Director Chris Woods has joined Hungry Man. Woods, who brings to his new roost a mix of comedic directing skills and visual acumen, was formerly represented for commercials and branded content by Recommended and continues to be handled in Canada by production house OPC. He has directed for such brands as Mini, Volkswagen, Skittles and Adidas.
Woods’ career behind the camera began as a portrait photographer. He cut his teeth shooting his pro-skateboard friends in his teens and twenties and transitioned into the world of magazine photography working for such publications as Rolling Stone, Interview, and Spin. While shooting for these periodicals Woods traveled across the globe photographing celebrities from all walks of life ranging from LeBron James to Hugh Hefner, Billy Idol, Alice Cooper, Dan Aykroyd and Barenaked Ladies.
His photography was a springboard into filmmaking. As a solo director, Woods made his initial mark in Canada. His directorial debut, Bell Canada’s “Anthem” for Toronto agency Grip Limited, was honored with a Gold Bessie Award recognizing excellence in Canadian advertising. His spot for Orange emergency medical rescue helicopters out of Taxi, Toronto, which won a Cannes Bronze Lion.
Woods then teamed with Jeff Low to form the directorial duo Woods+Lowe which via OPC scored two Cannes Gold Lions for Skittles out of BBDO Toronto. Woods+Low directed the offbeat Skittles spots “Cage Cop,” “Hitchhiker” and “Cat” which collectively as a campaign earned a Cannes Film Gold Lion. “Cat” additionally garnered a Cannes Cyber Gold Lion for Viral Video. The Skittles fare encourages viewers to give their computer screen the finger, behavior which isn’t as ornery or ill mannered as it sounds. Instead the simple placement of a finger on a strategically positioned dot enables a person to play a participatory role in a Skittles story as it unfolds on the Internet. In “Cat,” a feline licks your finger, succeeded by an offbeat guy in a cat costume who does the same. The viral opens with an invitation to “Touch The Rainbow” and ends with a declaration that we have just licked the rainbow. Meanwhile, in “Cage Cop,” a well-placed finger on the computer screen stops an oncoming getaway car, allowing a winged cop to cage a would-be Skittles bandit. Turns out the cop–who’s little more than a head with wings attached, as well as a police cap–knew the culprit years ago when they were fellow summer campers. The video’s parting slogan is an earnest “Reunite The Rainbow.”
Woods and Low decided to pursue individual directing careers as part of a natural progression. Woods initially went to The Sweet Shop and then to Alive & Well, the predecessor to what became Recommended where he re-established himself as a solo director. (Low is handled as an individual director by Biscuit Filmworks).
Mino Jarjoura, Hungry Man executive producer, said, “We’re very excited to have Chris join the Hungry Man family. There is so much potential; combining his comedic directing skills, photographic sensibilities and knowledge of celebrity brands. We’re looking forward to working with Chris on the next phase of his career.”
Nikki Baker Becomes CEO At Fallon
Fallon has appointed Nikki Baker as its new CEO. Baker, who joined the creative agency in 2018 and has served as co-chief creative officer with Leslie Shaffer since 2021, succeeds Rocky Novak, who has been in the role since 2019.
Baker’s promotion to CEO comes at a time of significant momentum for the agency, including six consecutive years of growth and award-winning work.
Baker’s recent career highlights include creatively leading the Walmart partnership with the Publicis Groupe team and spearheading innovative campaigns such as the award-winning “RomCommerce” 23-episodic series and the internet-breaking Mean Girls campaign, among hundreds of other campaigns together with the brand over the past few years. Together with Shaffer, Baker has also been instrumental in elevating Fallon’s creative output for longstanding clients like Arby’s, Mattress Firm, and Front Door/American Home Shield.
“I’ve always been an admirer of Fallon, even before I joined. The chance to lead the agency is an absolute honor. Fallon is a place like no other with amazing talent and a legacy of building big, innovative, creative ideas,” said Baker. “Rocky has represented the best of Fallon. He’s been a great leader, and I couldn’t be more excited to take the reins and lead the agency through to the next chapter. With creativity at our core, we’re going to be as ambitious as ever, push boundaries, and continue embracing emerging platforms to deliver work that truly resonates in culture.”
Prior to joining Fallon six years ago, Baker held positions as creative director and art director at agencies including DDB and GSD&M, working with major brands such as McDonald’s, Southwest Airlines, and Wrigley. Her work has been recognized by... Read More