• Wednesday, Sep. 16, 2015
Frank Striefler joins INNOCEAN USA as sr. VP of strategic planning.
Frank Striefler
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- 

INNOCEAN USA has hired Frank Striefler as the new SVP of strategic planning. Striefler brings 20 years of experience working on both the agency and the client side. He’s made a major impact on brands like Nike, Apple, Mitsubishi, Infiniti, TrueCar.com, EA Sports, and Boost Mobile. At INNOCEAN, Striefler will work closely with both CEO Steve Jun and EVP/managing director Tim Blett.

“We knew right away that Frank was the brand thinker we were looking for to head up strategic planning for our clients,” said Blett. “Before we made his position official, Frank worked with us on a freelance basis for a few months on critical projects and completely blew the whole team away with his ability to see beyond the campaign and craft the big brand idea both for clients and for INNOCEAN. He’s been at the helm of some of the most major work from a brand stewardship perspective on both the agency and the client side.”

For just over two years, Striefler has been working as a freelance brand strategist for several different agencies including Ignited, Phenomenon, Zambezi and Wunderman West. In his last full-time positions, he was chief strategy officer at tinyRebellion (formerly known as dw+h), and was the first head of planning at 180LA.

  • Wednesday, Sep. 16, 2015
Executive producer Gianfilippo Pedrotti joins Bully Pictures
Gianfilippo Pedrotti
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- 

Veteran executive producer Gianfilippo Pedrotti has joined Bully Pictures as VP and partner. Pedrotti, who arrives from BRW USA, a company he co-founded, will be responsible for recruiting directorial talent, developing new agency relationships in the United States and internationally, and implementing strategies for expansion and growth.

Pedrotti brings broad international experience, a proven record for developing directorial careers and keen insight into the advertising market, according to Bully Pictures founder and EP Jason Forest. Adding another executive producer will help Bully continue to build its directorial roster and explore new markets.

Pedrotti co-founded BRW USA as an affiliate of Milan-based BRW Filmland with Andrew Traines, Michele Nocchi and Marco Bussinello in 2009. He helped the company build its directorial roster and produce award-winning work for agencies in the U.S., Europe, and South America. He was successful in establishing U.S. careers for a number of European commercial filmmakers and has worked extensively on automotive accounts across the U.S. and Europe.

Pedrotti expects to bring several new directors into the Bully fold over the next few months. The company’s directorial roster includes Javier Aguilera, Dustin Lance Black, Knut Burgdorf, Fredrik Callinggard, Peter Care, Anne Fletcher, Rob Groenwold, Gaute Hesthagen, Dave Klaiber, Jonathan Nyquist, Justin Simien, Johan Stahl, Taylor Steele, Morten Tyldum, Tripp & Tyler, Marcus Ubungen and Erik Van Wyk.

  • Tuesday, Sep. 15, 2015
Matt Talbot upped to exec creative director at CP+B Boulder
Matt Talbot
BOULDER, Colo. -- 

Matt Talbot has been promoted to VP, executive creative director at CP+B Boulder. In his new position, Talbot will continue to focus on the Domino’s account, where he has played a significant role in the brand’s ongoing growth and success. In addition, he will also oversee creative leadership of the Hotels.com account under Ralph Watson, VP/chief creative officer, CP+B Boulder.

Talbot joined CP+B in August of 2009 as a copywriter on the Domino’s account and within his first six months with the agency, he had helped create the Pizza Turnaround campaign. After being responsible for many of CP+B’s most successful digital innovations and integrated campaigns for KRAFT Macaroni and Cheese, Domino’s and Vail Resorts, he became a creative director at the age of 28.  During his tenure at the agency, Talbot was creative director on the Hotels.com pitch, which won the business for CP+B and introduced brand spokesperson Captain Obvious. For Domino’s, Talbot has led the creative on all U.S. work, including digital innovation for the brand and its e-commerce platforms, as well as the long running “Oh Yes We Did” campaign, which has led to 21 consecutive quarters of same store sales growth and helped grow Domino’s stock more than 1,300%. Talbot’s work on the creation of emoji ordering for Domino’s earlier this year received a Titanium Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions.

