Integrated creative company Butler, Shine, Stern and Partners (BSSP) has appointed Lauren King as its new director of digital media and activation. King is tasked with managing and fostering relationships with key industry partners, developing and refining the media department’s processes to streamline efforts and better serve BSSP’s roster of clients, while also staying ahead of rising trends within the digital marketplace. King will report to Kerri Gouveia Stumpo, BSSP’s head of media and communication strategy.
Stumpo said of King, “With her own style of strategizing and creativity, this new role presents much growth opportunity for the agency. Finding the right person that not only flourishes with leading our internal teams, but with our roster of existing and incoming clients, can be tricky. With Lauren’s background, we are fully confident that she will thrive as our new director of digital media and activation.”
A veteran of the media industry, King previously served as the associate media director at Horizon Media where she worked for over four years on the Constellation Beer, Wine and Spirits account. With a primary focus on Modelo Especial, the fastest growing domestically imported beer in the U.S.
“I couldn’t be more eager to join the BSSP team after just our first meeting together. I saw intelligence and passion from each person I met, almost instantly,” said King. “Starting this new position and being a part of a full-service agency where I can hone in on the creative development process with a fully integrated team is important to me. I am beyond ready to get my hands on new business pitches and celebrate a ton of success with team BSSP. It’s going to be a big year.”
This appointment highlights the continued growth and evolution BSSP is undergoing as the shop nears its 30th anniversary this year.
Changes Afoot For Cannes Lions 2025, Including Increasing Festival Access For Underserved Communities
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is putting plans in motion for its 72nd edition, set to take place from June 16-20, 2025 in Cannes, France. The Festival has announced that it will double funding to provide €2m (some $2,150,000) worth of complimentary passes to underrepresented talent and underserved communities through its Equity, Representation and Accessibility (ERA) Pass, returning for a second year.
Frank Starling, chief DEI officer, Lions, said the increased investment was “crucial to continue to drive progress for both Cannes Lions and the industry.” Starling added, “The ERA pass plays an important role in fostering a global representation of talent within the creative communications industry at Cannes Lions, and to date our funded opportunities have reached creatives in 46 countries globally. With the Festival being the destination for everyone in the business of creativity, we recognize the importance of creating equitable access to it, and this is why we’re prioritizing increased representation from the Global South to support a greater range of voices and perspectives from the region at the Festival.” Applications for the ERA pass are open now and close on December 5, 2025. More details can be found here.
With submissions into the Cannes Lions Awards opening on January 16, 2025, innovations to the Awards have also been announced today. Glass: The Lion for Change celebrates 10 years since its introduction. The Glass Lion was launched to champion work that used creativity to drive a shift towards more positive, progressive and gender-aware communication, and Marian Brannelly, global... Read More