Jill Applebaum, a self-described “happy cynic” and creative veteran of many big-name Manhattan agencies, has taken her talents to The Barbarian Group, where she will help run creative on the Pepsi account.
We last heard from Applebaum in late 2012 when she moved from FCB to JWT.
At the time, tipsters claimed that she would be working for Smirnoff and Skinny Cow among other clients, though today she’s primarily credited with running the Tylenol and Nestle Toll House accounts as well as the work of PSA-focused JWT Ethos. Those names aside, Applebaum’s single best-known campaign is Oreo’s “Daily Twist,” created while she was SVP/GCD at then-AOR FCB and led the client’s “cross-agency Integrated Marketing Communications team.” We would tell you that the campaign swept all major awards shows and scored coverage via the dearly departed Stuart Elliott, but you already knew that. The release even claims that Applebaum’s work indirectly led Barclay’s to lend its name to Brooklyn’s most annoying concert venue/basketball stadium for the super-reasonable price of $400 million.
Prior to joining JWT, Applebaum spent more than a decade within the Y&R organization; she was promoted from ACD to CD in 2004 and, during her tenure, created work for such clients as Burt’s Bees, Jaguar, Dymo, Sharpie and LG. Earlier positions include copywriting gigs at DMB&B and Ogilvy New York.
In addition to overseeing work across Barbarian’s PepsiCo portfolio, Applebaum will also join the agency’s new business team.
No word on whether her new position will include a seat at The Superdesk.