  • Thursday, Sep. 10, 2015
Click 3X hires Camille Geier to spearhead studio operations
Camille Geier
Partnership also formed with feature film house Rodeo FX
NEW YORK -- 

Digital creative studio Click 3X has added Camille Geier as executive producer. In this role, Geier will lead all studio operations, including spearheading business development and recruiting new talent. Geier brings with her a partnership with Rodeo FX, an award-winning visual effects company headquartered in Montreal, where she was previously executive producer. As part of the collaboration, Click 3X will represent all advertising work for Rodeo FX across the U.S.

Geier has an extensive VFX and animation background, working in advertising, production and the feature film worlds on films including Unbroken, Gangs of New York, Deconstructing Harry, Starship Troopers, and Magnolia. In her previous role as EP at Rodeo FX, she oversaw the launch and expansion of its U.S. advertising division.

Prior to Rodeo FX, Geier was COO/head of studio for animation company Curious Pictures, home to over 150 artists ranging from directors, visual development artists, and animators. She acted as supervising producer for the award winning Nick Jr. series, Team Umizoomi, and oversaw all commercials, features, games, digital and TV. Geier also held the COO/EP position at Rhinofx, a visual effects facility in New York City, and before that as an EP at ILM.

Click 3X will use its extensive relationships within the postproduction and advertising world to collaborate on projects with Rodeo FX. This will enable Click 3X to access Rodeo’s state of the art VFX capabilities, adding to its already established resources and capabilities in the production space. Click 3X will handle all sales and talent management for Rodeo FX within the U.S. market.

“I am thrilled to reunite with Camille and to partner up with Click 3X,” said André Ü Montambeault, head of advertising at Rodeo FX. “Combining Click 3X’s enviable position in the post-production and advertising world with our VFX talent and expertise will create great opportunities to achieve projects that will be creatively and technically challenging.”

Rodeo FX delivers cinematic creations of picturesque environments and has contributed to over 70 feature films and television shows including Game of Thrones (Seasons 4 & 5), Birdman, Unbroken, and Furious 7.  Rodeo FX’s advertising division also created the opening sequence for NBC’s Sunday Night Football and this year’s NFL Super Bowl. Since its inception in 2006, Rodeo has grown to over 250 visual effects professionals across its flagship in Montreal and other locations.

  • Wednesday, Sep. 9, 2015
Joanna Woods appointed producer for Beast, Company 3 and Method Studios in Chicago
Joanna Woods
Kendall Fash promoted to director of marketing for Beast nationwide
CHICAGO -- 

Deluxe Creative Services announced the hiring of producer Joanna Woods, who will oversee projects in Chicago for co-located sister companies Beast, Company 3, and Method Studios. Kendall Fash, who was previously in the producer role, has been named national director of marketing for Beast. She will remain based in Chicago.

An accomplished audio producer, Woods has worked on TV, radio, video, and web content for brands including Allstate, Wal-Mart, Coors Light, Sprint, KFC, and more. She comes to the team from Music Dealers, where she worked closely with agency and post house producers, as well as in-house engineers; she has also held production roles at Another Country Studios and Chicago Recording Company.

“It’s rare in Chicago for one facility to have centralized production encompassing editorial, finishing, color, and graphics all under one roof. Beast, Company 3 and Method all have great standing in our community in terms of both caliber of work and client relations, and joining this close-knit team is an incredible opportunity to work with clients from start to finish, and to collaborate with top-notch talent across all aspects of production,” said Woods.

Fash has been with Beast’s Chicago office for five years, most recently in the role of sr. producer across Beast, Company 3, and Method. Now as director of marketing for Beast, she will oversee marketing initiatives for all seven Beast facilities across the U.S. Fash has successfully shepherded countless projects through the Chicago office, working with leading brands including Nike, McDonald’s, Michelob Ultra, and Yelp, and top ad agencies in both the local market and nationwide.

“I’ve enjoyed my time producing over the past five years, and I look forward to becoming more involved with Beast’s other offices on a strategic level and to continue nurturing the Beast brand in a different capacity,” commented Fash.

