The big melt is finally on around the country and the first buds of spring should be just around the corner (don’t believe what the fuzzy little groundhog predicted). Many agency moves are sprouting up as well, from the final mergers of winter to the first personnel moves of spring.
So, let us neither waffle nor mince and get right to it as we review this week’s Revolving Door Roundup.
AKQA São Paulo
AKQA has promoted Luiza Baffa to managing director and Renato Zandoná to executive creative director. Baffa and Zandoná will lead the São Paulo studio, its partnerships and client collaborations.
Prior to Baffa’s promotion, she served as head of strategy and innovation in São Paulo. Zandoná was group creative director in AKQA’s São Paulo studio before being promoted to ecd.
AKQA chief creative officers Hugo Veiga and Diego Machado said in a statement: “Luiza and Renato’s combined talent makes this a seamless transition for these new roles.”
Blue Sky Agency
Atlanta independent agency Blue Sky has named Annette Sally executive vice president, responsible for overseeing the agency’s client relations and new business development.
Sally comes to Blue Sky most recently from 22squared, where she was executive director of client services. Previously, she was an executive vice president at Leo Burnett Worldwide, Arnold NYC, and Grey Group. Sally led the critically acclaimed campaign #LikeaGirl for Always while at Leo Burnett.
“Annette’s track record speaks for itself and is a true testament to her comprehensive experience working with clients to produce exceptional work,” said Blue Sky CEO Rob Farinella. “She’s a courageous leader who’s not afraid to challenge industry standards.”
Added Sally: “I’m very excited to be joining an independent agency that consistently elevates client partners to new heights.”
Dept
Martech agency Byte has joined international digital agency Dept. Together, both agencies will strengthen end-to-end digital services for clients across the globe.
In 2020, Byte grew its global revenue by 20%, adding a number of high-growth clients to its roster, including TikTok and Twitch. The agency was attracted by Dept’s digital DNA, culture and ambitious growth plans. With Dept’s footprint of 27 offices around the world, Byte now has the opportunity to provide a full-service digital offer to its global clients. As part of Dept, Byte’s branding and management team will continue as before.
Byte’s founding partner, Alex Miller, said: “We’ve become part of Dept to accelerate global growth and supercharge our tech offerings with access to over 500 engineers across the world. We’re excited to help Dept achieve its vision of becoming the leading digital agency in the world.”
Fandom
Fan platform Fandom, which has over 330 million monthly users, has appointed Nic Brandenberger as vice president of consumer marketing. He will serve as Fandom’s global brand steward, focusing on the platform’s expanding gaming business.
Brandenberger was previously at eBay, where he most recently served as senior director of brand marketing. Prior to eBay, he served as brand manager for Procter & Gamble.
“We are thrilled to add Nic and his omni-channel marketing expertise to the Fandom team during an unprecedented period of growth for the company,” said Stephanie Fried, chief marketing officer.
FCB Brasil
FCB Brasil has hired Marcelo Rizério as executive creative director to work alongside fellow ecd Anna Martha.
Rizério previously worked at CP+B Brasil, and before that was art director at Leo Burnett, LewLara\TBWA, and AlmapBBDO. He also did a stint at FCB in 2006, when the agency was still called GiovvanniDraftFCB.
“Marcelo Rizério has what we have been seeking in terms of creativity, of bringing together two essential aspects of our work: technology and craft. We have a dream team for creating new strategic and creative concepts,” said Ricardo John, CEO and CCO of FCB Brasil.
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has named Leon Newsome its senior vice president, chief security officer. In the role, Newsome will oversee all aspects of security operations for the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and soon-to-launch Basketball Africa League, as well as the NBA’s 15 offices worldwide.
Newsome, who has 28 years of experience with the U.S. Secret Service, was most recently its deputy director, where he oversaw the daily investigative and protective operations of an agency with more than 7,000 employees globally.
He will join the NBA on March 15 and report to president, administration Bob Criqui.
“Leon is an extraordinarily accomplished security professional and leader and we are grateful to welcome him to the NBA,” said Criqui. “His vast experience with the Secret Service on a global basis will be an enormous benefit to our fans, players, teams and staff.”
Ogilvy
Iconic lighter company Zippo has selected Ogilvy as its global creative, PR, and social agency partner, supporting Zippo’s brand and communications strategy. The account will be led out of Ogilvy’s New York office and will draw on talent and expertise from across the agency’s global network.
Lucas Johnson, senior brand manager, global marketing at Zippo said: “In Ogilvy we found a partner that valued the heritage of our brand, listened to our needs, and best demonstrated an ability to deliver integrated creative ideas and transformative strategies that will drive value for Zippo’s brand and business as we look to the future.”
“When you think Zippo, you think iconic. You think original. You think everlasting,” said Marcos Kotlhar and Danilo Boer, chief creative officers for Ogilvy New York. “David Ogilvy wrote Zippo’s original tagline in the 1960s. The line has been true to the brand since the day the product was created—”Zippo. Still Works.”
Pavone Marketing Group
Pavone Marketing Group (PMG) has added two new senior positions to reflect recent growth. Mark Moll has been hired as executive creative director for the company’s Pavone full-service marketing agency, while Laura Mulhern has been added as PMG’s new public relations and social media director.
Moll has held creative positions at Mullen, Deutsch, CPB, R/GA, Leo Burnett, GMMB and Arnold, as well as being a freelancer. He has also taught at Miami Ad School and Chicago Portfolio School.
Mulhern, who will lead public relations and social media strategies for PMG’s Pavone and Quench marketing agencies, was most recently a director of marketing communications for Front Burner Brands, the restaurant management company for Melting Pot Restaurants. She was previously with EnviroMedia, as well as Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Ogilvy.
Preacher
Austin agency Preacher has promoted five employees to senior leadership positions.
Amanda VanAntwerp has been promoted to managing director and will focus on executing the strategic vision of the agency. VanAntwerp is a five-year veteran of Preacher who started as a brand director and was most recently the agency’s director of operations. Prior to Preacher she was vp account director at BBDO New York.
Preacher also promoted two creative directors, Kellyn Blount and Greg Hunter, to executive creative director. The agency has promoted two strategy directors, Marika Wiggan and Jasmine Clark, to share the title of co-head of strategy.
Publicis
Publicis New York has elevated Erica Roberts to chief creative officer, overseeing all creative at the agency, including its Power of One accounts, with clients such as Citi, Walmart and The J.M. Smucker Company.
Roberts succeeds Andy Bird, who was recently named a founding partner of Publicis Groupe’s new creative collective, Le Truc.
Previously, Roberts was executive creative director for PSOne, the bespoke Publicis Groupe team for The J.M. Smucker Company.
“Bold, ambitious, contagious work—it’s what Erica is known for and I’m excited to see her talent shine in this new role as CCO of Publicis NY,” said Liz Taylor, chief creative officer of Publicis Communications North America.
Quad
Quad/Graphics, Inc. (Quad) and the Quadracci family’s Windhover Foundation have announced a three-year, $1 million commitment to The BrandLab, a non-profit dedicated to changing the face and voice of the marketing industry by creating opportunities for young people from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The new partnership will enable The BrandLab to expand into the Milwaukee community and bring together local agencies, corporations and student interns who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).
“We are committed to being a catalyst for change to advance diversity and equity in the advertising and marketing profession, because we know that our work is only our best work when it reflects different voices, mindsets, experiences and perspectives” said Joel Quadracci, chairman and CEO of Quad.