Music/Sports

Beats by Dre Horses Around 

The quest to find the perfect racehorse powers a 7-minute film from Beats by Dre. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Formula One racer Daniel Ricciardo star. Agency Miramar developed the campaign.

Tech

Samsung Says: ‘Unfold Your Moment’

Samsung puts life’s brief but indispensible moments in the picture, hyping its latest Galaxy phones. “We found that, despite all of the catastrophizing narratives out there, young people actually want to feel more connected to the people around them,” says Francesco Grandi, CCO of Ogilvy Canada, which led creative development. “They want technology to work better, and almost get out of the way faster. That’s why our work shows how you can get a bit closer to those close to you—if only for a moment.”

Finance

Money Mart Checks In With Silly Scenarios

Hard Work Club packs silliness and sight gags into fresh spots for Money Mart, hyping the company’s installment loans, cash advance and other services. “Our aim is to drive effectiveness by being distinct, to look unlike anyone else in the financial services category,” says agency ECD Meghan Kraemer. “We wanted to craft a stylized and unique brand world, to really challenge how Canadians thought.”

Telecom

Hear Me Now: Verizon Refreshes Brand

There’s something old and something new at Verizon these days. The telecom giant is reviving its “Can You Hear Me Now?” line (for one ad, at least) while sprucing up its brand identity. Mike Morgan, a real Verizon engineer, plays the “Test Guy” in Ogilvy N.Y.’s commercial below. But a stylized letter “V” is the real star. 

Music 

Bud Light x Post Malone = ‘A Night in Nashville’

First, Beyoncé went country. Now, Post Malone’s got a C&W-flavored album in the works. And he’s teamed up with Bud Light for an intimate one-night-only Nashville event on July 16 to preview tunes from the release.

Grocery

Ben & Jerry’s Challenges Fans: ‘Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change!’

Can ice cream nudge folks toward social activism? Ben & Jerry’s, well known for its commitment to progressive causes, sure thinks so. “We want to inspire everyday people who want to drive meaningful progress in their communities to take action,” says Doug Cameron, creative and strategy chief at DCX, which developed the campaign. Video, billboards and social media are in the mix.

Lottery

Minnesota Lottery Floats Jaws-Themed Commercial

The client goes back in the water for a Jaws tribute from the Betty agency. Every year, as summer approaches, brands of all stripes pay homage to the 1975 blockbuster. Here, we get riffs on the shark flick’s iconic music and beach panic scenes. The work touts a new scratch game.

Grocery

‘Savor the Start,’ Says Purely Elizabeth

Small choices—like picking Purely Elizabeth cereals and granola for breakfast—can yield surprisingly big outcomes. Such is the stuff of fresh work from TDA Boulder. “While many brands focus on the end results, Purely Elizabeth’s new campaign shifts the focus to the power of beginnings in a fun and memorable way,” says agency creative director Maru Bernal.

Financial

PNC, Scott Dixon Put Boredom Before Brilliance

IndyCar racing’s so darn boring these days! Not really. But six-time champ Scott Dixon stars in the first installment of PNC Bank’s “Boring Before Brilliance” doc-style video series. “Society is all about celebrating brilliance: the wins, the success, the fame. But millions of boring moments are what make the brilliant ones possible,” says James Bray, ECD at Arnold Worldwide. “Working in collaboration with DLP Media, we were able to capture these fascinating nuances on film. And for Scott Dixon, speed is definitely in the details.”

Sports

Caitlin Clark Reflects for ESPN x State Farm

Everyone’s fave hoops star gazes into a mirror and receives encouragement from her much younger self in a campaign that also features Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice. The work from Zambezi’s FIN Studios plugs Full Court Press, an ESPN+ series about the three athletes, which State Farm sponsors. Aimee Hoffman directed.

Apparel

SAXX Returns With a New Bag of Tricks

The Canadian underwear brand slings more ballsy humor via Quality Meats. The work seeks to generate bounce in the U.S. “The goal is to make more guys, and those who love them, question their underwear habits, and realize that both they, and their balls, deserve better,” says brand marketing VP Shawna Olsten.

Gaming

Toyota Dealers Hit the Road With 8-Bit Video Game

Seeking to up its game with nostalgia-obsessed twentysomething consumers, the Northern California Toyota Dealers and agency H/L have introduced a throwback 8-bit experience. “The game touches on GenZ and Millennials’ interests in nostalgia, traveling, and the stunning NorCal landscape, connecting with young buyers’ lifestyles,” the association says.

Finance

Blackstone’s All About ‘Making the Connection’

In stylish commercials that eschew data-center cliches, asset management firm Blackstone illustrates how spotting broader trends helps it identify connections that bolster the enterprise. Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Man vs Machine, FundamentalCo and Bully Pulpit developed the campaign.

Music

Luke Grimes Stars for Carhartt

Apparel maker Carhartt explores the work ethic and global rise of actor/singer Luke Grimes in a 5-minute film called “Setting the Stage.” Anomaly and Stept Studios collaborated on the project. “When I thought about doing a collaboration with a brand, Carhartt was the first company that came to mind because of what they’re about and who it’s for,” Grimes says in press materials. “I grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and one of the first jobs I ever had was working concrete. I still have this blue-collar way of approaching things—the get-it-done attitude and taking pride in what you do.”

Telecom

Hear Me Now: Verizon Refreshes Brand

There’s something old and something new at Verizon these days. The telecom giant is reviving its “Can You Hear Me Now?” line (for one ad, at least) while sprucing up its brand identity. Mike Morgan, a real Verizon engineer, plays the “Test Guy” in Ogilvy N.Y.’s commercial below. But a stylized letter “V” is the real star. 

Music 

Bud Light x Post Malone = ‘A Night in Nashville’

First, Beyoncé went country. Now, Post Malone’s got a C&W-flavored album in the works. And he’s teamed up with Bud Light for an intimate one-night-only Nashville event on July 16 to preview tunes from the release.

Grocery

Ben & Jerry’s Challenges Fans: ‘Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change!’

Can ice cream nudge folks toward social activism? Ben & Jerry’s, well known for its commitment to progressive causes, sure thinks so. “We want to inspire everyday people who want to drive meaningful progress in their communities to take action,” says Doug Cameron, creative and strategy chief at DCX, which developed the campaign. Video, billboards and social media are in the mix.

