Translation has added creative director duo Nick Sonderup and Andy Grant to its roster. The new arrivals mark the first major creative hires under the tenure of CCO John Norman and ECDs Jay Berry and Marc d’Avignon, who were brought on board in early 2014. Sonderup and Grant will focus their work primarily on the agency’s State Farm initiatives, having already contributed to the launch of the inaugural State Farm Neighborhood Sessions, a philanthropic concert spotlighting pop icon Jennifer Lopez in her hometown of the Bronx.
Sonderup comes to Translation following a three-year run at BBDO, and nearly five years at Wieden + Kennedy before that–having begun his career as a writer at MTV Networks. A copywriter by trade, he has delivered his wordsmithery for several top brands, including GE, ESPN, American Red Cross, Starbucks, Sharp and MTV. His work has been distinguished with AICP Show, Art Director’s Club, ANDY, One Show, Effie, and ADDY awards, just to name a few, and his contributions to GE’s acclaimed “Childlike Imagination” helped the spot to earn a primetime commercial Emmy nomination. Sonderup has also deployed his talents across numerous projects beyond the advertising industry, serving as the creative director of the inaugural Woodstock Comedy Festival in 2013, and creating the documentary “100 Bands in 100 Days,” which premiered at SXSW 2011.
Grant joins Translation from Crispin Porter + Bogusky, where he helped to create one of the most-viewed commercials of all time, “The Selfie Shootout,” starring Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi, and boasting over 138 million YouTube views. An advertising veteran of 14 years, Grant has spent significant time working in offices all over the world. Prior to moving to Los Angeles for his role at CP+B, he enjoyed stints as an ACD and art director at a number of top international shops, including BBH Singapore, WCRS London, TBWAHuntLascaris Johannesburg, and Ogilvy Prague.
