Michelle Roufa has been promoted to executive creative director on Verizon at mcgarrybowen New York.
Roufa first worked for mcgarrybowen from 2013-2015, and helped to land millions of dollars of new business including The Clorox Company and Intel accounts. She returned to mcgarrybowen as a group creative director in September 2016, helping mcgarrybowen win a portion of the Verizon B-B account and position the client as more than wireless company. Here she created a campaign called “Humanability,” which tells stories about how Verizon’s technology products are easing traffic flow in Sacramento, keeping fish fresh in transit, and supporting advancements in virtual surgery and health care.
Roufa said, “It was exciting to have the opportunity to lead creative on Verizon. It’s rare you get the chance to work on a brand and campaign that can genuinely impact society and the future for the better.”
Ned Crowley, U.S. chief creative officer at mcgarrybowen, said, “Michelle is a great creative talent who can go toe-to-toe with the best. It’s great to see her soaring as a talent as well as a leader. Not always easy in this business. Her inspiring work for Verizon is a perfect example of how she tries to find the human truth, or simply, the humanity, in everything she touches.”
Roufa got her start in advertising when she was hired by Cliff Freeman without a portfolio. Her second day on the job she sold a radio campaign, and the rest was history. Since then, she has worked with agencies including Ogilvy & Mather, Y&R, Hill Holliday, M&C Saatchi, FCB, and Digitas, and brands such as Little Caesars Pizza, Cherry Coke, Fanta, Ikea, and Dove. Her work has appeared in the Super Bowl, won scores of awards, including Cannes Lions, One Show Pencils and Effies. Noteworthy among the iconic campaigns she created were “The British just know how to travel” for British Airways while at M&C Saatchi, and the “Make more happen” campaign for Staples while with mcgarrybowen earlier. She is also the author of “The Norma Gene,” a science fiction novel which was released by Bitingduck Press in 2015.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More