Molinaro joins as group creative director & design director; Cunha hired as group strategy director
David&Goliath (D&G) has made a series of promotions and new hires to bolster the agency’s creative and strategy departments and deliver breadth and depth to its newly launched Creative Impact Hub. Led by chief creative officer Ben Purcell and chief of social impact Blake Winfree, the Hub was established earlier in the year to inspire greater social responsibility and create sustainable impact within the industry, and ultimately in the world.
David Angelo, founder and chairman of David&Goliath, has promoted Lixaida Lorenzo and Frauke Tiemann from group creative directors to executive creative directors. Meanwhile new hires have Michael Molinaro recruited as group creative director and design director, and Bruno Cunha taking on the role of group strategy director. Reporting to Angelo, Purcell and Winfree, Lorenzo has primary responsibilities which include helping guide the creative work on Jack in the Box and the Ad Council while providing mentorship for the creative department; Tiemann will be leading creative on the Kia account alongside ECD Mark Koelfgen; and Molinaro’s primary role is developing and growing the design team within D&G while partnering with leadership and clients to drive culture and celebrate design through the lens of the agency’s mission. Additional responsibilities include expanding D&G’s contractor and vendor network.
Reporting directly to chief strategy officer Laura Forman, Cunha will oversee brand and communications strategy on Kia, bringing more breakthrough, integrated and innovative thinking to the shop’s long-standing brand.
Lixaida Lorenzo
Lorenzo has been with D&G since March 2019 when she started as group creative director helping lead creative on the Jack in the Box account.
Her previous agency experience includes JWT San Juan and Mistress (now The Many) in LA where she worked on a number of accounts creating work for Qdoba, Netflix, Conagra Foods, Ford, Kraft, Walgreens, Cadbury, Heineken, Gatorade, AT&T, and Nestle. Since her start in advertising in 2000 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Lorenzo has garnered a variety of awards and accolades from shows including Cannes, AD&G, One Show, LIA, Communication Art, Clio, Promax, New York Festival, Webby’s FIAP, and Effies.
Frauke Tiemann
Tiemann has been with D&G since 2018 as group creative director and has been an integral part in creating breakthrough work that sets Kia apart from the competition. Previously, her agency experience includes GCD at mcgarrybowen and GCD at Grey NY/LA. Tiemann’s past client work includes Fiat/Chrysler, Maserati, Verizon, Reebok, Sony, Dreamworks, Jaguar, and Landrover. She’s been the recipient of numerous awards including The One Show, Cannes, Communication Arts, Archive, Clio, Addy and Effie.
Michael Molinaro
Molinaro joins D&G from MullenLowe. Over the span of his nine-year career, Molinaro has worked on numerous brand ads including Acura, AXE, Burger King, Corona, Facebook, Grey Goose, Hawaiian Airlines, Patron and Whole Foods. Molinaro’s work has been recognized by Graphis, One Show, Communication Arts, and Clios. As a Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) grad, he is also heavily involved with ad industry committees and will serve as a judge for this year’s 2021 Webby Awards.
Bruno Cunha
Prior to D&G, Cunha was at 360i where he served as strategy VP working with brands such as Nespresso, United Airlines, Kroger, Skinny Pop, Ben & Jerry’s and Oreo. Before Cunha moved to the U.S. from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he was head of strategy at Ogilvy Rio unlocking strategies for Coca-Cola, GSK, SCJ, Outback, Puig and BP. Some of his industry awards include Effies, Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio Awards, The Webby Awards and El Ojo.
David&Goliath (D&G) is an independently operated, wholly-owned, subsidiary of Innocean Worldwide.
First-Time Feature Directors Make Major Splash At AFI Fest, Generate Oscar Buzz
Two first-time feature directors who are generating Oscar buzz this awards season were front and center this past weekend at AFI Fest in Hollywood. Rachel Morrison, who made history as the first woman nominated for a Best Cinematography Oscar---on the strength of Mudbound in 2018--brought her feature directorial debut, The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios), to the festival on Sunday (10/27), and shared insights into the film during a conversation session immediately following the screening. This came a day after William Goldenberg, an Oscar-winning editor for Argo in 2013, had his initial foray into feature directing, Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios), showcased at the AFI proceedings. He too spoke after the screening during a panel discussion. The Fire Inside--which made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival--tells the story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (portrayed by Ryan Destiny), a Black boxer from Flint, Mich., who trained to become the first woman in U.S. history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the sport. She achieved this feat--with the help of coach Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry)--only to find that her victory at the Summer Games came with relatively little fanfare and no endorsement deals. So much for the hope that the historic accomplishment would be a ticket out of socioeconomic purgatory for Shields and her family. It seemed like yet another setback in a cycle of adversity throughout Shields’ life but she persevered, going on to win her second Gold Medal at the next Olympics and becoming a champion for gender equality and equitable pay for women in sports. Shields has served as a source of inspiration for woman athletes worldwide--as well as to the community of... Read More