Peter Hullinger, managing director, Deluxe Creative Services Chicago, shared, “Our Chicago outposts will definitely benefit from adding Joanna to the production team, and from having Kendall drive our Beast marketing and events across the country.”

  • Wednesday, Sep. 9, 2015
Cap Gun Collective adds director Mike Warzin
Mike Warzin
LOS ANGELES -- 

Director Mike Warzin has joined the roster of Cap Gun Collective for U.S representation.

A film graduate from Columbia College Chicago, Warzin began his career as a commercial editor in Chicago. In 2008, he landed a position as art director and writer for Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, Ore., a post he held until joining Anomaly New York in 2012 as a senior creative. There, his contributions to campaigns for Budweiser, Carhartt and Dick’s Sporting Goods often involved directing--and one Dick’s Sporting Goods spot, “Focus/Explode,” was awarded the Gold Cannes Lion in the highly competitive Film Craft category.

“Working in advertising on the agency side has been the perfect second film school for me,” Warzin said. “It essentially allowed me to collaborate with and learn from A-list directors, DPs and editors on projects huge and small, domestic and global.”

“When Mike was with W+K, we did a Nike music video together with Andreas Nilsson, starring NBA stars Kevin Durant, Mo Williams and Andre Iguodala,” recalled Cap Gun exec producer Jason Botkin. “I was really impressed with the concept and his understanding of the directing process. I’ve continued to follow his work and feel that ‘Focus/Explode’ for Dick’s Sporting Goods is one of the best sports spots I’ve ever seen. I’m thrilled to begin this new relationship with him.”

Warzin related that Cap Gun will pursue opportunities for him not only in ads but also long form, music videos and other disciplines. He joins a Cap Gun Collective directorial lineup which includes Abteen Bagheri, Daniel Benmayor, Alex Fendrich, Ivan Grbovic, Tom Haines, Tomas Mankovsky, Matt Miller, Jeppe Rønde and Spooner/Bonde. For commercial and branded content assignments, Cap Gun, which maintains offices in L.A., Chicago and London, is represented on the East Coast by The Family, on the West Coast by Novick & Associates, and in the Midwest by Them Reps. Lark Creative represents the roster for music videos.

  • Tuesday, Sep. 8, 2015
Melanie Portelli named client services director at 180 Amsterdam
Melanie Portelli
AMSTERDAM -- 

On the back of a rapid growth period, including recent high-profile work for ASICS, REPLAY, Qatar Airways and PlayStation, 180 Amsterdam boosts its account management power with the hire of Melanie Portelli as client services director.

She moves to Amsterdam from Now Advertising in London where her role spanned running client business including iconic British brand Butlins, and new business development. Prior to this, she has held business director, and new business director, positions for the likes of agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi (both London and Sydney) and CHI & Partners.

In her new role, Portelli will be working on current clients such as PlayStation and new client wins that are yet to be announced. She will also be tasked with adding her experience to the business development function to support the agency’s ambitious expansion strategy.

Part of Omnicom Group, 180 is an international creative agency with offices in Amsterdam and Los Angeles.

  • Tuesday, Sep. 8, 2015
Rogue Films hires Ben Hampshire as managing director/EP
Pictured are (l-r): Ben Hampshire, Charlie Crompton and David Van Der Gaag
LONDON -- 

Ben Hampshire has joined Rogue Films in London as managing director/executive producer. Hampshire brings 18 years of advertising and production experience in both the U.S. and UK, most recently as managing director of The Mill Los Angeles where over seven years he  helped the L.A. studio grow from 12 employees to 220, following five years heading production at The Mill London. Hampshire delivers a well honed mix of creative, technology and business acumen to Rogue, and will focus on creating new opportunities for its leading directors, developing young talent, recruiting new directors and managing day to day operations with company partners/executive producers David Van Der Gaag and Charlie Crompton.

