Brand New School has brought Magnus Hierta on board as executive creative director at its Los Angeles studio. Hierta has had a diverse career, from ECD of Hue & Cry, the design and animation studio he founded, to a VP/creative director role at The Martin Agency. He earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and began using animation as a means to relay concepts in his building designs. Hierta then shifted into design and animation, as the industry was beginning to coalesce in his native Los Angeles.
During his tenure at The Martin Agency, he was pivotal in winning and managing the global Oreo account, beginning with the “Wonderfilled” campaign. The need for consistent design-focused content led Hierta to start Hue & Cry in 2014 as an animation division of The Martin Agency, working on Geico and UPS, in addition to Oreo. In 2018 he spun-off Hue & Cry as an independently owned and operated studio, seeing the need for a top-tier design company that would use an amplified understanding of agency-side thinking to make better work for clients. Its efforts garnered international awards, including Cannes Lions, AICP, Effie, One Show, and D&AD.
“I think any creative will tell you that we pour all our love for design and making into what we do,” said Hierta. “Brand New School is the perfect place for me to contribute my varied experience and passion.”
Devin Brook, managing partner of Brand New School, added, “As we continue to develop relationships with both brands and agencies, Magnus represents the unique intersection of those two streams of our business. Having collaborated with Magnus over the years, his thoughtful leadership on both the agency and production sides combined with his acute eye for design add immense value to Brand New School.”
