35 Rising Agency Talents Who Are Exploding Onto the Scene

Advertising is a crowded field, packed with entrenched veteran creatives and constantly being supplied with new waves of fresh talent. So it's no small feat to make a name for yourself as a rising creative star. Each year, Adweek's Creative 100 looks at today's strongest talent across a range of experience levels and disciplines. Check out this year's rising agency stars below. Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro Creative directors, David Miami [kickout id="1" label="Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro "] Hometowns: Vitória, Brazil (Zamprogno), and Curitiba, Brazil (Pellizzaro) Recent work: "This Coke Is a Fanta" for Coca-Cola. “The world is full of homophobic expressions such as ‘He plays for the other team.’ In Brazil, people say, ‘This Coke is a Fanta.’ Not in a nice way," Pellizzaro says. "So Coca-Cola decided to take a stand. To celebrate International LGBT+ Pride Day, we launched a limited-edition Coca-Cola can with Fanta inside and a message: ‘This Coke Is a Fanta. So What?’ The idea had zero media investment and got 1 billion media impressions.” [kickout id="21"] Dream celeb collaborator: “Salvador Dalí," Zamprogno says, "but I must have the creative control.” Personal mantra: “Be humble," Pellizzaro says, "and don't give up until you make it.” —Minda Smiley Michelle Lamont and Rose Sacktor Copywriter and art director, Wieden + Kennedy New York [kickout id="2" label="Michelle Lamont and Rose Sacktor"] Hometowns: Los Angeles (Lamont); New York (Sacktor) Recent work: HBO's "The Inspiration Room," an experiential campaign tied to the network's #BecauseOfHer project. “We’re so proud of the Inspiration Room," Lamont says. "In the process of creating it, we spent hours every night reading over 800 diaries submitted to us by real women, and it was such a labor of love finding a way to bring those stories to life that felt like it did them justice." [kickout id="22"] Advice for aspiring creatives: “Don't compare your career and your path to other people's," Lamont says. "There is no comparison between the sun and the moon. They shine when it's their time." Personal mantra: “It’s just advertising," Sacktor says. "I mean this in the best way possible. No matter how big you screw up, no one will die over it.” —Doug Zanger Gabrielle Levy Integrated producer, McCann New York [kickout id="3" label="Gabrielle Levy"] Hometown: Parkland, Fla. Recent work: "Price on Our Lives" and other campaigns for March for Our Lives. "As an alumna of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., I was deeply affected by the mass shooting at that school on Feb. 14, 2018. Not willing to consign myself to ‘thoughts and prayers’ or accept that in others any longer, I set out to work on projects that would expose gun violence in various national and global campaigns." [kickout id="23"] Most rewarding part of the job: “Successfully bridging my career and the causes I care most deeply about." Best advice for aspiring creatives: “Never be afraid to ask. Ask for advice and guidance. Ask to take on new work or pitch crazy new ideas on your own. Ask for raises and promotions when you feel deserving.” —Doug Zanger Marques Gartrell and Heather English Creative directors, Deutsch New York [kickout id="4" label="Marques Gartrell and Heather English"] Hometown: Philadelphia (Gartrell), and Asheville, N.C. (English) Recent work: “In the Busch #Car2Can campaign, we turned Nascar driver Kevin Harvick’s historic season No. 4 car into collector’s-edition cans of Busch beer," English says. "It took us over a year to sell Busch on the idea and then had a fast and furious five months of anxiety, more meetings than we can count, and sweating it out with multiple vendors to get the cans made in time for fans to win them during the Daytona 500.” [kickout id="24"] Best advice for aspiring creatives: “Always find the undeniable truth in the insight," Gartrell says. "It’s what makes your audience react.” Dream celeb collaborator: “Donald Glover," Gartrell says. "Name the last uninteresting thing he did.” —Doug Zanger Jen Smith Creative director, T3 [kickout id="5" label="Jen Smith"] Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio How she got her start: “I started my career as a copywriter at a small agency in Cincinnati, Ohio, working on a slew of P&G brands–from Pringles to Bounty, Charmin and Puffs.” Recent work: "Wishes Delivered" for UPS. “Wishes Delivered [was] a brand storytelling campaign for UPS where deserving people throughout the world were surprised with a life-changing wish. The stories we created gave real people a platform to bring their message of good to a larger audience. I partnered with our Group Creative Director, Aaron Cacali, to oversee all of the storytelling components. That included everything from finding people with an amazing story to tell, planning the wish delivery, providing creative direction on set, and overseeing all of the creative output—totaling 100-plus assets (from long-form