Team One, Publicis Groupe’s fully integrated media, digital and communications agency for premium brands, has hired Kathy Hepinstall Parks as executive creative director. In a role specifically designed to focus on elevating the writing across all brands, Hepinstall Parks will apply her skills across all agency clients including Lexus, The Ritz-Carlton and Ste. Michelle Wines. She will report to Team One’s chief creative officer, Chris Graves, and work in partnership with the rest of the creative leadership team.
“Given our unique focus on premium and luxury brands, we recognize the emotional power of language,” said Graves. “Beyond just advertising to people, we’re looking to connect with them, and we think great writing is one of our most powerful tools. We’ve been looking to find someone who could help upgrade our writing overall, as well as influence and grow our younger talent. That person was Kathy.”
Based in Austin, Texas, Hepinstall Parks is a Los Angeles Times bestselling novelist (for “The Absence of Nectar”) and has spent the last few years freelancing for various agencies including Team One. Over the course of her career, she’s also worked at shops including Wieden + Kennedy (Portland, New York and London), 72andSunny, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Saatchi and Saatchi, BBDO, Giant Spoon, TBWAChiatDay, The Martin Agency and Indeed.com. She’s been active across major brand accounts including H&M, Target, Nike, Lexus, Starbucks, American Express, and Uber. Hepinstall Parks has also published eight novels and is co-founder of The Clyde Program, a writing program she started with fellow advertising creative Abigail Hogue.
“Team One’s approach to creative hires is going to be the new model in the next few years. I never received an offer quite like this one–literally created around the way I work most effectively and most happily. And the chance to work for Chris Graves–one of my best friends–was icing on the cake, even though I try to follow a keto diet,” said Hepinstall Parks.