Lottery

Minnesota Lottery Floats Jaws-Themed Commercial

The client goes back in the water for a Jaws tribute from the Betty agency. Every year, as summer approaches, brands of all stripes pay homage to the 1975 blockbuster. Here, we get riffs on the shark flick’s iconic music and beach panic scenes. The work touts a new scratch game.

Grocery

‘Savor the Start,’ Says Purely Elizabeth

Small choices—like picking Purely Elizabeth cereals and granola for breakfast—can yield surprisingly big outcomes. Such is the stuff of fresh work from TDA Boulder. “While many brands focus on the end results, Purely Elizabeth’s new campaign shifts the focus to the power of beginnings in a fun and memorable way,” says agency creative director Maru Bernal.

Financial

PNC, Scott Dixon Put Boredom Before Brilliance

IndyCar racing’s so darn boring these days! Not really. But six-time champ Scott Dixon stars in the first installment of PNC Bank’s “Boring Before Brilliance” doc-style video series. “Society is all about celebrating brilliance: the wins, the success, the fame. But millions of boring moments are what make the brilliant ones possible,” says James Bray, ECD at Arnold Worldwide. “Working in collaboration with DLP Media, we were able to capture these fascinating nuances on film. And for Scott Dixon, speed is definitely in the details.”

Sports

Caitlin Clark Reflects for ESPN x State Farm

Everyone’s fave hoops star gazes into a mirror and receives encouragement from her much younger self in a campaign that also features Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice. The work from Zambezi’s FIN Studios plugs Full Court Press, an ESPN+ series about the three athletes, which State Farm sponsors. Aimee Hoffman directed.

Apparel

SAXX Returns With a New Bag of Tricks

The Canadian underwear brand slings more ballsy humor via Quality Meats. The work seeks to generate bounce in the U.S. “The goal is to make more guys, and those who love them, question their underwear habits, and realize that both they, and their balls, deserve better,” says brand marketing VP Shawna Olsten.

Gaming

Toyota Dealers Hit the Road With 8-Bit Video Game

Seeking to up its game with nostalgia-obsessed twentysomething consumers, the Northern California Toyota Dealers and agency H/L have introduced a throwback 8-bit experience. “The game touches on GenZ and Millennials’ interests in nostalgia, traveling, and the stunning NorCal landscape, connecting with young buyers’ lifestyles,” the association says.

Finance

Blackstone’s All About ‘Making the Connection’

In stylish commercials that eschew data-center cliches, asset management firm Blackstone illustrates how spotting broader trends helps it identify connections that bolster the enterprise. Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Man vs Machine, FundamentalCo and Bully Pulpit developed the campaign.

Music

Luke Grimes Stars for Carhartt

Apparel maker Carhartt explores the work ethic and global rise of actor/singer Luke Grimes in a 5-minute film called “Setting the Stage.” Anomaly and Stept Studios collaborated on the project. “When I thought about doing a collaboration with a brand, Carhartt was the first company that came to mind because of what they’re about and who it’s for,” Grimes says in press materials. “I grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and one of the first jobs I ever had was working concrete. I still have this blue-collar way of approaching things—the get-it-done attitude and taking pride in what you do.”

Telecom

Swedish Phone Company Vimla and BBDO Bring the ‘Good Vibrations’

Sweden’s Vimla tries to shake up the phone category in ’90s-style ads from BBDO Nordics. “Vimla wanted to create a visual world that incorporate the brand’s good vibrations and relaxed approach,” says agency art director Isaac Bonnier. “We opted for a concept that could stand on its own without a lot of text or voiceovers. The films speak for themselves. It felt important for us to create something that really stands out.”

Health

Everything Causes Hair Loss. Everything!

Do babies, sushi, deodorants and binge-watching accelerate hair loss? We learn the truth in Mischief’s cute campaign for Nutrafol, a hair-growth supplement. “Creatively, we wanted to tap into that eyebrow-raising moment,” says agency ACD Tanner Thompson. “The goal was creating something that really draws you in, sparks your curiosity, and leaves you asking the question: ‘Hold on, what does this have to do with my hair?'”

Grocery

Want Some Coffee Mate, Mate?

G’day! Coffee Mate enjoys some Aussie-accented fun in fast-talkin’ commercials directed by Terri Timely through Soft Citizen. “We wanted to play with how Coffee Mate communicates both its creamy, indulgent quality and that sweet brand recognition they’ve worked so hard to achieve,” says Joel Holtby, co-CCO at Courage, which helped develop the campaign.

Health

Ritual Vitamins Goes Beyond Transparency

Ritual Vitamins tapped Giant Spoon to create “Trace Like a Motherf*cker,” directed by Kate Jean Hollowell. It goes beyond transparency, revealing that the brand’s ingredients can be tracked and explaining why they’re present. In the spot below, a potty-mouth mom won’t put anything in her body unless she knows where’s it’s from and why she needs it.

Financial

PNC Gets ‘Brilliantly Boring’ These Days

Arnold Worldwide launched a fresh campaign for PNC Bank with “Brilliantly Boring” as the theme. Ads stress stability, pragmatism, consistency and trustworthiness. They’re not boring. But the bank is. In a good way. Silicon Valley actor Chris Diamantopoulos stars.

Apparel

Does Comedy Suit Men’s Wearhouse?

Party Land dresses Men’s Wearhouse in goofy comic stylings through a frenetic campaign. Clothes make the bro, whose apparel changes and adventures become intertwined. It’s pretty silly. Hannah Levy directed.

Parents, don’t be shy about dropping the “F” word in front of your kids. That’s the message of a new Meta/Ad Council campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of fentanyl—which is undetectable by taste, color or smell, making it a deadly, invisible foe when added to other drugs to make counterfeit pills.

The Ad Council teamed up with Meta’s Creative Shop for “Drop the F*Bomb,” a campaign running on Facebook and Instagram that targets parents of teens and young adults. In a trio of ads, parents have their mouths blurred when they, assumedly, say a swear word.

But the controversial word in this case is fentanyl, and each parent slaps the pixelation from their face, ensuring viewers hear them say fentanyl’s name. Each video explains different reasons why the drug is dangerous and how it’s unfortunately found anywhere kids hang out.

