People on the Move

Ronny Northrop has been appointed executive creative director of Y&R California. Based in San Francisco, Northrop will play an integral role in the creative product of the agency, leading creative teams and directing Y&R California’s new creativity and innovation lab, dubbed “Wrestling Club.” He reports directly to chief creative officer Mimi Cook.

Northrop started his career as a copywriter at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, where he worked on MINI Cooper, truth and Virgin Atlantic, among others. Then, as copywriter and creative director at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, he created digital and integrated work for brands like got milk?, HP, Rolling Rock and Sprint, the latter of which he helped the agency to secure as a client. While serving in a first-of-its-kind hybrid role at Goodby designed to foster projects centered on innovation, Northrop helped launch Hacking Autism, a program that works to crowd-source software ideas for apps that help people with Autism find a voice. Hacking Autism has been picked up by Autism Speaks and is now the organization’s largest initiative to date globally. Between Goodby and Y&R, Northrop freelanced at agencies and organizations including Alex Bogusky’s Common, Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners and 72 and Sunny.

Northrop’s work has been awarded by numerous industry shows, including a handful of Gold Cyber Lions and a D&AD Black Pencil. He has been a judge for One Show Interactive, the Andys, the Kellys and the Radio Mercury Awards.
 

Independent ad agency RPA has hired Jason Tarantino, most recently group planning director at Media Arts Lab, for the role of VP, strategic planning director. Reporting to David Berne, RPA’s sr. VP, director of strategic planning, Tarantino will direct planning for Intuit Small Business as well as play a key role supporting business development.

Tarantino brings more than 14 years of experience to RPA in both digital and traditional advertising, brand and CRM strategy, e-Commerce innovation, social media planning and product development across a diverse range of industry verticals.

At Media Arts Lab, Tarantino co-managed a team of more than 30 planners and researchers, and directed strategy on a number of key initiatives across the Apple business. Previously, he worked at The Martin Agency on the Walmart account. Tarantino also had stints at Wieden+Kennedy, R/GA and Razorfish. While at R/GA, he received a Jay Chiat award for research innovation for Nike ID and a Cannes Silver Lion and Webby for work with Verizon Broadband.

“RPA gets that the line between digital and traditional media has been erased and that there is no longer a need for a distinction between digital and brand planning. This idea parallels my perspective and provides an incredible opportunity for me and my planning colleagues to change how we approach work. In this advertising world without artificial borders, defining a single-minded proposition across channels is no longer relevant,” said Tarantino.

Publicis Seattle has hired Lori Davis as EVP, executive business director. Davis will become both the account and business lead on the agency’s T-Mobile account. She will be responsible for sustaining, growing and optimizing the T-Mobile business – from account management and hiring to operational oversight of creative development and production. Davis will report to agency CEO Scott Foreman.

Prior to joining Publicis Seattle, Davis was managing director at Minneapolis-based ad agency Barrie D’Rozario DiLorenzo, where she led integrated planning for clients such as Dell, Rosetta Stone, and United Health Group.

Earlier in her career, Davis was VP of marketing at Activision (Minneapolis), where she provided global strategic leadership over all brand marketing activities for the licensed business unit of Activision.  The unit publishes some of the most iconic brands in the interactive entertainment industry, including Marvel, Transformers, James Bond, Tony Hawk, The Walking Dead and Family Guy.  While there, Davis’ team brought home awards for campaigns on major video game launches such as The Amazing Spider-Man, Transformers Fall of Cyberton, Goldeneye Reloaded and Prototype 2.

Davis also spent three years at Martin Williams, Minneapolis, as SVP, director of engagement, overseeing the account planning, media, CRM, social strategy and analytics disciplines. During this time, she worked on campaigns for Payless Shoe Source, Raymond James Financial Services, Marvin Integrity Windows and Finnegans Irish Amber Beer.

Timory King has joined Wondros, the L.A.-based strategic consultancy and media/production company, in the role of executive producer. Announcement was made by Anne-Marie Mackay, Wondros’ chief creative officer.

King’s credentials include overseeing production on award-winning commercials and ad campaigns for clients such as Apple, Nike, Adidas, Microsoft, Revlon, Target, JP Morgan Chase and IBM. King started her career in print advertising and segued into commercial production during many location trips around the world.  She has produced for noted directors including Phil Morrison, Stacy Wall, Jeff Preiss and Matthew Badger. King was mentored by Jerry Solomon and Doug Halbert while working closely with Epoch Films & Imperial Woodpecker. Prior to coming aboard Wondros, King was freelancing at Epoch.

“I joined Wondros because of the environment Jesse Dylan and Anne-Marie have established—one based on creativity and the spirit of working together as a collective,” said King.  In my short time here, I have taken on a great new challenge in expanding my areas of expertise and I look forward to finding and fostering both new and existing creative talent.”