Saif Ishoof, founder of Lab22c, has joined the team at creative, media and communications agency Republica Havas as innovator in residence.
In this new consultative position at the Miami shop, Ishoof will be involved in creating opportunities and partnerships for Republica Havas in technology, innovation and culture, including blockchain, the metaverse and Web3. He will work closely with co-founders Jorge A. Plasencia and Luis Casamayor, as well as general manager Anthony Bianco.
“Saif has extensive expertise in understanding how the forces of disruption are transforming how we learn, work and play. We are confident that as Republica Havas’ Innovator in Residence, he will add great value and drive impact for our agency and our clients in all realms of innovation and culture,” said Republica Havas co-founder, chairman and CEO Plasencia. “Our hometown of Miami is transforming into one of the world’s leading tech hubs, and given our experience working with longtime clients such as Google, we are uniquely positioned to become the partner of choice for the sector.”
Ishoof’s influence has spanned multiple Miami industries: from agriculture to engineering, education and politics. Upon graduation from the University of Miami School of Law, he launched a vendor management software company in the agricultural space, and he has also worked with international engineering companies. Most recently, Ishoof worked as a higher-education leader as VP of engagement at Florida International University and as sr. advisor for innovation and technology to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
Ishoof said he was honored to be a key player in Republica Havas’ evolution, adding, “The future is going to be defined by those who embrace algorithms and empathy––at every stage of human progress, we must work to ensure that technology puts the human element first.”
Additionally, Republica Havas has unveiled new work with eco-conscious blockchain company Algorand, as well as for the global tech event eMerge Americas.
Republica Havas pitched and won Algorand in March 2022. As part of the new relationship, the agency was initially tasked with raising awareness of the Algorand brand throughout Miami Tech Month (April 2022). To accomplish this, Republica Havas created the campaign AlgoMiami, a media takeover comprised of digital out-of-home (OOH) billboards, wild postings, digital takeovers of Swiftmile Micromobility charging stations, guerrilla-style chalk art, and building projections across key neighborhoods where events were scheduled. Consistent with Algorand’s commitment to sustainability, all materials used in the campaign are nontoxic, recyclable or eco-friendly. For example, the campaign ditched printed OOH boards in favor of digital.
Meanwhile Republica Havas has worked with technology events company eMerge Americas since 2014, providing creative work and strategy. For this latest project, Republica Havas recommended a plan to raise awareness of the eMerge Americas conference, which boasts over 16,000 attendees, and other Miami Tech Month activities. The agency provided studio services to fulfill the media plan and sister publishing company Havas House produced the launch issue of its new eMerge Magazine, in partnership with eMerge Americas, which showcases and chronicles the growing Miami tech community.
