Two ex-Wieden+Kennedy global creative directors, Ryan O’Rourke and Alberto Ponte, and former W+K global media director Dan Sheniak, who ran the Nike global business for nearly two decades, have teamed to launch their own agency, Someplace.
The new venture aspires to break new creative ground, according to its chief creative officer, O’Rourke. “We would never close our doors to an opportunity just because it doesn’t fall within the traditional rules of advertising. In fact, it would be our dream to be able to expand outside of what’s expected of a ‘typical’ creative agency. We’re here to create a space where any level of creativity can happen and there is no idea too big or too small.”
O’Rourke, fellow CCO Ponte and chief media officer Sheniak founded Someplace because of their penchant for storytelling. At Wieden+Kennedy, the three were part of the team responsible for conceptualizing iconic award-winning work for the Nike brand.
Their most notable previous Nike work includes global campaigns like “Find Your Greatness” for the 2012 Olympics, athlete launches such as LeBron James “Rise & Together,”Kobe Bryant’s “Black Mamba Movie” and the inspiring Serena Williams “You Can’t Stop Sisters.” O’Rourke, Ponte and Sheniak’s productions include global World Cup campaigns like “Risk Everything” and even iconic campaigns such as “Crazy Dreams/Just Do It” and “You Can’t Stop Sport.” The team has won accolades from leading industry and global award shows including multiple Titanium Cannes Lions, a One Show Penta Pencil, multiple D&AD wood pencils and two Emmys.
The new agency will offer a range of services like brand and creative strategy, brand identity and design, creative development, production as well as media and communications strategy.
“All three of us grew up fostering a deep love of storytelling, like any other person who gets into this industry,” said Sheniak. “The difference for us is that we’re building an agency at the crosshairs of powerful creativity and media, putting the right creative in the right places. That precision at the core of our storytelling makes all the difference for our business and our clients.”
Ponte added, “We’ve built a powerful network of collaborators and partners and understand how to shape and integrate our capabilities based on what our clients want to create. We hope to become a beacon and place where people can discover how to tell their story in the best way.”
The team has already started working with a diverse group of clients ranging in scale from sports apparel, fashion and accessories to technology, and is continuing to build a client roster of brands who dream of not only brand relevance, but creating a unique place for themselves in the modern media world.
