Global creative agency Sid Lee has added L.A.-based social ad shop Denizen to its community. The Denizen team will complement Sid Lee’s service offering in the U.S. to drive better customer experiences. By joining forces, both organizations will channel new creative energy and bolster the depth and breadth of their fast-growing social, editorial, and entertainment capabilities.
The addition enhances Sid Lee’s digital value proposition at a time when clients are increasingly building out their digital platforms and driving demand for more authentic and creative ways to meaningfully engage with audiences, fans, and communities.
Andy Bateman, CEO of Sid Lee USA, said of the Denizen team, “They created ground-breaking social campaigns for many mainstream entertainment brands. Their unique approach to content continues to garner them awards and attention. Their iconic Tiny Hamster series, which grew to over 50 million views, truly demonstrates their tremendous ability to connect with communities by becoming part of them. Even if you don’t know them, odds are you know their work. They have become part of the culture and creatively contribute to the zeitgeist, and that’s what Sid Lee is all about. Not only that, but they are great people, and as we’ve got to know the team, we see a great cultural and values-based fit.”
Denizen is now part of Sid Lee’s global creative community with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Paris, London, and Toronto and headquarters in Montréal, joining members such as Digital Kitchen, Bimm, Yard, and Haigo.
Denizen co-founder Amy Matsushima added, “We’ve been independent for 10 years and have always felt like agency outsiders. Realizing how much we share with Sid Lee has been such an exciting discovery. Like us, they believe that we must do more than reflect culture–we must contribute to it and do better, not just for our clients but for the communities we are trying to reach. Joining Sid Lee is like strapping our values to a rocket. It enables us to do what we do best for more clients,”
Piazza becomes global CEO
In a separate development, Vito Piazza has been appointed Sid Lee’s global CEO, succeeding Bertrand Cesvet who returns to his position of executive chairman. For some 20 years, Piazza has been an influential force at Sid Lee. As group president, he oversaw business operations across the agency’s network and provided strategic guidance to all units for collective success. His strong entrepreneurial drive and business acumen were critical to establishing Sid Lee’s roots in all markets and in the founding of the Toronto office.
Cesvet has successfully led the 900 professionals in Sid Lee’s creative community for the past four years and spearheaded a critical growth period in the agency’s history through a series of mergers and acquisitions in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. As executive chairman, he will remain strongly engaged in setting Sid Lee’s strategic vision, driving growth and helping create work that matters.
Cesvet said, “Vito is a brilliant human being, an esteemed colleague and a great friend. I am very pleased to be handing over the reins to such an outstanding leader. He is one of the very few visionaries to truly combine two proven qualities that drive businesses: creativity and strategy. His track record is remarkable, and he is someone people want to work with. I am certain he will continue to cultivate and elevate Sid Lee’s creative reputation and success as our industry enters a new era.”
Piazza stated, “I am honored to be stepping into this role. I want to thank Bertrand, who has been my co-conspirator since I joined in 2003. I could not have reached this point in my career without his invaluable support.”
