Geoff Edwards has joined the leadership team of business agency GALE as executive creative director. He brings 20 years of advertising and entertainment industry experience to his new roost which has to its credit data-driven business strategies for such brands as T-Mobile, BMW, Chipotle and Santander. Edwards will oversee brand creative and execution at GALE where he’s been working with the executive team on various projects for the last six months before now officially coming on board.
Edwards joins GALE from TBWAMedia Arts Lab, the bespoke agency for Apple where he led the services department and launched the highly anticipated Apple TV+ subscription service. He also led the global product launch of the AirPods Pro leading to 60 million sold in 2019. Prior to this, he was VP, executive creative director at R/GA Los Angeles, where he helped build brands such as Disney, Nike, PepsiCo, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. As head of creative at CAA Marketing, Edwards created award-winning branded content for Jimmy Johns and Anheuser-Busch.
“We pride ourselves on attracting talent who come to the table with a uniquely formed expertise and point of view. We’re doing the work to make the right investments in our team, and Geoff is precisely that caliber of talent,” said GALE CEO Brad Simms. “His experience in launching some of the world’s most favored products and brand campaigns, coupled with his passion for using creativity to promote peace and change around racial inequality through his non-profit, Saturday Morning (as co-founder), bring a special element to GALE that will push us to serve our clients for the better, and propel us even further as a business strategy leader.”
Edwards related, “GALE is truly unique and my chemistry with Winston (Binch, chief brand and experience officer), Brad and other leaders sealed the deal. I’m impressed by their ability to blend business knowledge with creative insight, all while being rooted in the foundation of data intelligence.”
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this yearโs AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckisโ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwoodโs Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
โAt the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,โ said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. โWe look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.โ
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraรญn, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the worldโs most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More