Engine Group, a global marketing services network, announced the appointment of Aaron Dus to VP of strategy and innovation for Engine West. He will be reporting to Doug Troy, chief operating and financial officer, Engine West.
Based out of the company’s Los Angeles office, Dus will work with Engine’s West Coast agencies, including digitally led creative shop Deep Focus, entertainment and content marketing agency Trailer Park, full-service creative agency Art Machine, as well as the content creation and distribution offering Moment Studio. He will be charged with leading strategic direction and collaborative opportunities for these agencies and their existing clients, including YouTube, Neutrogena and the Los Angeles Rams. In addition, Dus will also work closely with Engine Group East’s chief strategy officer Jonathan Lum to drive integration and synergy across Engine US.
Dus joins Engine Group from Rosetta│Razorfish Global where, as associate partner and VP of strategic planning, he was responsible for leading the agency’s SWAT Team and overseeing strategic initiatives on clients like Samsung, MagicLeap, and Bolthouse Farms.
“Innovation that really makes an impact begins with the right strategy,” said Dus. “Engine is a network that has integration and strategy at its core. I’m excited to be working with such a strong team of leaders, helping to cross-pollinate their ideas and inspire them to think differently for clients.”
Dus has been recognized for his work with a number of awards. Most notably, he received the Gold David Ogilvy Award in the financial services category in 2011 for his work on Ameriprize Financial’s “More Within Reach” platform. Throughout his career he has worked with such brands as eBay, Walmart, MasterCard, and LEGO.
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More