ORC International, part of Engine Group, announced the appointment of Alina Díaz as sr. VP for Cassandra, a provider of youth insights and emerging trends for the last 20 years. She will be reporting to Costas Pavlides, managing director at ORC.
Based in the company’s New York headquarters, Díaz will be responsible for overseeing the Cassandra business, driving revenue growth, developing new programs designed to unlock business opportunities for clients, and maintaining strong customer relationships. Diaz will lead product strategy and content output for the company’s quarterly insight reports, client strategy sessions and daily newsletters–all focused on today’s modern youth and their broader cultural and economic influence. Additionally, Díaz will work closely with Cassandra’s parent company, Engine Group, to partner on internal and client-related projects across multiple agencies.
Díaz joins Cassandra from Blue Flame Marketing Agency–a Sean “Diddy” Combs company–where, as VP of consumer marketing, she was responsible for brand growth by developing marketing plans, media and experiential strategies for CÎROC Ultra Premium Vodka and DeLeón Tequila. Prior to joining Blue Flame Marketing, Díaz served as the marketing innovation and new business director for Greencard Creative, a multi-cultural marketing agency, where she oversaw business development for the start-up. She also held previous positions at leading agencies, including a seven-year stint at BBDO where she managed multiple teams across Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America.
“Understanding youth is about seeing tomorrow, today,” said Díaz. “We give our Fortune 500 clients a look into the future so they can innovate ahead of their competition, adapt to emerging trends and implement marketing programs that impact their bottom line. As a former client, I understand how difficult it is for brands engaging with Millennials and Gen Z to keep up with a rapidly changing marketplace, and I am excited to be part of a talented team that is making a difference for brands and consumers alike.”
In addition to her agency work, Díaz also held a senior position with The Partnership for a Drug-Free America leading multicultural youth programs. Throughout her career she has worked with such brands as Gillette, Bayer Corporation, Pepsi, Pizza Hut and Frito-Lay.
Florence Adds Director Parker Schmidt To Its Roster
Boutique production company Florence has added Parker Schmidt to its directorial roster, marking his first signing for representation in the U.S. Schmidt found his way into directing from his background as a competitive downhill skateboarder, where his world travels and brand relationships catalyzed a lifelong passion for film. Now behind the camera, Schmidt’s work embodies high-grade art direction, intentional craftsmanship, and lensed moments that capture the human experience.
Following his career in action sports, Schmidt was accepted to MASE Art School in Berlin, after which he began working as an art director for brands like Leica Camera, Nike, and Corona Beer. Once introduced to commercial filmmaking, his directorial style came to life, shooting ads across Europe, the United States, and the Middle East.
His body of work includes spots for Lexus, Cadillac, Porsche, Hyundai, REI, CHIMI, Aero Airlines, Apple, Free People, Sharenow, World Sports Games and The Wall Street Journal. Schmidt remains committed to pushing his artistic boundaries as a filmmaker, frequently directing creative shorts like Bowl of Life, Ascension, and the experimental short Requiem. He’s won accolades like Best Sport Film at the Santa Monica International Film Awards and Best Skateboard Film at the Mountain & Adventure Film Festival.
Schmidt said of signing with Florence, “I clicked so quickly with [company founder and EP] Jerad Anderson when we met on a project for Lexus earlier this year. The same goes for [managing director/EP] Ned Brown, who immediately showed a profound interest in getting to know me and what I aspire to achieve. The creative alignment of the stars was set in motion to build trust and... Read More