“Using the ‘F-word’ with kids may be taboo, but talking to them about the facts, dangers and prevalence of fentanyl should not be. The risk of not having these conversations is too high,” says Michelle Hillman, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council.

Per the Ad Council, fentanyl was found in 77 percent of adolescent overdose deaths in the first half of 2021.

In addition, Meta created a website that offers ways to broach the topic of fentanyl with teens and features videos of the parents from the ads dropping the “F bomb” on their kids.

“The campaign highlights the dangers of fentanyl in an easily digestible way for parents, helping them understand why the issue is relevant to their families—even if they don’t suspect their children would engage in substance use,” Hillman tells Muse.

CREDITS

Ad Council:
Michelle Hillman, Chief Campaign Development Officer 
Ro Patrick, SVP, Group Campaign Director 
Monica Hunter, Campaign Director 
Hadley Britt, Assistant Campaign Manager 
Ben Dorf, VP, Marketing & Communications 
Khalem Charles, Assistant Manager, Marketing & Communications 
Anuar Saab, Manager, Strategy & Evaluation 
Cat Boyce, Digital Product Manager 

Meta Creative Shop:
Allison Brown (Creative Lead)
Eddie Bennett (Strategy Lead)
Illen Asmerom (Strategy Lead)
Chris Talamo
Jesse Lee
Annie Foster
Tris Gates
Chris Kennedy 

As Angela also mentioned this week, these days it’s impossible to separate the advertising made for any of Facebook’s brands from the cultural, social and political problems the social network has wrought. This is particularly true when the company presents an optimistic view of the future—the viewer is just naturally resistant to it from the outset.

That said, have a look at “The Tiger & The Buffalo,” the first brand spot for Meta (the name of the rebranded Facebook parent company). Created by the internal Creative X group in collaboration with Droga5, the 60-second piece presents a fanciful reimagining of Henri Rousseau’s 1908 painting “Fight between a Tiger and a Buffalo.”

What was once a static painting becomes a multisensory experience, as a group of young people become immersed in a pulsating 3-D world—Meta’s vision of what the metaverse of the future might look like, as powered by our collective imagination.

Andrew Thomas Huang of Object & Animal directed the spot, with help from effects company Electric Theatre Collective. And like all Facebook advertising, it’s an impressive piece of craft, visually gorgeous and full of energy, thanks to the track “Way in My Brain” by SL2.

As for the concept itself, this is where the Facebook baggage comes in. On the one hand, setting the story in an art museum is a clear attempt to elevate Meta’s messaging about the future—to suggest it plans to build upon the traditions of art in creating the virtual spaces of the future. At the same time, there’s such a depressing sense of the opposite here—the underlying notion that art museums would be cooler if they were 3-D dance clubs, and that everything digital is automatically better than anything analog.

That’s a simplistic and not very uplifting view of progress, even presumably to most of Gen Z. And it’s at odds with the negativity the digital world has clearly brought with it. All of which just ends up reinforcing Facebook’s head-in-the-sand mentality—and even makes the end line, “This is going to be fun,” feel borderline sinister, more like a directive than an invitation.

A company with such all-consuming trust issues probably shouldn’t be doing big, optimistic brand advertising in the first place, since the disconnect will always be stark. But of course, this is a company that forges ahead no matter what, whether the future is a Garden of Eden or just more dumpster fire.

As if college weren’t scary enough already, Facebook Reality Labs and agency DeepLocal drove a “Fear Truck” on campus to give students a taste of the thrills and chills in Resident Evil 4 via FB’s Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.

The vintage pickup resembles a vehicle from the scary game. It hauls a transparent 10-by-10-by-12-foot cube equipped with pneumatic cannons that shoot air, slime and foam, plus a tactile sensor to provide jolts as gamers experience Resident Evil’s VR edition.

Screams! More screams! Game graphics! Hokey footage of a masked chainsaw killer stalking a library! It’s all waiting for you in this video shot at L.A.’s Pierce College:

Gameplay footage from the participants’ Oculus Quest 2 headsets was beamed onto screens so spectators could follow along. Highlights from inside the cube include:

• Floor haptics physically shaking things up during battles or raucous game sequences.
• Air blasts triggered by sword swipes and flying objects. Whoooosh! That was close!
• Foam-chunks and slime dousing players when characters die, and their entrails spurt real good.

It’s kind of like Survival Billboard meets Sensurround—whatever that was—with buckets of Nickelodeon slime tossed in.

For the Halloween road trip, DeepLocal “focused on user experience and aesthetic details,” says agency managing director Chad Calcagno. “We started with a 1941 Ford truck and stripped it all the way down to the frame, building our ‘Fear Truck’ back up from scratch.”

“In bringing Resident Evil 4 to Quest 2, we had a huge responsibility and opportunity,” Chelsey Susin Kantor, head of brand and integrated marketing at Oculus, tells Muse. “It’s an iconic franchise and being able to step into [game character] Leon’s shoes for the first time in VR allows you to experience horror like never before. To bring that sense of immersion to life, game trailers alone wouldn’t cut it.”

Twitch influencers AngryPug and Jakenbakelive got in on the action, too, with tie-ins that went live yesterday.

CREDITS

Brand: Oculus
Creative/Production Partners:
Deeplocal – Creative, Technology, & Experiential Production
60Grit – Fabrication
Vivamonkey – Film Production

Imagine viewing life through Facebook’s Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses. Will you see endless sunny days while using the shades to play your favorite tines and podcasts? Perhaps you’ll engage the product’s megapixel cameras to capture every sparkling hue of that spontaneous paint-balloon fight downtown.

Facebook spins such a scenario in a short film introducing the specs—though detractors warn of darker, dystopian visions lurking just out of sight.

The future’s so bright, you’ve gotta wear these $299 shades?

Some fret over such technology, fearing Facebook will strip away yet another layer of our privacy, with Ray-Ban wearers beaming images of everyone and anything hither and yon for purposes unknown. Google Glass failed to allay such concerns, among other issues, nearly a decade ago. While still in production, those specs will forever reign as eyewear for “glass-holes,” a textbook case of brand failure. Snapchat’s Spectacles fared better with public perception, but remain a niche item, to be sure.