Rogue has been one of London’s top creative boutiques for the past 15 years, building its reputation on the high craftsmanship, quality and originality of its work across commercials, music videos, digital content, documentary and film. This year alone, Rogue has taken home multiple honors at Cannes, British Arrows and the APAs. Cannes Lion wins include Gold for Guinness’ “Made of Black,” directed by Sam Brown; Silver for Channel 4’s promo “Prototype,” featuring amputee model Viktoria Modesta and directed by Saam Farahmand; and two Bronze for Department of Transport’s “Celebrate,” directed by Mark Zibert. Zibert is part of the Imperial Woodpecker roster, including director Stacy Wall, represented by Rogue for the UK and European markets.

A native of London, Hampshire’s career began there, then took him to Los Angeles and back across the Pond to London again. His perspective extends borders and continents, and reflects collaborations with the globe’s finest directors, visual artists, agency creatives, producers and brand clients.

“I’ve always really enjoyed working with directors, and the opportunity to join a boutique London company like Rogue with A-list talent and a strong focus on the client experience was very enticing,” Hampshire said. “We are also in a time where the creative execution is heavily reliant on existing and emerging technology, something I was fortunate to be involved in for many years at The Mill. Saam Farahmand and other Rogue directors have a strong grasp of these new frontiers in a way that Gondry and others did years before them. I couldn’t be more pleased to help shape these types of new and exciting opportunities for Rogue.”

  • Wednesday, Sep. 2, 2015
Roy Torres joins 22squared as creative director
Roy Torres
ATLANTA -- 

Full-service advertising agency 22squared has hired Roy Torres as creative director. Based out of 22squared’s Atlanta office, Torres will be working across many of the agency’s key accounts.

Torres joins 22squared following a brief stint freelancing where he established his own company, knife & luck. Before branching out on his own, Torres served as an associate creative director at Grey in New York touching clients such as Ketel One Vodka, Longhorn Steakhouse, Hasbro and The Whitney Museum. Prior to his time at Grey, Torres was an art director at Anomaly in New York, where he spearheaded a global brand campaign launch for Converse, and Droga5 in Sydney. His creative career began at Y&R New York working on brands such as Land Rover, MTV, LG and Bacardi.

Torres’ work has been recognized by international and national award festivals such as Cannes, ANDY, London International, Young Guns, Clio, New York Festival, and The One Show. He also helped start the New York branch of Miami Ad School and served as one of their first instructors in 2010.

In addition to Torres’ appointment, and on the heels of 22squared’s recent growth and new business wins, of which include GNC and Mizuno, the agency has made a series of new creative hires. Other new hires to the creative team include: associate creative director/copywriter Kristen Dutton who had been a copywriter at The Martin Agency; executive integrated producer Rob Downs who will lead the SET account and who was previously at BlacQube; associate creative director/copywriter Matt McGuinness who had been at Trumpet; associate creative director/copywriter Jason Miller who had been a sr. copywriter at Van Winkle & Pearce; associate creative director/art director Rory Odani, also formerly at Van Winkle & Pearce where he was sr. art director; associate creative director/art director Nathalia Resende who came over from The Martin Agency; associate creative director/art director Kevin Taylor, formerly an art director at GSD&M; and executive producer/video Ben Tischler who had served in the same capacity at SapientNitro, NY.

  • Tuesday, Sep. 1, 2015
Pete King named EP At The Mill
Pete King
LOS ANGELES -- 

The Mill has hired Pete King as exec producer for its automotive clients and brands. He will be based out of The Mill’s Los Angeles studio and work alongside Alistair Thompson, exec VP, international, and a team of artists, technicians and producers creating content.

King joins The Mill from Big Block where he was an executive producer and responsible for leading the production team that launched the Big Block Design Group (BBDG), and prior to that was at A52 where he worked as a sr. VFX producer. He has extensive experience in producing complex and innovative car commercials, collaborating on high-profile auto brands with Team One, Mullen, David&Goliath, Digitas, Team Detroit, Doner and Innocean Worldwide.

He has produced the BMW M5 TV and viral sensation Bullet, a series of digital campaigns with Digitas Boston for GMC, the Emmy-nominated opening title sequence for Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and the rebrands for ESPN for the NFL franchise shows packages. 

Thompson said of King, “His understanding and experience bolster our automotive team as we push new boundaries at The Mill to evolve our creative and technical solutions and continue to craft exceptional and photo-real CG cars.”

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