video to social-first content).” [kickout id="25"] How she recharges: “I do some writing on the side, which allows me to keep my mind fresh and meet people who have a totally different perspective of the world.” Dream celeb collab: “Reese Witherspoon. She’s a fantastic storyteller and huge advocate for fellow women artists. I love that she saw a problem with the way females were represented in her industry and, instead of complaining about it, she did something about it. That’s badass.” —Minda Smiley Laszlo Szloboda and Alex Sprouse Associate creative directors, FCB New York [kickout id="6" label="Laszlo Szloboda and Alex Sprouse"] Hometowns: Budapest, Hungary (Szloboda), and Toronto (Sprouse) Recent work: "The Whopper Detour" for Burger King. "I joined the agency as the idea was in its infancy and worked over the course of the year-plus we were evolving the idea, to concept and bring to life each piece of the campaign," Sprouse says. "It’s been an amazing experience to work with such a relentlessly positive team. There were many pitfalls that could’ve been a deathblow to the idea along the journey, but BK and FCB had so much faith in the idea that we always found a way around any roadblocks in our path." [kickout id="33"] Most rewarding part of the job: "I've always gotten a kick out of solving puzzles and logic problems since I was a kid," Szloboda says, "and getting to do something similar as part of my job as an adult makes my inner child happy." Advice for aspiring creatives: "Try to find the right people to work for," Szloboda says. "It’s people that constantly do good work that will keep on doing so. This was advice that was given to me by someone when I started out, and it proved itself to be true." —David Griner Alice Chiapperini and Matteo Capaldi Senior copywriter and senior art director, AKQA [kickout id="7" label="Alice Chiapperini and Matteo Capaldi"] Currently based in: Portland, Ore. Originally from: Italy Recent work: "Unstatus Quo," the new Palms branding. "How often do you get to completely relaunch a brand—especially one that has Cardi B and Ken Block as partners?" Capaldi says. "As the leading team on the project, we came up with the campaign idea and followed every step of the production—from conception to delivery. I led the copy aspects across the whole project, including crafting the campaign tagline, brand manifesto, film scripts, headlines and social copy." [kickout id="35"] "Las Vegas had been offering the same clichés for ages," Chiapperini says. "To prove that Palms is different from any other destination in town, we literally coined a new phrase, rallying a motley crew of Palms partners—all known for breaking conventions—to bring a feast of different to the Vegas routine." —David Griner Gabriel Jardim and Guto Monteiro Creative directors, VMLY&R New York [kickout id="8" label="Gabriel Jardim and Guto Monteiro"] Hometown: Porto Alegre, Brazil Recent work: "The Runaway Pub" for New Balance. "To support runners training for the London Marathon 2019, we created a pub in London where runners can exchange their miles for pints," Monteiro says. "A card was automatically downloaded to their Apple or Google wallets, collecting miles as they run and turning them into currency in real time, the only currency accepted at the Pub. During 3 months, more than 20K wallets were downloaded and 62K pints were earned." [kickout id="36"] Most rewarding part of the job: “Our industry is in a moment where brands that are not culturally relevant are more likely to be out of the game," Jardim says. "As creatives working in the ad industry, we've never had so much opportunities to impact people's lives as we have right now." How they find inspiration: "I love the North Face tagline: Never Stop Exploring," Monteiro says. "So when I want to recharge my batteries, I get out of the agency and go travel. I try to connect with other people, discover different cultures, get to know a young artist, devour a new book or watch a weird movie." —Minda Smiley D.J. Bowser Associate creative director, Zambezi [kickout id="9" label="D.J. Bowser"] Hometown: Los Angeles How he got his start: “I started my career as a designer at Apple and really credit my time there with my success. Not only did it make me obsess over every detail and to just ‘ask questions,’ it also taught me that collaboration is going to get the best work.” Client work: “I have spent the better part of the past year working with our clients at Beats by Dre, and it’s been a great partnership.” Advice for aspiring creatives: “I truly believe that unless you immerse yourself into a brand and their product, you simply cannot tell an effective story. Reading a brief won’t make you an expert, but using and studying the product, and sitting down with the teams behind it, is a good first step.” [kickout id="26"] Where he finds creative inspiration: “Outside of work, I love to travel. Being in a foreign country can teach you a lot and helps to provide a better view on global culture. With that, art—of all types—is a big part