VMLY&R has promoted Allison Pierce to executive creative director. Since joining the agency in 2010, she has been a major force at VMLY&R, producing some of the company’s most innovative and awarded work. Pierce has overseen creative for the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for the past five years and lent her creative talents to other current and former VMLY&R client brands, including Gatorade, Wendy’s, Kashi, Electrolux/Frigidaire and Cobra Puma Golf.
Most recently, she helped lead an all-female team in creating Bumble’s first-ever Super Bowl spot featuring tennis star Serena Williams.
She’s also been integral in several VMLY&R new business wins, including the recent agency of record win for Boehringer Ingelheim Equine.
Pierce will report to John Godsey, North American chief creative officer. She will continue to be based in VMLY&R’s Kansas City office.
As group creative director on Tennessee, Pierce spearheaded “The Colorblind Viewer — an experiential campaign that launched a scenic viewer equipped with high-tech lenses to make it possible for colorblind people to see fall colors for the first time. The campaign went on to win multiple Cannes Lions and a gold cube at the Art Directors Club, among others.
Multi-awarded with Cannes Lions, the One Show, Effies, ADDYs, Clios, Effies and The Webby Awards, Pierce’s expertise in advertising creative has been recognized by numerous international and local advertising award panels. Her career spans a dozen years.
The impact of Pierce’s work is equally impressive. Since she was appointed lead on the account, Tennessee has seen record-breaking tourism numbers each year, and its ROI results are reinventing travel marketing standards.
“Alli has been an integral part of our creative journey at VMLY&R.” said Debbi Vandeven, global chief creative officer. “Her leadership will continue to help us write our future. And while we can’t always predict what’s next in this business, we can always count on Alli to help invent it.”
Eleanor Adds Director Candice Vernon To Its Roster For Spots and Branded Content
Director Candice Vernon has joined production house Eleanor for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She has already wrapped several jobs at Eleanor, which waited to announce her until they had a body of work together.
Via Eleanor, Vernon made history as the first Black director on a Febreze commercial. The “Small Spaces” campaign marks a major departure from Febreze’s typical blue-and-white world. The home of the “Revolving Door” commercial is a beautiful array of bold sunset hues, African prints, and African art.
Vernon said, “I asked myself, what feels right to me? What feels new? I wanted to bring an essence of not just Black Americans but the full diaspora. I wanted to make a statement that we’re not a monolith.”
Following the success of the “Small Spaces” campaign, Febreze brought Vernon back for a comedy-infused trifecta exploring the hilarious situations that call for an air freshening hero.
Febreze Brand VP Angelica Matthews said, “About two years ago, we realized the consumers that were the most loyal to Febreze were the African American consumers. And the more we learned, the more we realized the richness that we were really missing. So we said we have to go beyond just Black casting, we need to get Black directors that truly understand the culture that truly understand how to bring authentic performances out on screen. We really looked around the industry and noticed there’s actually a shortage of African American directors who have experience doing commercials. When we all saw Candice’s reel, we could all tell the passion for the craft, passion for really trying to help us from where we are to where we’re trying to go.”
Vernon brings a unique lens to... Read More