Facebook, of course, plans to go big with Ray-Ban Stories, stressing its commitment to privacy at seemingly every turn. To wit, an LED light alerts bystanders when recording is in progress, “and that’s more than what smart phones do,” notes Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg in this 10-minute presentation:

What’s more, “When your glasses are off, they’re completely off—the mic is off, you can’t take photos or record videos,” Zuck says.

Phew! What could possibly go wrong?

OK, wearables in general, and Facebook in particular, present an easy target for critics. And this launch comes at an inopportune moment, with the platform absorbing hate for allegedly ignoring the negative societal impact of its products and services. The intrinsically intrusive nature of Ray-Ban Stories brings potential negatives into sharp focus.

But here’s the thing … even if these glasses fail to catch on, some similar product surely will. We’re warping toward an increasingly complex and connected future—hastened, perhaps, by the desire to experience a richer post-Covid reality (not to mention Silicon Valley’s lust for profits). We’re plugged in all the time, almost an extension of our devices, rather than the other way around. By and large, we like it like that, believing the rewards of convenience, fun and communication far outweigh the risks.

The :60 depicts this dynamic in idealized terms. It’s as light and bright as can be, and some may dismiss its simplistic approach and trite imagery (paintball indeed!). Still, it works as an aspirational “what-if” exercise, an invitation to explore your world in a whole new way.

“With Ray-Ban stories, you can stay focused on what you’re doing, and you don’t have to choose between being on your device and being fully present,” Zuckerberg says. “Imagine seeing holograms, turn-by-turn directions, or being able to play chess on a table in front of you with your loved one 3,000 miles away right from your glasses.”

Dude’s in tune with the social flow. Zuck views smart glasses as a step worth taking, regardless of bumps in the road—a milestone, perhaps, in our cultural evolution, akin to Apple’s iPhone launch 14 years ago. (Yeah, OK, we’ll see about that.)

We can close our eyes and dream of simpler times. But ultimately, there’s no looking back.

FKA twigs—musician, dancer and star of notable marketing efforts for Apple and WeTransfer, among others—goes behind the camera to direct a short film for Facebook, one of four ads from the social networking giant that will run during NBC’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics.

Developed with Droga5, the campaign focuses on skateboarding, which makes its Olympic debut this year.

Promoting the Facebook App, “Longboard Family” presents vibrant scenes of freestyle skate-dancing on the streets of Seoul, Barcelona and Los Angeles. (It’s a neat fit for twigs—who knows a thing or two about putting bodies in motion.)

Arriving as the Games and Facebook both navigate bumps in the road, the work casts the company as a facilitator of human connection, spanning the globe to tell stories of folks who embrace boarding as a way of life (though no Olympians appear).

“Skateboarding is a grassroots sport and culture, centered around connection and community,” says Facebook VP of global marketing Andrew Stirk. “This work celebrates the authentic stories of skaters using our platforms to find each other, broaden the culture, and push the sport forward.”

Elsewhere in the campaign, acclaimed commercial filmmaker Juan Cabral helms “Once Upon a Time Everywhere,” which makes impressive use of surreal slow-motion photography to tout Facebook’s Oculus VR headsets:

Yann Demange shot “No Comply,” examining a trademark trick immortalized across Instagram:

“Skate Nation Ghana,” from a directing collective led by Daniel Wolfe, spotlights Facebook’s reach as a social driver and agent for change. In the mini-doc, we meet Ghanian boarder Joshua Odamtten, whose passion for the sport—fed by Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and other FB offerings—knows no bounds:

“The skateboarding debut at the Olympics this summer felt like the perfect moment to tell stories about how the sport has evolved to become more inclusive,” says Droga5 co-creative lead Felix Richter. From a brand perspective, the ads seek “to illustrate the role Facebook’s suite of apps have played–helping people find each other in sports and beyond–to build great things,” he says.

CREDITS

Facebook “We Change The Game When We Find Each Other”

Agency Droga5 NY
Creative Chairman David Droga
Co-Chief Creative Officer Felix Richter
Co-Chief Creative Officer Tim Gordon
Group Creative Director Thom Glover
Creative Director Paul Meates
Creative Director Tobias Carlson
Creative Director Jonas Wittenmark
Senior Copywriter Nico Baumann
Senior Art Director Inna Kofman
Art Director Macaihah Broussard
Copywriter Nate Richards
Art Director Sarah Karabibergian
Copywriter Benjamin Hinamanu
Executive Design Director Rich Greco
Design Director Daniel Pulito
Designer Kenisha Rullan
Designer Adrian Koenigsberg
Junior Designer Calen Chung
Executive Producer, Film Mike Hasinoff
Senior Producer, Film (Facebook company) Leah Donnenberg
Associate Producer, Film (Facebook company) Imani Dixon
Senior Producer, Film (Instagram) Mateo Suarez
Producer, Film (Instagram) Stephanie Hill
Senior Producer, Film (Oculus) Dustin Grant
Producer, Film (Oculus) William Herrick
Senior Producer, Film (Facebook App) Benjy Greenberg
Producer, Film (Facebook App, Instagram) Sasha Pace
Associate Producer, Film Bianca Ocampo
Associate Producer, Film Lauren Bautista
Senior Music Supervisor Mike Ladman
Music Supervisor Sarah Tembeckjian
Music Supervisor Brandy Ricker
Interactive Production Director Tasha Cronin
Senior Producer, Interactive Ian Graetzer
Senior Business Affairs Manager Paul Van Dorpe
Celebrity Talent Relations Lead & Sr. BA Manager Whitney Vose
Senior Traffic Manager Wendy Kaplan
Talent Manager May Chee
Chief Brand Strategy Officer Harry Román-Torres
Group Strategy Director Diana Gonzalez
Strategy Director Emily Pfitzinger
Senior Strategist Britt Lynch
Strategist Isaiah Brown
Group Communications Strategy Director Elizabeth Hartley
Communications Strategy Director Patrick Fahey
Senior Communications Strategist Chris Wiegand
Junior Communications Strategist Jared Randle
Chief Knowledge Officer Andy Littlewood
Senior Data Strategist Daria Koren
Senior Data Strategist Rosa Zhang
Data Strategist Sean La’Bro0y
Group Account Director Jess Kingsberry
Group Account Director Caitlin Patrick
Account Director Gabrielle Barbuto
Account Director Marissa Guerra
Account Supervisor Hayley Howell
Account Supervisor Roxy Alberts
Account Supervisor Guillermo Betancourt
Associate Manager Anna Ferrel
Associate Manager Vanessa Foinquinos
Project Manager Christine DiStasio