of my life, and I try to go to as many museums, galleries, exhibits, and movies as I can. It’s inspiring to see what people are capable of creating and their individual perspectives. I also have two hobbies that help me disconnect a bit: cooking and golf. Luckily, they balance each other out, calorically.” Personal mantra: “Can it be better? OK, now simplify.” —Minda Smiley Stephanie Butterworth Creative director, Elephant [kickout id="10" label="Stephanie Butterworth"] Hometown: Sydney, Australia How she got started: “After graduating from the University of New South Wales, College of Fine Arts, in Sydney, Australia, I moved to New York City to kick-off my design career. I worked as an intern in two small NYC design shops, Tronic Studios and Maker Is, before getting a full-time job at the digital agency, Createthe Group.” The most rewarding part of the job: “Whether it be design support, career advice, or helping other females navigate a male-dominated industry, the most gratifying part about my job is mentoring designers. Having benefited from strong female mentorship throughout my career, I want to be able to offer the same support to others. I am constantly in awe of the talent and drive of the next generation of our industry.” Side hustle: “I co-own a clothing brand, Don’t Worry Baby. It is a side hustle founded on the love of fashion, design and friendships. We make ‘play clothes’ for grown women, tailored to the fun-spirited and environmentally conscious crowd.” Personal mantra: “Don’t do it for the money.” Dream celeb collab: “Aminatou Sow and her best friend, Ann Friedman. These are two wonderfully witty and opinionated feminists who host the podcast Call Your Girlfriend. Part of their appeal is the die-hard devotion to their bi-coastal friendship.” Best advice for aspiring creatives: “Make things with your friends, for fun.” —Minda Smiley Whitney Headen, Tahira White, and Nicole Januarie CEO, COO and CCO; co-founders; 19th & Park Inc. [kickout id="11" label="Whitney Headen, Tahira White, and Nicole Januarie"] Hometowns: Hampton, Va. (Headen), Queens, New York (White), Swakopmund, Namibia (Januarie) Recent work: "We recently worked on StreetEasy’s first commercial campaign in collaboration with Alldayeveryday and Lighting Orchard, which captured the essence of living in New York City," White says. "As a native New Yorker, I had a blast recreating Cheryl Dunn’s archived street photography of moments one only truly sees when they step foot into the Big Apple." [kickout id="37"] Most rewarding part of the job: "I really love watching the company grow," Headen says. "I enjoy being a mentor and helping our staff achieve things that they didn't think were possible. The most rewarding thing from a creative execution standpoint is the sale. I love coming up with creative concepts and convincing a brand to trust us enough to bring it to life for them. That never gets old." Personal mantra: "Even Google has extensions—meaning shortcomings are a part of any great process," Januarie says. "Your initial coding will get you to a certain point, and updates are needed beyond. So don't look at it as shortcomings. Look at it as added extensions." —David Griner Sarah Dembkowski and Georgia Taylor Senior copywriter and art director, We Are Unlimited [kickout id="12" label="Sarah Dembkowski and Georgia Taylor"] Based in: Chicago Hometowns: Chicago (Dembkowski) and Wellington, New Zealand (Taylor) Recent work: "The Flip" for McDonald's. “On International Women’s Day, we flipped the McDonald’s Golden Arches logo for the first time ever in honor of women’s contributions," Dembkowski says. "I was a copywriter that was part of the core team who was responsible for figuring out how to bring this campaign came to life: what we would do in the hero store, what we would do across the country, where we would do this, how social and digital would be used." [kickout id="38"] Also: "The Shamrock Shake Rainbow" for McDonald’s. "McDonald’s Shamrock Shake returns during the gloomiest period of winter," Taylor says. "So we created the ultimate beacon of positivity: a green rainbow that at its end delivered not gold, but golden arches. Advice for aspiring creatives: "Be prepared for people to tell you no," Dembkowski says, "and then figure out how to do what you want regardless." —David Griner K.T. Thayer and Quinn Katherman Creative directors, Crispin Porter Bogusky [kickout id="13" label="K.T. Thayer and Quinn Katherman"] Based in: Boulder, Colo. Hometowns: Richmond, Va., and Colorado Clients: Katherman is creative director on Hotels.com, while Thayer is a lead on Fruit of the Loom. On breaking into the industry: "I wrote greeting cards and put all my rejected jokes onto Twitter and that’s how I got my first job as a creative in advertising … by failing at a different job," Katherman says. Recent work: “We did a campaign for Fruit of the Loom where we hid piles of cash in NYC to see if anyone would notice," says Thayer. "This was an outrageous idea because, in many ways, it was an indictment on