Walton Isaacson — the New York-based multicultural shop and self-described “Planet’s Most Interesting Agency” founded by Aaron Walton, Cory Isaacson, and Magic Johnson in 2005 — made two major hires: VP of Media and Branded Integration Kirsten Atkinson and EVP/Chief Creative Officer Vida Cornelious.
Over the past year, the agency got media attention for launching the first TV ad for Knob Creek, slowing things down for Cruzan Rum and, most recently, creating the “Make Some Noise” Lexus Super Bowl spot (which did not involve Team One).
Speaking of Team One, Atkinson (left) joins the new agency after spending more than eight years there as media director; her work earned her an “AdAge Media Maven” designation last year. Prior to joining Team One in 2006, she held similar roles at Starcom MediaVest, Mindshare, Deutsch, and OMD.
In the (newly-created) position, Atkinson will manage media across all platforms with a focus on “the strategic planning and buying process.”
Cornelious (right) joins WI from Global Hue, where she held the same EVP/CCO title. She left that agency as part of its recent downsizing, which followed the loss of the Jeep business; while there, she led other major accounts including Coca-Cola, HBO, the NBA, and Microsoft.
Cornelious served as VP/CD at DDB Chicago before joining Global Hue in 2009. During her nearly ten years with the former agency, she helped create award-winning work for McDonald’s, Budweiser, State Farm, and more (including the “Dude, you’re getting a Dell” campaign).
Walton writes:
“Vida is everything we have been looking for in this role. With offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Tokyo, we needed someone with a truly cross cultural and international awareness.”
Both new hires report directly to Walton and Isaacson.