Production company Arts & Sciences (A&S) has added director and photographer Michael Lawrence to its roster in the U.S. and U.K. He was previously handled in the ad arena by Superprime and Academy in the U.S. and U.K. markets, respectively.
Lawrence’s body of work spans such brands as Oakley, Wrangler, Nike, Samsung, Google, Ancestry, Uber, Coca-Cola and ESPN, as well as agencies including Wieden + Kennedy, Venables Bell & Partners, Anomaly, Mother, Sid Lee, BBH, AKQA, Fred & Farid, 72&Sunny, and Ogilvy. He has been awarded at Cannes Lions, D&AD, Epica, Clio, Ciclope, LIA, New York Festivals, and more.
Joining A&S as it grows into an international company, Lawrence intends to expand on his visual style with an interest in exploring the depths of human performance and movement. Adept at storytelling in both still and moving image, Lawrence is particularly fond of 360 campaigns and creative where he can collaborate in its incubation and ideation.
“Having a moment to pause and consider the bigger picture over the last year has been transformative for me,” said Lawrence in relation to the extraordinary events of 2020. “Metabolizing all that has happened across our world has given me a new focus on what’s really important–to do work that matters, with people you like. I’ve known Mal (Ward, A&S managing director/partner) for many years and I’ve always been a huge fan of the exceptional humans at Arts & Sciences. They bring a wonderful mix of humility and accomplishment to all they do. I couldn’t be happier to join them.”
Ward added, “I’ve known Michael for some time, and have always admired his work. He has an amazing eye and creates stunning, emotionally resonant imagery throughout everything he makes.”
With multiple artistic projects in the works, Lawrence is exploring the “in-between moments of life” in his first monograph of photographs, “Lost Along the Way,” releasing later this spring. Additionally, his forthcoming human study, Contact, features poignant video portraits about what it means to be “human beyond the headlines.” The first installment of 15 episodes includes a bank robbery, escaping a cult, and entering America on foot from El Salvador at age 11. The series focuses on giving a voice to those on the fringes of society, exploring their experience with compassion rather than judgment, each retelling told in visceral and vivid first-person detail.
Nikki Maizel Named President Of Publicis New York
Nikki Maizel has been hired as president of Publicis New York. She reports to Carla Serrano, global chief strategy officer of Publicis Groupe and CEO of Publicis New York.
Maizel brings more than two decades of leadership experience to her new role. Most recently, she served as the head of business leadership and managing partner at McCann New York, where she transformed the agency’s business and growth strategies while shaping its culture and employee training infrastructure, receiving numerous accolades during her tenure.
“Our industry is at a pivotal moment, with clients seeking partners who can challenge them to innovate, impact their bottom line, and move faster than ever,” said Serrano. “Our ‘Power of One’ approach, embodied within Publicis New York, allows us to offer integrated solutions that meet these demands. We’re thrilled to welcome Nikki, who has a proven track record of growing businesses globally, building best-in-class teams, and elevating collective offerings to clients.”
Maizel said, “Publicis Groupe has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable. I’m excited to collaborate with our partners and teams to set our clients apart. Publicis New York is the engine behind ‘Power of One,’ the unique model of the future that combines cross-agency capabilities, so I can’t imagine a more exciting time to join and help shape what’s next for our clients and teams.”
Maizel becomes the latest Publicis New York appointment under Serrano’s leadership. Last year, Publicis New York named Patrick White as its chief strategy officer, and welcomed Joe Mongognia as its chief creative officer.
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