Facebook :: Skate Nation Ghana

Client Facebook
CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Director, Strategic Media Planning Radhika Narang
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Marketing Research Manager Lizi Cruz
Marketing Researcher Sean Krimmel
Brand Marketing Manager, Facebook App Reid Prichard
Integrated Consumer Marketing Manager, Instagram Lauren Starr
Brand Marketing Lead, WhatsApp Bosco Zubiaga Delclaux
Integrated Marketing Manager, Messenger Ramon Luis Rodriguez
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Consumer Communications Bjorn Trowery
Attorney Richard Ronald

Facebook / Facebook App :: Longboard Family

Client Facebook / Facebook App
CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Creative Director Garrett Jones
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Consumer Marketing Lead, Facebook App Emily Raman
Brand Marketing Manager, Facebook App Reid Prichard
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Brand Marketing Manager Kaitlin Giannetti
Director, Strategic Media Planning Radhika Narang
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Marketing Research Manager Lizi Cruz
Marketing Researcher Sean Krimmel
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Consumer Communications Manager Bjorn Trowery
Attorney Richard Ronald

Facebook / Instagram :: No Comply

Client Facebook / Instagram
CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Head of Creative, Instagram Sue Anderson
Creative Director, Instagram Chris Parson
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Brand Marketing Manager Gregory Paige
Integrated Consumer Marketing Manager, Instagram Lauren Starr
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Director, Strategic Media Planning Radhika Narang
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Marketing Research Manager Lizi Cruz
Marketing Researcher Sean Krimmel
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Consumer Communications Bjorn Trowery
Attorney Richard Ronald

Facebook / Oculus :: Once Upon A Time Everywhere

Client Facebook
CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Chief Creative Officer, Facebook Reality Labs Josh Higgins
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Brand Strategy Manager Victoria Ekwenuke
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Producer, Facebook Reality Labs Brian Coate
Director, Brand Strategy Kerry Antos
Head of Integrated Marketing, Facebook Reality Labs Chelsey Susin Kantor
Director, Strategic Media Planning Radhika Narang
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Consumer Communications Bjorn Trowery
Paralegal Richard Daniels

Facebook :: Pass the Board

CMO Alex Schultz
VP Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP Marketing Insights Rick Malins
Head of Creative, Facebook company Tom Markham
Head of Creative, WhatsApp Rodrigo Moran
Head of Design Zach Stubenvoll
Creative Director, Facebook company Mariano Cassisi
Creative Director, Instagram Chris Parson
Creative Director, Facebook app Garrett Jones
Art Director Bryan Evans
Copywriter Shloimy Notik
Art Director Montell Pera
Copywriter Don Wilhelm
Creative Director, Design Maria Wan
Designer Toga Cox
Designer Jordan Honnête
Motion Designer Jerod Wanner
Director of Program Management Jenn Cook
Marketing Program Manager, Sarah Albertelli
Marketing Program Manager Mary Lahey
Production Strategist, Creative X Julian Katz
Executive Producer, Creative X Mustafa Imam
Producer, Creative X Amy Yvonne Yu
Producer, Creative X Kat Friis
Producer, Creative X Lucy Alt Clark
Business Affairs Manager Lauren Judelson
Business Affairs Chloe Kwok
Business Affairs Emily Kahn
Brand Marketing Director Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Ambra Duncan
Social Marketing Manager Nicole Ada
Brand Strategist Josh Cleveland
Strategic Media Planning Jessica Lewis
Strategic Media Planning Nick Mejia
Marketing Research Manager Lizi Cruz
Marketing Researcher Sean Krimmel
Continued below with production partners

INC

Production Company Love Song
Director Bafic, Elliott Power, Justyna Obasi
Executive Producer Daniel Wolfe
Director of Photography Deepa Keshvala, Robbie Ryan
Managing Partner Kelly Bayett
Executive Producer Emily Skinner
Controller Justin Bayett
Producer Jewel Estephanos
1st Assistant Director Kenneth Taylor
Stylist Bee Diamondhead
Producer Designer Tony Prince Tomety
Art Work Daniel Anum Jasper

Service Company Monkey Films (South Africa)
Executive Producer Clare van Zyl
Producer Phillip Killingbeck

Service Company Sun Up To Sun Down Africa (Ghana)
Producer Yaw Amponsah Apenteng

Editorial Cut & Run
Editor Paul Watts, Scot Crane
Assistant Editor Eli Beck-Gifford
Executive Producer Marcia Wigley

Research & Clearances Nickerson Research

Post Production, Color Framestore London
Colorist Simon Bourne
Senior Color Producer Chris Anthony

Post Production, VFX The Mill London
Creative Director Dan Williams
Executive Producer Clare Melia
Producer Matt Squires
2D Lead Artist Carl Norton
Finish Artist Adam Maynard, David Wishart, James Pratt, Matthew (Wispy) Clarke
AFX Artist Kwok Lam, Chris Shone
Roto Supervisor Mayur Amrutkar
Paint Supervisor Makarand Patel

Title Design Daniel Anum Jasper

Music Supervision Curation Music
Managing Partner Sunny Kapoor

Music
Ebo Taylor – “Heaven”
Marijata – “Break Through”
Bryte – “Mama Dey Party”
O’Kenneth – “Agyeiwaa” (featuring Reggie x City Boy)

Sound Design Barking Owl
Sound Designer Gus Koven
Managing Partner Kelly Bayett
Executive Producer Ashley Benton

Sound Mix Wave Studios
Mixer Ed Downham, Aaron Reynolds, Isaac Matus
Executive Producer Vicky Ferraro
Producer Eleni Giannopoulos, Beth Tomblin

Facebook APP

Production Company Object & Animal
Director FKA twigs
Director of Photography Stuart Winecoff
Director of Photography (Seoul) Corey C. Waters
Camera Operator Myron Mance
Executive Producer Morgan Clement, Emi Stewart
Line Producer Stine Moisen (LA), Alex Chamberlain (Barcelona & Seoul)
Choreographer Mike Tyus, Joy Isabella Brown
Wardrobe Stylist Karolyn Pho
Director’s Assistant Tristan Breed

