Design-driven creative agency Standard Black has brought Scott Niemczura as creative director. Niemczura will be overseeing art direction and copy on projects across the agency portfolio. He joins a veteran creative team at Standard Black and will work alongside partners/executive creative directors Eric Lobb and Jared Tomlinson.
Niemczura said, “I came up in big agencies, so I’ve seen far too many good ideas die under layers of approvals and process. It’s really exciting to lose those layers and join a team where everybody just rolls up their sleeves and makes things happen. There’s this great energy at Standard Black, a real confidence in the creative department that comes through in the work.”
Niemczura is a 17+ year veteran of the advertising industry with experience in brand building, and has led creative transformations for a variety of brands including General Mills, JCPenney, Verizon and Under Armour. Most recently, he’s been doing freelance creative direction and has held positions as group creative director at Grey and creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi New York. After graduation from the Columbus College of Art and Design with a BFA in Visual Communications, Advertising and Graphic Design, he was hired as an art director at Cramer-Krasselt.
“Scott and I have been talking about working together since we were in art school, and through the work he has done for Standard Black as a freelancer, we’re confident that his creative experience will benefit all of our clients,” said Tomlinson. “Scott comes from a TV-heavy creative background, and we look forward to executing his vision of more filmed content for our clients.”
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More