Jaime Robinson and Lisa Clunie have launched Joan, a NYC-based creative agency. The new shop opens with client General Mills, having already begun work on projects for yogurt, snacks and meals.
Prior to Joan, Robinson served as co-executive creative director of Wieden+Kennedy’s New York office, helping shape work for clients including Delta Air Lines, Brown-Forman’s Southern Comfort, Clinique and Equinox. Before joining W+K, she was VP/ECD at Pereira & O’Dell, working with Coca-Cola, LEGO, Skype, Airbnb and the Emmy-award winning Intel’s/Toshiba’s “The Beauty Inside” which swept the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, winning the Grand Prix in Film, Cyber and Branded Content. In 2014, Robinson served as jury president for Mobile at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Clunie previously was the chief operating officer for Refinery29, focused on revenue growth, brand partnerships, driving monthly content, the launch of influencer network “Here and Now” audience development, and content and distribution strategies. A four-time Effie award winner, Clunie has held executive and leadership roles at Ogilvy and Mather, Saatchi and Saatchi, BBH NY and Fallon. She has worked with numerous blue chip clients including Harley-Davidson, Unilever, Time Magazine, Pepsico, Brown-Forman, Sunbeam and Charter Communications.
“This is an exciting yet challenging time for brands to connect with their audiences,” said Clunie who is co-founder/CEO of Joan. “Speed and agility are key ingredients, but brands need more. Jaime and I are excited to combine audience development, distribution planning and content strategy with big, game changing brand ideas. Our process of co-developing content with clients, testing and learning will make working with us more effective and frankly, more fun,” said Lisa Clunie, Co-Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Joan.
Robinson, co-founder/chief creative officer of Joan, shared, “Our name was inspired by all of the Joans throughout history who have brought big changes to the world–from reshaping rock and roll, transforming comedy, putting a new face on protests in the ‘60s and, of course, the Joan who triumphed on the French battlefield. These Joans knew that the combination of talent, ambition, curiosity, imagination, work ethic and a completely irregular perspective from the norm would allow them to question, challenge and change things. This philosophy unites us with each other and to all the Joans in the world. Lisa and I want to commit all of our positive energy to creating a different kind of client relationship – one of listening, understanding, collaborating and making the best work possible, together.”
The co-founders of Joan also share a deep-rooted commitment to improving the world which is reflected directly in the agency’s business model and actions around diversity. A portion of the agency’s profits are dedicated to causes that the founders believe in and they have established the Joan Foundation of Diversity, where a percentage of the agency’s time and profits are spent seeking and inspiring brilliant people from all walks of life to join the industry and Joan. This also extends to Joan’s ownership structure, which gives each employee a financial stake in the company–the smartest way to deeply connect people with the work and its outcomes.
“Joan is what the industry has been waiting for. They’re ten tons of talent in a nine ton bag of joy. I’ve never worked with a more happy, charming, passionate team–and I never realized what a difference that makes to everything,” said Michael Fanuele, chief creative officer, General Mills.
