Director/designer and artist Greg Barth has signed exclusively with CoMPANY Films for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branding work. Barth, who hails from Geneva, Switzerland, and resides in London, is probably best known for applying design to advertising using physical effects, bringing to life surreal concepts for brands such as McDonald’s, Twizzlers, WIXX, Mail Chimp, ESPN, Subway and L’Oreal. Barth is also currently directing an ambitious experiential project for a major online multi-player game.
“Greg has such a unique voice as a director, whether it’s his spots, his shorts or his music videos — how could we not sign him?” said CoMPANY executive producer Ron Cicero. “He has a solid history working in the ad space as a designer, And he’s super charming. It was a no-brainer, Richard (CoMPANY EP Goldstein) and I immediately fell in love with him.”
Barth–who earlier had been repped in the U.S. ad arena by Ruffian–wants to set the tone for brands using his love of applying in-camera effects that further the creative. “I have a curious soul, I create worlds with practical effects,” said Barth, who won the Young Director Award at Cannes in 2014. “My work has evolved into bringing actors into these quirky, colorful worlds. Early on I moved away from animation and computer graphics towards a viewpoint of weird comedy brought to life with technical knowledge. It evolved into many scenarios featuring stop motion, but it has really grown from there.”
Barth points to recent spots like one titled, “Groceries,” for Twizzlers that shows his prowess working actors into the mix. “We’re not talking good-looks casting here, we’re talking amazing faces, people my mom would say have lots of character,” he says. “The conversation usually begins with an open brief from agency creatives. Comedy with a visual twist. We go from there.”
The director began his career by earning a graphic design degree from Ecole des Arts Appliques and a diploma from NAD Center in visual effects. In addition to directing spots, short films and music videos, for the last 12 years Barth has headed up gregbarth.tv, his own quirky and experimental online content channel.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More