Amber Guild is joining Grey’s flagship office in New York as CEO. Grey worldwide CEO Michael Houston had served in that capacity, holding a dual worldwide and NY CEO role for the past two years.
Guild has been a pathbreaking executive in the advertising, publishing and digital media industries for the past two decades. Most recently, she has served in the senior leadership of The New York Times as president of the T Brand portfolio and a prime mover in its global advertising business since 2017.
“Amber has built great brands and businesses across every discipline from advertising and design to social and experiential marketing,” Houston said. “Her experience running businesses at the intersection of creativity and culture make her a natural to lead our growing flagship office. I look forward to seeing her apply her unique skills to deliver the next generation of Famously Effective ideas for our clients.”
Guild will partner with Justine Armour, chief creative officer of Grey New York, and an accomplished senior team, to lead the office.
“Amber’s history as an innovator and marketing influencer speaks for itself. Her accomplishments leading T Brand have expanded the boundaries of advertising,” Armour said. “She is a champion of great ideas and diverse talent and her warmth and vision brings out the best in clients and colleagues alike. I can’t wait to partner with her and see what she brings to Grey New York.”
Innovator and marketing influencer
As president of the pioneering T Brand at The New York Times, Guild led global business units including the branded content studio; experiential agency; influencer marketing agency and consulting unit.
She spearheaded the transformation of the traditional advertising department into a strategic, client-first model. T Brand creative and editorial teams collaborated with clients to lead their brands to engage in culture and conversations that were meaningful to their audiences.
Guild has been an advocate for systemic change in the creative industry to ensure a more equitable and just workplace. Most recently, she co-led the The Times’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy. This project outlined the importance of a how a diverse workforce, energized by an inclusive culture, will positively impact the work and therefore the bottom line.
Earlier in her career, Guild held high-level leadership positions at The Martin Agency, Collins and T3. She began her career at TBWA/Chiat/Day, Ogilvy and Saatchi & Saatchi.
Guild has served as a board member of Saturday Morning, the 3% Movement, Africa Seed and the VCU Brandcenter.
Director John Larigakis Joins Strike Anywhere For His 1st U.S. Spot Representation
Strike Anywhere has added filmmaker John Larigakis to its talent roster, marking his first U.S. commercial representation. He continues to be repped in Canada by production house BOLDLY.
Larigakis first established himself on the agency side of the business where he spent 15 years, including serving as a sr. art director at DDB Canada and then a creative director at 123w before making a seamless transition to directing commercials..
Conceptual and highly art-directed, Larigakis’ style focuses on comedic surrealism grounded in reality. By counterbalancing the outlandish and colorful setting with deadpan performances, the key to his commercials is the metaphorical twist on the core concept, ultimately yielding a funny film. His stylistic vision is often brought to life through custom props, 3D animation, physical comedy, and practical effects to craft imaginative environments and memorable characters.
As a director, Larigakis recently won a Berlin Commercial Award for his work with Extra Gum. He’s also helmed films for brands like Starbucks, Nintendo Switch, Playland, and Sandman Hotels. Throughout his career in advertising, Larigakis has developed work that has won six Cannes Lions, 12 One Show Pencils, six D&AD Pencils, and six Clios.
“I’m a big fan of Strike Anywhere’s approach, their mix of strong advertising and film projects, and most importantly, the team,” remarked Larigakis. “They are genuinely passionate about helping directors grow and develop their careers, and I’m at a stage where I’m excited to continue crafting my skills in new areas.”
Ryan Simon, founding partner of Strike Anywhere, added, “At Strike Anywhere, comedy is key to company growth, and we’re elevating the game by joining forces... Read More