The International ANDY Awards, under the stewardship of new chairman Ty Montague, has named Michael Lebowitz, founder/CEO of Brooklyn, N.Y.-based indie digital agency Big Spaceship, as co-chairman. A first for the ANDY Awards, the sharing of the chairmanship reflects the changes taking place in advertising.
“In recent years, many creative awards shows have spun off digital shows to support the enormous role that interactive plays in the marketing landscape,” said Montague, co-president/chief creative officer, JWT North America. “The ANDYs haven’t done this, believing that integrated campaigns need to be evaluated in a single show. However, we recognize the rapidly evolving nature of our industry and the importance of digital work to have its deservedly prominent place in our show. Michael and I will be working closely together to accomplish this for the ANDYs.”
Some of the ways the collaborative vision of Montague and Lebowitz will impact the ANDY Awards include expanding the Show’s digital communications (marketing campaign, call for entry, etc.), increasing the number of digital creative leaders on the jury, and developing unique categories that enable highly innovative work to be submitted.
Lebowitz founded Big Spaceship in 2000. He is a board member of the Society of Digital Agencies, and a member of AIGA’s Visionary Design Council and the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences.
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More