Jared Kozel, formerly chief creative officer at VML, has launched Super Nice, an independent agency based in Atlanta. He serves as co-founder and chief creative officer of Super Nice, teaming up with co-founder and chief content officer Barry Sonders, as well as sr. partner and head of strategy MJ Speakman.
Kozel has turned out a wide range of notable work over the years–from transforming a blood-orange moon into the universe’s largest Fanta vending machine, to designing the first electric guitar that plays music through a cheeseburger for Hard Rock Cafe, and most recently, dreaming up Lenovo’s global YOU campaign to introduce the brand’s new AI PCs, Kozel’s nearly two-decade career has been defined by boundary-pushing, award-winning campaigns for brands like Coca-Cola, Amazon, Starbucks, Delta, Porsche and Arby’s.
“Super Nice is my chance to break free, have fun, and design a way of working that I always wish existed,” said Kozel. “In an industry where overthinking often overshadows action, Super Nice’s mission is radically simple: Be nice. Be bold. Be better.”
Super Nice is more than just a name–it’s a philosophy that drives the shop, continued Kozel. “The name Super Nice represents two of our favorite things: the super power of being nice–building trust, leading with empathy, and creating spaces where bold ideas thrive. And the exclamation of craft and execution. When something is done with incredible skill and creativity, you can’t help but say, ‘That’s Super Nice.’” He added, “Our name is a promise to deliver work that proves what’s possible when empathy, boldness, and loyalty lead. We believe that nice isn’t just a virtue. It’s a winning strategy.”
Sonders is a seasoned executive producer with a track record of redefining the possibilities of agile production and branded content for top agencies including W+K, 72andSunny, Crispin, Anomaly, and Mojo Supermarket as well as brands such as Amazon, Google, Activision, Starbucks, Audi, Walmart, Spotify, and PlayStation. “Super Nice is more than an agency just built for bold ideas. We’re about enabling new ways for brands to stand out and drive culture with next level content and creations,” stated Sonders.
Kozel noted, “To truly connect with audiences today, brands need to become valuable in new innovative ways. One example of this mindset in action is our work with Coca-Cola’s Gold Peak Tea while at VML, where Barry and I teamed up to create the award-winning Golden Hour phone lens. We invented an entirely new way for customers to interact with Gold Peak Tea, by creating a lens capsule you fill with the golden tea to shoot photos and videos through using your phone for a real beautiful golden hour effect–showcasing the refreshing qualities of Gold Peak Tea in a way that was not only visually captivating but also redefined how brands can connect with their customers.”
Speakman brings nearly two decades of brand strategy expertise, working with Silicon Valley tech darlings including NerdWallet, Ramp, Kickstarter, Life360, Scribd, Yahoo, and Dropbox. “We’re bringing a real tech startup mentality to the agency, mixing speed and efficiency with innovation and insights. We’re out to prove that the best work centers the audience, not the advertisers. Super Nice is about daring to have a distinctive point of view, connecting meaningfully with people, and having fun in the process,” said Speakman.
“Jared and I have a history of putting this mindset into action. With Life360’s ‘Parent Puberty’ campaign, we tapped into the humor and relatability of parents navigating their children’s teenage years. By flipping the script and having teens give their parents ‘the talk,’ we started conversations all over social media that really hit home. We’ve all collaborated on so many projects together, and we know that if an idea makes us all laugh, we’re onto something…and building that same trust with clients is when magic happens.”
