James Cooper has assumed the newly created role of chief creative innovation officer at JWT New York. Coming over from Saatchi & Saatchi New York where he was integrated creative director, Cooper will oversee JWT NY’s creative in the digital space and seeks to further expand the agency’s footprint in this area. Cooper will report to David Eastman, JWT North America CEO and worldwide digital director, until a chief creative officer is named.
At Saatchi, Cooper led JCPenney’s “Return to the Doghouse” and Wheaties’ “The Most Valuable Tweeter” campaign. Prior to that, the 15-year industry veteran helped Dare, London, grow into prominence as a digital agency.
Co-Presidents
Additionally Eastman has named two co-presidents of client services at JWT NY: Beth-Waxman Arteta is being promoted from her role as group business director on Microsoft and John Baker is joining the agency from Iris Worldwide effective Nov. 1. These are newly created roles.
Waxman-Arteta joined JWT in 2005 and has shepherded such campaigns as the lauded “Ford Bold Moves” which was JWT’s earliest “Brand Journalism” success story. She helped pitch win and grow the Microsoft business for JWT. Along the way she launched Microsoft Office 2010 and took on the search category with Bing. Additionally, under her watch JWT’s “Brand Journalism” efforts won a Titanium Lion at Cannes this year.
Before tackling Microsoft, Waxman-Arteta pitched and won Macy’s. She developed the co-op star designer program during that pitch. It continues to be the center of the “Magic of Macy’s” brand campaign. From there she developed what every retailer hopes for–an evergreen holiday idea in “Believe.” Her energy and passion for the brand’s entertainment heritage resulted in the critically acclaimed new holiday TV special Yes, Virginia which was extended into brand franchise opportunities including a children’s book, a Thanksgiving Day parade balloon and other licensing opportunities. Yes, Virginia was also a winner at Cannes this year.
As co-managing director at Iris, Baker built its digital practice from the ground up. He established the agency’s management structure, set up the subsidiary P&L, recruited a full client services team and led the business to profitability. Under his watch, Iris won Hertz and the commercial piece of the Volkswagen business. Baker was promoted at the end of 2009 to oversee Iris’ Americas’ clients and offices. In that role, he led the Microsoft Xbox Kinnect social media launch at E3, and developed programs for Coty and Nautica. His extensive experience encompasses posts at OgilvyOne London, Organic and Modem Media.
AD&Co. Launches Studio A; Davida Hall To Head New Venture As Sr. Director of Creative Content
Female-founded and led creative marketing agency AD&Co. has opened Studio A. The new venture will serve as AD&Co.’s in-house social brand content division, focused on developing and producing digital programming for advertising, social media, and influencer marketing campaigns designed to reach today’s audiences on the most popular and pivotal platforms. Davida Hall has been named to head Studio A as sr. director of creative content. She shifts over from AD&Co. where she held the same title since December 2023. Hall’s affiliations prior to AD&Co. include PopSugar and Studio71.
Amy Demas, founder and chief creative officer of AD&Co., said, “We understand content is king-—or queen—and that our clients need to engage their customer communities where they live. That inspired the logical expansion of AD&Co with Studio A, which is committed to producing only the most engaging and authentic brand stories.”
Studio A will harness both AD&Co’s and Hall’s deep expertise in the lifestyle sector, as content creators and avid consumers. Specializing in reaching audiences where they spend their time, the studio is immersed in social media, pop culture, and current trends, expertly crafting visuals, language, and storytelling to reinforce client brand identities and cut through the noise.
Studio A debuts with the “This Is Me” campaign for Love + Craft + Beauty, a brand dedicated to embracing and promoting diversity within the beauty space. “This Is Me” highlights Gen Z’s affinity for radical self-expression that allows individuals to tell their own stories, free from labels, using beauty and fashion as tools of authenticity. The campaign showcases models celebrating their unique qualities to present... Read More