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Comedy director LIAKH joins Spindle
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After growing up in Kyiv and briefly studying to become a diplomat, LIAKH moved to London and found work as a creative at agencies such as BBH, Crispin Porter + Bogusky and VMLY&R.
LIAKH is the work of UK-based comedy writer and director Daniel Liakh, who believes that the funniest things in life co-exist with the most tragic. A proud Ukrainian with a background as a creative, his bold style is absurdist, elevated realism, that’s rooted in humanity.
After growing up in Kyiv and briefly studying to become a diplomat, LIAKH moved to London and found work as a creative at agencies such as BBH, Crispin Porter + Bogusky and VMLY&R.
In the last few years he’s been growing a reputation for tackling serious subject matters with a perfectly-pitched comedic touch. His work has been recognised at D&AD, British Arrows, 1.4, YDA, and Eurobest, as well as picking up numerous staff picks and features in Campaign, Adweek, LBB, shots and David Reviews.
He has created multiple critically-acclaimed campaigns for The British Stammering Association, STAMMA. With a stammer himself, LIAKH was well-suited to cleverly probe the question ‘how is signing my name on a petition going to change anything?’ in order to push for greater disfluency representation in the media with Not Just One Day. His most recent work It’s How We Talk captures people with a stammer mid-sentence. A series of stills are used to powerfully celebrate each moment, while also calling out damaging comments and the many misconceptions those with a stammer experience.
LIAKH believes that a group of people laughing together can help fix almost anything, even through tragedy. In 2022 when the war in Ukraine broke, he felt compelled to help convert the numerous well-intentioned ‘thoughts and prayers’ to something more useful for his home country.
Working with creative agency 10 Days London, the team took an idea from script to screen within 48hrs. The resulting satirical comedy was unlike any of the charity appeals you’ve seen to support the people of Ukraine, and visited the ‘International Office of Thoughts and Prayers’. Here we learned that best wishes are all well and good, but a donation to frontline charity Come Back Alive is more appropriate in the circumstances.
LIAKH’s left-field approach to levity comes from the perception that “everyone today is overly bombarded by campaigns that are extremely serious (sometimes for the right reasons) and as a result, it’s really hard to cut through the noise. Comedy is often the best way to make an impact and get people to consider a different perspective”.
His work for Royal Ascot celebrates the fashionable flares associated with the historic event. It’s about that inner freedom where you can be whoever you desire to be - the ‘Ascot You’. And in this case, our empowered protagonist is contrasted against a sterile, mundane office environment, letting her colours shine. And most recently, his playful multi-media film for Sainsbury Centre speaks directly to all misunderstood, unloved and ignored pieces of art around the world, inviting them to join an alternative museum collection that recognises art as being alive.
Alongside commercials, LIAKH loves to make surreal short films and music videos, including for ‘Tock’, the electronic music outfit he produces with. In his own words, he’s a proud Ukrainian, a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, and takes humour seriously.
On signing to Spindle LIAKH said: "To me, Spindle are a gang of superheroes in the production Gotham of today. I feel like Robin when he first got his cape and an invitation to the Bat Cave: excited, happy and ready to fight for good work."
Stitch Richardson, Spindle MD adds: "Daniel is a wonderful human that radiates positivity and warmth. He finds a perfect balance to his comedy whatever the subject matter, delivering the punch of the message in a way that’s full of heart, while still keeping it funny. He wants to make bold, memorable work, and we’re so excited we get to help him along that path."