Editorial Rock Paper Scissors
Editor Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
Assistant Editor Alex Liu
Executive Producer Eve Kornblum
Producer Lisa Barnable

Research & Clearances Nickerson Research

Post Production, Color Company 3
Senior Colorist Joseph Bicknell
Producer Anna Kelman

Post Production, VFX MPC London
Creative Director Alex Lovejoy
Senior VFX Producer Ryan Hancocks
VFX Supervisor Ed Taylor
VFX Artist Justin Braun, Nick Slade, Paul Hunt, Zeki DorOndun, Amy Smith, Barry Chapman, Emma Tyler, Mithun Alex

Music
Brent Faiyaz – “Dead Man Walking”
Strings Arrangement Robin Hannibal

Title Design Sawdust
Designer Rob Gonzalez, Jonathan Quainton

Sound Design & Mix Ballad
Sound Designer & Mixer Philip Nicolai Flindt, Adrian Aurelius
Executive Producer Gregers Maersk Moeller

IG

Production Company Reset Content
Director Yann Demange
Director of Photography Jess Hall
Camera Operator Myron Mance
Executive Producer Jen Beitler, Deannie O’Neil
Producer Veronica Madrigal

2nd Unit Production Company Twenty First City (Tokyo)
Director of Photography Ben Parrot
Executive Producer Georgina Pope

Editorial Work Editorial
Editor Rich Orrick
Assistant Editor Chris O’Brien, Maria Cunningham
Executive Producer Erica Thompson
Head of Production Alejandra Alarcon
Producer Samara Kelly

Research & Clearances Nickerson Research

Post Production Blacksmith
Executive Producer Charlotte Arnold
Producer Sophie Mitchell
Colorist Mikey Pehanich
Color Assist Sam Howells
VFX Supervisor Tom Bussell
Lead 3D Artist Olivier Varteressian
Lead Compositor Daniel Morris
Compositor Robert Bruce, Yebin Ahn
Designer Pierce Gibson

Title Design Sawdust
Designer Rob Gonzalez, Jonathan Quainton

Music
Laake – “Come”

Sound Design & Mix Lime Studios
Sound Designer & Mixer Rohan Young
Assistant Engineer Jeremy Nichols
Executive Producer Susie Boyajan
Producer Samantha Sotomura

OCULUS

Production Company MJZ
Director Juan Cabral
Director of Photography Shabier Kirchner
Executive Producer Emma Wilcockson
Producer James Blom

Editorial Work Editorial
Editor Neil Smith
Assistant Editor Joseph Tuzzolino
Executive Producer Erica Thompson
Head of Production Alejandra Alarcon
Producer Malia Rose & Chandler Raub

Post Production, Color MPC London
Senior Colorist Jean-Clement Soret
Head of Colour Grading Production – London & Europe Ellora Chowdhury

Post Production, VFX Blacksmith
Executive Producer Charlotte Arnold
Producer Ashley Goodwin
VFX Shoot Supervisor Iwan Zwarts, Ben Kwok
Lead Compositor Ben Kwok
Compositors Hannah Wilk, Molly Intersimone, Thomas Panayiotou, Yebin Ahn, Tim Regan

Title Design Sawdust
Designer Rob Gonzalez, Jonathan Quainton

Music
Blood Orange – “Hadron Collider”
Blood Orange – “Nappy Wonder”
Blood Orange – “Charcoal Baby”

Sound Design & Mix 750mph
Sound Designer & Mixer Sam Ashwell
Executive Producer Jessica Ringshall
Producer Kristen Troy

Iconic singer/actress/model Grace Jones, famous for defying norms and breaking barriers, voices a short film from Facebook touting the platform’s advertising tools that help small businesses forge closer relationships with customers.

The minute-long clip, developed with Droga5 and Riff Raff director David Wilson, features owners who rely on Facebook apps every day. The accent’s on vibrant entrepreneurship as we visit a Tallahassee goat-yoga farm, a San Diego cat-adoption cafe, and a Houston-based maker of handbags fusing African and Western motifs.

Jones narrates in her trademark robo-sexy style over an alluring dance beat:

Naturally, she assures us Facebook’s targeted ad programs are there to help, and the spot ends with the line, “Good ideas deserve to be found.”

“We thought about the tone of the creative and who best would represent ingenuity, evolution and the spirit of how an idea becomes reality,” Droga5 producer Jake Herman tells Muse. “Grace Jones was a no-brainer to serve as the ‘voice of ideas,’ as who else could preside over a festival of inclusivity with such poise, and make the term ‘personalized ads’ sound so dangerously alluring?”

Indeed, though she’s not identified and doesn’t appear in the spot, Jones’s smooth, confident tones deliver a special gravitas. Meanwhile, the syncopated cavalcade of colorful images peaks around the 18-second mark—we kid you not—with this evocative shot of goat yoga at dawn:

“We knew going in that it’s hard for people to understand the value of the ads they see on Facebook and Instagram every day,” says Droga5 creative director Thom Glover. “Our challenge was to tell a story about personalized advertising showing that value.”

Ultimately, the team chose to focus on niche interests, “then imagined the whole thing as a catwalk show for all the small businesses who advertise on the platforms, set to a ‘fashion song’ about discovering exciting things and each one being just right for somebody,” Glover says.

That concept, he contends, mirrors “what scrolling through Facebook and Instagram is like—’scroll, scroll, scroll… ooh, that looks interesting! I want that!'”

Some view the campaign as the latest shot in Facebook’s war with Apple, an opportunity for the former to preen as the latter plots iOS 14 consumer privacy changes that could cut into the social networking giant’s bottom line.

Fair enough. But it’s worth noting that Facebook has long staked its claim as a friend to small businesses. Last year, the company launched a $100 million grant program to help entrepreneurs. Now, in tandem with the campaign, the social networking giant has simplified its ad manager and introduced special options—such as direct menu uploads—for restaurants struggling in Covid times.