advertising, the thing we are in the business of making, by calling attention to the fact that no one pays attention to it. Fortunately for us, the social experiment as a whole got a lot of attention and we didn’t look like idiots … on that specific occasion.” [kickout id="27"] Also: "Hate-like" for Hotels.com. "We introduced the idea of a hate-like, which is when you 'like' someone’s vacation photo even though you hate it," Katherman says. "I’m really proud of what the work has done for the brand and that we were able to bring Captain Obvious back to a place where he gets to have a punchline." [kickout id="32"] Advice for aspiring creatives: “Always have a side hustle," Katherman says. "Find other outlets to exercise and validate your talents so you’re not only seeking it from advertising. If you’re not creating, you’re not growing. And if you’re not growing, you’re probably really bored.” —Doug Zanger Jon Williamson and Leigh Browne Creative director/art director and creative director/copywriter, GSD&M [kickout id="14" label="Jon Williamson and Leigh Browne"] Based in: Austin, Texas Hometowns: Houston, Texas (Browne), and Montgomery, Ala. (Williamson) Recent work: "Emotional Support Chicken" for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. “Last year, emotional support animals were all over the news with fliers abusing the rules, airlines banning ‘animals with tusks,’ and Congress weighing in," says Browne. "So during stressful holiday travel, we offered a new kind of emotional support animal—one you could eat: the Popeyes Emotional Support Chicken. My partner and I came up with the idea and hustled it into existence. The project died a couple of times, but we knew we had a great idea, so we never gave up on it.” [kickout id="28"] Most rewarding part of the job: “What I love most is that first time you hear an idea or think up something and it just takes your breath away at how insanely smart and great it is," Williamson sats. "Seeing that idea come to life is definitely a huge moment too, but honestly, for me, it’s that lateral thinking, deep work, really sitting down and connecting the dots conceptually that gets me excited to go to work every day.” Best advice for aspiring creatives: “You are not your work," Browne says. "You have to be able to separate your ego from the work and not take criticism personally if you’re ever going to make something great.” “Fight with your partner," says Williamson. "It will make you both better creatives. Leigh tells me I’m stupid daily. And vice versa. But that’s a good thing.” —Doug Zanger Sue Kohm Creative director, R/GA Chicago [kickout id="15" label="Sue Kohm"] Hometown: Toronto Recent work: "I came to R/GA to lead the launch of [PepsiCo's] bubly sparkling water. R/GA developed the brand from start to finish, which is something I was so lucky to be a part of. bubly was the first new brand to launch on Giphy—ever. That launch completely upturned everything I learned from traditional agencies." Most rewarding part of the job: "The fact that I get to feed my curiosity every day and learn so much from colleagues, clients, and other brilliant minds in the industry is so rewarding." Personal mantra: "Stay childlike." —David Griner Austin Paramore and Alex Arroyo Junior copywriter and art director, Leo Burnett Chicago [kickout id="16" label="Austin Paramore and Alex Arroyo"] Hometowns: Chicago, Ill. (Paramore) and Skokie, Ill. (Arroyo) On breaking into advertising: ”After college, I worked in insurance for about a year while writing poetry and screenplays on the side," recalls Paramore. "Those projects led to an internship at Leo Burnett Chicago. My team won that year’s intern competition and I started full-time shortly after.” Most rewarding part of the job: “I absolutely love seeing an idea come together," says Paramore. "We work on so many projects in pieces – from concepts to scripts to boards to filming to edit to color to audio. It’s incredibly rewarding to see all of those pieces come together.” Advice for aspiring creatives: “Be more than your job title," Paramore says. "Do more than your job description.” Dream celeb collab: “I’d most love to work with Daniel Day-Lewis," says Arroyo. "He’s phenomenal in every role he chooses. I think it’s a true testament to not only his talent but also his work ethic. Hopefully, he comes out of retirement.” —Minda Smiley Doug Murray and Andrew Hunter Creative directors, 360i [kickout id="17" label="Doug Murray and Andrew Hunter"] Hometowns: New Orleans, La. (Hunter) and Fayetteville, Ark. (Murray) Recent work: The Unexpected Tour Guides for Visit New Orleans. “Our new IGTV series for New Orleans is an absolute riot," says Hunter. "Unexpected Tour Guides with the Caramel Curves follows a group of stiletto-wearing, pink-smoke-burning, badass biker girls as they take traditional travel influencers off the beaten path to underrepresented neighborhoods in New Orleans. It’s a Netflix-quality show shot exclusively for Instagram.” [kickout id="29"] Most rewarding part of the job: “The opportunity to