returned to Sweden and worked as a freelance director on a number of TV series while writing and developing ideas for youth TV shows. Bond got his first break after co-directing a documentary about photographer David Sim’s work for Levis and went on to form his own production company out of which he financed a series of spec films. Shots magazine quickly recognized his talent and featured him in the magazine’s “New Directors” segment based on his test film, “Bananen”
Since then, Bond has rapidly grown into one of the most sought-after international commercial directors and received numerous distinctions for his work. In 1999, he was one of 30 directors chosen out of 500 to participate in the prestigious “Saatchi and Saatchi New Directors Showcase” screened at the Cannes Advertising Festival and ranked by Campaign magazine as one of the “World’s Hottest New Directors”. Between 2001 and 2002 Bond won 6 Golds, 6 Silvers and 3 Bronzes at the British Television Advertising Awards; 2 Golds, 3 Silvers and 7 Bronzes at Creative Circle; 2 Silver Clios, a Gold and Silver at the One Show; a Silver and 2 Bronzes at the Cannes Lions Festival, as well as Best Director at the 2001 Midsummer Awards in London. These Awards were for his Adidas, KISS FM, Monster.com, Skoda, Supernoodles and Volkswagen commercials. In 2003, he won a Silver Medal from the Art Directors Club in New York for his Hewlett Packard spot, “Digital Crime Fighting”, including Best International spot at the 2003 Creative Circle Awards.
In 2000, Bond’s “Body Rock” music video for Moby was featured in Promo Magazine and credited him as “possessing a hitherto unseen talent for edginess and humor.” The promo was nominated for Best Dance Video at the Cads Awards 2000. Bond was also notably selected as part of “The Creative Future” for 2000 by Creative Review magazine, and his work showcased for one week in London as part of the resulting exhibition.
In 2001, Campaign magazine ranked Bond #1 on the Book of Lists: “The 10 Hottest Commercial Directors”, as well as the “Best of the Best Awards Nominations” list, the “Best of the Best Awards: Best Commercials Director” list and the “10 Hottest Commercial Directors” list in 2002.