CREDITS

Client Facebook
Campaign Good Ideas Deserve to be Found
Title Good Ideas Deserve to be Found
Launch Date 2/25/2021

Agency Droga5 NY
Global Chief Creative Officer Neil Heymann
Co-Chief Creative Officer Tim Gordon
Co-Chief Creative Officer Felix Richter
Creative Director Thom Glover
Creative Director Kia Heinnen
Senior Copywriter Ben Brown
Senior Art Director Jackie Moran
Senior Copywriter Dave Canavan
Senior Art Director Patrick Horton
Executive Producer, Film Mike Hasinoff
Senior Producer, Film Isabella Lebovitz
Producer, Film Jake Herman
Producer, Film Steph Hill
Associate Producer, Film Bianca Ocampo
Music Supervisor Mike Ladman
Head of Interactive Production Tasha Cronin
Senior Producer, Interactive Ian Graetzer
Director of Business Affairs Dan Simonetti
Senior Businesses Affairs Manager Paul Van Dorpe
Celebrity Talent Relations Lead Whitney Vose
Talent Manager Sunny Valencia
Senior Traffic Manager Wendy Kaplan
Executive Design Director Rich Greco
Senior Designer Eli Hochberg
Head of Strategy Harry Román-Torres
Group Brand Strategy Director Dan Ng
Brand Strategy Director Diana González
Senior Brand Strategist Emily Pfitzinger
Brand Strategist Isaiah Brown
Group Communications Strategy Director Yan Wang
Communications Strategy Director Patrick Fahey
Senior Communications Strategist Chris Wiegand
Global Chief Knowledge Officer Andy Littlewood
Senior Data Strategist Daria Koren
Data Strategist Sean La’Brooy
Group Account Director Jessica Kingsbery
Account Director Marissa Guerra
Account Director Gabrielle Barbuto
Account Supervisor Hayley Howell
Account Manager Anna Ferrell
Group Project Manager Tessa Muchura
Senior Project Manager Theresa Ganchorre
Project Manager Christine DiStasio

Client Facebook
CMO Alex Schultz
VP, Global Head of Brand & Product Marketing Kate Rouch
Director, Global Company Marketing Andrew Stirk
VP, Global Business Marketing Mark D’Arcy
VP, Global Business & Customer Marketing Michelle Klein
VP, Creative and Experiential Andrew Keller
Head of Creative Thomas Markham
Head of Design Zach Stubenvoll
Creative Director Mariano Cassisi
Global Director, Brand Marketing Jasmine Summerset-Karcie
Brand Marketing Manager Gregory Paige
Brand Marketing Manager Hillary Saunders
Brand Marketing Manager Katie Secrest
Social Content & Marketing Lead Hussain Ismail
Social Media Manager Brittany Holt
Brand Strategist Priyanka Nigam
Marketing Insights Director Rick Malins
Marketing Research Manager Jenn Dahm
Marketing Researcher Lia Breunig
Communication Planning Manager Danielle Nichols
Communications Planner Kristen Winschuh
Executive Producer, Creative X Julian Katz
Paralegal Blaine May

FILM PRODUCTION

Production Company Riff Raff
Director David Wilson
DOP Benoit Soler
Executive Producer Matthew Fone
Producer Kate Brady

Editorial The Quarry
Editor Paul Watts
Assistant Editor Ben Cowan
Executive Producer Ellese Shell
Head of Production Tor Adams

Editorial Cut & Run
Editor Beau Dickson
Assistant Editor Colin Davis
Executive Producer Ellese Shell

Post Production MPC London
Telecine Peter Oppersdorff
Telecine Creative Director Jean-Clement Soret
Producer Ryan Hancocks
2D Lead David Felipe
2D Team Amy Smith, Marj Verheij, Zeki DoruOndun, Alessandro Granella, Ed Taylor
CG Lead Mike Little
GG Team Jack Enver, Flavia Minonne, Rob Richardson, Selcuk Ergen, Chris Huland-Scrase

Music Universal Music
Song ‘Black Belt’
Artist John Grant

Voice-over Artist Grace Jones
Management INTERLAND
Creative Director Ivor Guest

Sound Design & Mix GCRS
Primary Mixer Raj Sehgal
Secondary Mixer Tom Pugh
Executive Producer Molly Butcher

SOCIAL PRODUCTION

Production Company Blinkink
Director Chris Bristow
Illustrators/Animators Lauren O’Neil, Olly Montagu, Andreia Serrano, Michael Marczewski, Sophie Koko Gate, Everyone’s Favourite, Richard Noble, Brad Purnell, Alexander Hellebaut
Compositors John Malcolm Moore, Brad Purnell
Director or Photography Bruno Downey
Executive Producer Bart Yates
Executive Producer Josef Byrne
Producer Georgina Fillmore
Project Manager Eve Somerville
Production Assistant Molly Turner

Grade WASH
Colorist Henry Howard

Hailing from South Africa, Sue Anderson began her career at TBWAHunt Lascaris as a copywriter, eventually becoming a creative director over a 10-year run there.

Sue was recruited to join Wieden + Kennedy in Amsterdam before being lured back to the TBWA family, moving to New York to be the global creative director for Absolut Vodka, based out of TBWAChiatDay New York. She then headed west to join Crispin Porter + Bogusky Los Angeles as executive creative director.

Sue took her experience and founded So&So with her longtime partner Hoj Jomehri, working directly with brands—including Nest, Airbnb, Allbirds and Netflix—faced with the challenges of a new advertising economy. This led her to Facebook, where she has worked as head of creative on the Facebook app. Sue is now head of creative on Instagram at Facebook’s Creative X in-house agency.

We spent two minutes with Sue to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations, and recent work she’s admired.

Sue, tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in a little town called Benoni, just outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. Only reason anyone has ever heard of it is because Charlize Theron also grew up there. No, I don’t know her. Now I live in Oakland, California.

What you wanted to be when you grew up.

It was between a travel agent and an ice skater. Ice skater was preferred because it meant I could listen to Abba while working.

How you discovered you were creative.

My grandpa showed me a jar of jam and pointed out that somebody designed the jar and the label. He then told me he thought that would be a good job for me. I went with it. At least he didn’t tell me he thought I should get into plastics.

A person you idolized creatively growing up.

My older sister Carol. She could make the most amazing outfits from just a few scraps of fabric.

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

My art teacher, Ms. Blair, set a solid course. She was married but refused to be called Mrs. She dressed in black and always wore a strong lip. I took note of these important life lessons while learning the history of art. 

The first concert you saw, and your favorite band or musician today.

Sting. There were purple velvet curtains that dropped dramatically as he walked out on stage. Listening to a ton of Disclosure lately to keep the energy up.

