Executive creative director Jerry Hoak is been upped to chief creative officer at The Martin Agency. Danny Robinson will act as CEO/CCO during the transition.
Hoak joined Martin in 2016 and was quickly promoted to the role of ECD in recognition of the way he stepped in to help steer the creative department (alongside Danny Robinson and Karen Costello) during a time of agency transition. During his eight-year tenure at Martin, Hoak has been a major contributor to agency growth, winning 18 new business pitches with a nearly 90% win rate. He has led pitch teams that won signature clients, including DoorDash, ABinBev, Carmax, Google, and Papa Johns.
Hoak has also been an integral force behind Martin’s creative and cultural surge in recent years with activations like Buffalo Wild Wings Jewel Stool and campaigns like Door Dash’s #OpenForDelivery and Busch Light’s “Head for the Mountains” Super Bowl spot starting Kenny G. Hoak was an early adopter of the agency’s Cultural Impact Lab and played an active role in helping Martin become the award-winning creative force capable of shifting culture and business. Hoak has also served as a member of Martin’s Executive Committee.
“Anyone who has spent any time at Martin is keenly aware of the high creative bar Jerry sets,” said Robinson. “He has a passion for our business and it’s wonderful how infectious that passion can be. What’s really incredible is his ability to rally teams and individuals into creating career-shaping work.”
Hoak spent the formative years of his career at Droga5. His Titanium Lion-winning work for Prudential’s Challenge Lab, which helped people imagine their future so they could plan accordingly, was featured on “Freakonomics” and led him to be named “One of the 24 Most Creative People in Advertising” by Business Insider.
“It really makes me happy when the right things happen to good people,” said David Droga, CEO of Accenture Song who hired Hoak at Droga5. “Jerry is a wonderful talent and an even better human.”
His work for Android’s Be Together, Not the Same campaign, including beloved films like “Rock Paper Scissors” and “Friends Furever,” became internet sensations, ultimately ranking as one of the most shared ads of all time. Prior to Martin and Droga5, Hoak worked for Oglivy and Taxi in New York.
“As a childhood cancer survivor I’ve always been a fighter. The Martin Agency is a special place and I am so fortunate to have had the privilege of fighting for the people, the work, and our client partners for the last seven years,” said Hoak. “And now I get to be in the incredible position to also fight for our industry. I love what we do and the value we provide. Every day, we create something out of nothing. We move markets. We touch people’s lives. And I will never stop fighting for the privilege to do so.”
Hoak steps into the role of CCO, following the recent announcement of Martin naming former CCO Robinson as the agency’s next CEO, with the support of an all-star creative leadership team that includes Martin ECD’s Ashley Marshall and Jordi Martinez.