lead creative for my hometown is an honor," notes Hunter. "Tourism marketing only works if it works for locals, first, and we’re shining a light on those who bring out the best in our city.” “It's always rewarding to see your work in the real world, whether coming across it on TV or going out of your way to see a poster series takeover a subway station," adds Murray. "The tactility of what we produce on a daily basis keeps me going.” Personal mantra: “Just listen. It doesn’t matter if it’s your boss or creative partner or client...if you don’t know what those around you are saying, you’ll never be on the right path,” says Murray. Advice for aspiring creatives: “Be a glutton. Watch, read, eat, drink, visit, listen...just consume absolutely as much as you can," suggests Hunter. "Our output is a product of our inputs. You’ll never know how that Wikipedia hole will inspire you until you’re in it.” —Minda Smiley Chelsea Steiger Creative director, FF [kickout id="18" label="Chelsea Steiger"] Hometown: Plymouth, Mass. How she got started: “I started my career at Y&R New York and then moved over to The Community in Miami before landing in L.A., where I worked at 180 for 3 years. I then freelanced between 72andSunny and Anomaly L.A. for another three years.” Brands she works with: “I’ve been working with HP, Spotify, the Rémy Martin brand Louis XIII as well as a rebrand for Tsingtao beer in the U.S.” Recent work: “I’m really proud of the new work we’re creating for HP’s Premium PC brand. Their new product line has some cool features that we were able to showcase in a fun and stylish way. That campaign will be released this summer. But I think what I’m most proud of from the past year is helping to open the FF LA office and working with Fred and Farid to build an amazing team. We’re just getting started!” Advice for aspiring creatives: "'It’s OK to say no,’ and, ‘Value your producers—they make your ideas happen.’” Where she finds inspiration: “I love spending time outside. I think that’s a good way to recharge. Working in the garden or hiking with my two dogs, Cooper and Roo.” Personal mantra: “Don’t complain. Fix it.” —Minda Smiley Jillian Goger and Laura Wimer Creative directors, Mekanism [kickout id="19" label="Jillian Goger and Laura Wimer"] Hometowns: Montclair, N.J. (Goger) and Kansas City, Mo. (Wimer) Advice for aspiring creatives: “This is not rocket science," explains Goger. "You just need to think harder than you’ve ever thought before. To go from thinking linearly to laterally isn’t easy, but the truth is, anyone can do it.” “Dan Wieden once told me to ‘thrive in my confusion,’ and it's advice I use every day," recalls Wimer. "No matter how you interpret it, it's useful.” Work they’re proud of: “This year I had the great fortune to work on It’s On Us, a project supported by Civic Nation (a nonprofit founded under the Obama/Biden administration) to raise awareness about sexual assault on college campuses,” says Goger. “Working with the folks at Method Home is a really gratifying experience," adds Wimer. "A brand that stands for good, and keeps their company diverse is wonderful. We worked on social, OOH, print and media —but the definite highlight was filming a musical at the Method factory with actual employees.” [kickout id="30"] Most rewarding part of job: “Working with younger creatives and helping them unlock a big idea is the best part of my job," says Goger. "And then working together to get it out into the world.” —Minda Smiley Kayla Lott and Roseanne Overton Copywriter and art director, Goodby Silverstein & Partners [kickout id="20" label="Kayla Lott and Roseanne Overton"] Hometowns: Bartlesville, Oklahoma (Lott) and Chicago (Overton) Recent work: Reality Bar for Xfinity Why they’re proud of it: “This past January, we opened the Xfinity Reality Bar — a Miami sports bar that we transformed into the first space designed for reality TV fans," says Lott. "Roseanne and I first pitched the idea over two years ago so we were insanely thrilled to see it finally come to life. We were super involved in every aspect of the project from the idea to the fabrication to the content. It was the most fun experience and I’m super thankful Xfinity trusted us to pull it off.” [kickout id="31"] Advice for aspiring creatives: “Don’t ignore your 401(k)! And never pass up a chance to present your work," encourages Overton. "Getting comfortable with presenting early in your career will give you a big advantage later on.” Dream celeb collab: “Rhianna. She stands in her truth and doesn’t apologize for how she presents herself," says Overton. "She’s created brands that make women feel good about who they are, as they are.” —Minda Smiley View the full Creative 100 gallery for 2019 to discover more about this year's honorees.

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35 Rising Agency Talents Who Are Exploding Onto the Scene

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Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro

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