Your favorite visual artist.

I have a deep love for photography. Pieter Hugo‘s images take my breath away. 

Your favorite fictional character.

Stringer Bell.

Your favorite Instagram follow.

I can’t choose one! I love the lightness of @young_emperors, the heart of @jvn and the visual beauty of @ethanjamesgreen.

How the Covid-19 crisis has changed your life, personally or professionally.

I ride a stationary bike more. I miss my family more. I appreciate what I have more. I buy wine more.

Your favorite creative project you’ve ever worked on.

So many. I once worked with Nelson Mandela—that’s been hard to beat. But for today let’s say some work I did with my husband for Netflix pre the #MeToo movement. It was just the two of us pitching against a slew of agencies with an idea we probably came up with in our jammies. It was intended to be a launch spot for a TV show, but it became a platform. It ran during the Emmys and said something important. #SheRules

Your favorite creative project from the past year.

There is so much work the Creative X Facebook team has brought to life that I love. #BuyBlack with Phoebe Robinson comes to mind as one of many standouts. It was a small social idea that became a LIVE show that supported Black businesses, and the amazing voices behind them. With an in-house creative agency like ours, we have the versatility to move quickly to bring ideas like these to life, and this project was a team effort that highlighted these incredible businesses, and the ways we’re showing up for them. It was all the things. Entertaining, funny and it made a difference.

Someone else’s creative project that inspired you years ago.

This is a lot of years ago. When Guinness did “Surfer,” it changed my young copywriter mind about what was possible. It had poetry, experimental electronic music, horses coming out of the ocean, and a voice I can still hear today. It made no sense and every sense.

Someone else’s creative project that you admired lately.

The New York Times did a piece called “The Great Empty” as we all went into our homes in March. Gorgeous idea reflective of the times. 

Your main strength as a creative person.

I truly believe there’s always a way to fix something. 

Your biggest weakness.

I truly believe there’s always a way to fix something. 

One thing that always makes you happy.

Hoj and Rambo (my husband and dog) and when a camera rolls.

One thing that always makes you sad.

When people I love cry.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

Ice skating? No, I’d be writing. To make a camera roll.

In his role leading North American sports league partnerships at Facebook, Sidhant Rao is responsible for helping leagues leverage the company’s family of apps—including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Oculus—to connect and engage with the next generation of global sports fans. Sidhant works closely with all U.S. leagues on audience growth, content distribution strategies, revenue generation and content licensing.

Sidhant previously launched a new business strategy function for the New York Jets, which was responsible for supporting the organization’s business planning, revenue optimization and strategic growth efforts. He also previously worked at the NFL, where he was responsible for stadium finance, consulting for teams on revenue optimization, and various strategic projects. Sidhant has also completed consulting projects with Courtside Ventures, FIFA and RSE Ventures.

Sidhant lives in New York with his wife. They welcomed a baby girl in January.

We spoke with Sidhant for our Time-Out series, where we chat with folks in the sports world about their favorite athletes, teams, sports movies and shows, and their love of sports generally.

Sidhant, tell us…

Where you were born, and where you live now.

I was originally born in India, but grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Singapore. I moved to New York for college and live here now.

Your earliest sports memory.

When I was in middle school, my dad took me to a cricket match between the national teams of India and Australia. That game was special because it featured a lot of players on both teams who went on to become all-time greats. Last year, I took my dad to the India vs. Australia match at the ICC Cricket World Cup in London, so I was able to return the favor 20 years later!

Your favorite sports team.

I’m a big New York Jets fan, and it stems from my time working at the organization. While I was at the NFL, we could celebrate every Monday because half the teams in the leagues won. Being on the team side, we really felt the impact of the wins and losses.

Your favorite athlete.

LeBron James. Since I grew up overseas, I only really started following U.S. sports on a daily basis once I moved here for college, which was right when LeBron was drafted. I not only feel fortunate to have been able to watch him play throughout his career, but I also admire how he has used his platform for the causes he believes in, as well as to build businesses that will last long beyond his playing career.

Your favorite sports show or podcast.

I’m an avid fantasy sports player, but as a new dad, have found that it’s hard to find time to stay caught up. However, I’ve discovered a handful of sports podcasts that focus on statistical analysis and have been listening to those whenever I get 10-20 minutes of free time. These include Sharp Angles by Warren Sharp, The Action Network Podcast, and the Yahoo Fantasy Football Forecast.

Your favorite sports movie.

It’s hard to rank them all, but one I have to mention is Lagaan, a fictional film about cricket in India. It showed how a sport could bring a community together and give people hope. It’s a must-watch for any sports fan! Others that come to mind for those same reasons are movies about high school football, such as Varsity Blues and Friday Night Lights—both the movie and show were excellent.

A recent project you’re proud of.

Over the last few months, all the major U.S. sports leagues have been focused on using their platforms for voter empowerment—i.e., delivering accurate voting information to fans and encouraging voter registration. This also happens to be a major focus for Facebook. Therefore, it has been rewarding to discuss plans with each league we partner with and figure out ways to combine and amplify each other’s efforts.

Someone else’s project that you admired recently.

I loved NBA’s virtual fans initiative from the bubble in Orlando. The NBA was kind enough to virtually “host” a few members of our team for a playoff game so we could try out the experience firsthand. It was a fun and engaging way to watch the game from home, and it’s very impressive that the NBA and Microsoft Teams were able to build this experience so quickly. It gets me excited for what sports viewing will look like in the future, especially as VR continues to evolve and achieve greater consumer adoption.

What sports can do that nothing else can.

I think sports has a unique ability to unite people around a common passion. This was evident to me in real life on New York Jets gamedays, and virtually in Facebook fan groups around specific teams, leagues, or other aspects of sports. It’s also been especially relevant in 2020 when we were at the peak of Covid lockdowns. I remember the resumptions of NASCAR and PGA Tour and the debut of The Last Dance on ESPN giving everyone a welcome distraction and something positive to talk about.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the sports world.

When in college, I actually thought I wanted to go into international development and policy; I was an International Relations major, interned at the UN, and wrote a thesis on interstate conflict. However, the NFL came to present at my school’s career center about their rotational program for new grads, and I was lucky enough to get that first job in the sports world to launch my career.