Global independent creative agency GUT has brought Danny Alvarez aboard as its newest executive creative director. He reports to Juan Javier Peña Plaza and Ricardo Casal, executive creative directors, North America, and global partners.
Alvarez has already wrapped his first project as ECD at GUT, helping to creatively lead the launch of the booking platform GetYourGuide to the U.S. market through its #DogeToTheEarth campaign. The campaign encourages wanderlust travelers to stop HODLing Dogecoin to the moon and exchange it for experiences back on Earth.
“We’ve known Danny for such a long time, and are so proud to be working together with him again,” read a joint statement from Peña Plaza and Casal who had teamed with him previously at DAVID Miami. “He is a fantastic leader, an incredible mentor, and is able to nurture and push for the best, most creative ideas from our teams and our clients. He has a proven track record of outstanding work and brings the best energy to the GUT team. We also love how as an artist, Danny is able to combine pop culture and contemporary art together beautifully in his fine art pieces–we’re huge fans!”
Prior to joining GUT, Alvarez was an ECD at Republica Havas. He has also worked at agencies such as Wieden+Kennedy, TBWAChiatDay, Crispin Porter + Bogusky and BBDO. To date, he has won over 35 global awards for work with brands including Budweiser, Kraft-Heinz and Burger King. For Burger King, his work on its “Bullying Jr.” campaign gathered over 3 billion impressions online in a matter of days, and created one of the most social conversations ever for the brand. The film is also now part of MoMA’s permanent film collection. A Miami native, Alvarez attended the Art Institute of Miami, where he studied Graphic Design and Advertising.
“Joining GUT was a no-brainer; they’re family,” said Alvarez. “I’ve worked with the team before, but this time it’s different. We are independent, we prioritize people and trust our gut when it comes to creativity. I’m convinced we have the best talent and energy across any agency right now. I’m looking forward to mentoring our team, providing conceptual guidance and helping them craft gutsy ideas, ultimately ensuring that every creative comes to work doing what they love.”
As an artist, where he goes by Dan Alva, he spends his time creating fine art pieces and has exhibited his personal work at a number of national and international shows, most notably the prestigious Art Basel Fair. His artwork is a reinterpretation of old master paintings for a modern day audience. He is currently preparing for three solo shows throughout 2022 in Miami, New York and London.
“Advertising and art go hand in hand,” said Alvarez. “I use the same process in my studio as I do in the agency. I brief, research and concept before picking up a paint brush, but in the end, it all comes down to my gut instinct.”
Nikki Baker Becomes CEO At Fallon
Fallon has appointed Nikki Baker as its new CEO. Baker, who joined the creative agency in 2018 and has served as co-chief creative officer with Leslie Shaffer since 2021, succeeds Rocky Novak, who has been in the role since 2019.
Baker’s promotion to CEO comes at a time of significant momentum for the agency, including six consecutive years of growth and award-winning work.
Baker’s recent career highlights include creatively leading the Walmart partnership with the Publicis Groupe team and spearheading innovative campaigns such as the award-winning “RomCommerce” 23-episodic series and the internet-breaking Mean Girls campaign, among hundreds of other campaigns together with the brand over the past few years. Together with Shaffer, Baker has also been instrumental in elevating Fallon’s creative output for longstanding clients like Arby’s, Mattress Firm, and Front Door/American Home Shield.
“I’ve always been an admirer of Fallon, even before I joined. The chance to lead the agency is an absolute honor. Fallon is a place like no other with amazing talent and a legacy of building big, innovative, creative ideas,” said Baker. “Rocky has represented the best of Fallon. He’s been a great leader, and I couldn’t be more excited to take the reins and lead the agency through to the next chapter. With creativity at our core, we’re going to be as ambitious as ever, push boundaries, and continue embracing emerging platforms to deliver work that truly resonates in culture.”
Prior to joining Fallon six years ago, Baker held positions as creative director and art director at agencies including DDB and GSD&M, working with major brands such as McDonald’s, Southwest Airlines, and Wrigley. Her work has been recognized by... Read More