R/GA, headquartered in N.Y., has extended its European reach, opening an office in Stockholm under the aegis of managing director Anders Erlandsson and executive creative director Kay Höök. The Swedish foothold complements R/GA’s operation in London.
Erlandsson and Höök join R/GA from Digitas Sweden. Erlandsson managed a number of Digitas’ key accounts, developed and implemented corporate vision and strategy, and served as a member of the executive management group. Prior to Digitas Sweden, Erlandsson was a partner and the CEO for Svensson Advertising Agency and was CEO and founding partner of Ondatje Advertising Agency. Throughout his career, Erlandsson has been the strategic lead on a number of high-profile brands such as Canon, Nike, and Absolut. During his time working on Absolut, he led the retail strategy for the “In an Absolut World” campaign, which gained widespread recognition within the industry and internally at Absolut.
Höök was instrumental in growing Digitas Sweden’s profile and portfolio in the region. With over 15 years of experience in both the online and offline advertising industry, Höök has such accomplishments as between 2004 and 2010 taking the little-known Scholz & Friends Stockholm from a small start-up to a top-10 creative agency in Sweden. Along the way, Höök won many international and domestic creative awards for numerous Nike campaigns, including the Nike “RUN” interactive campaign, Nike Pro’s “It’s All about Breathing,” and the Nike Golf “Redefine Range” campaign.
At R/GA, Höök will be responsible for shaping the agency’s creative vision and Erlandsson will oversee the overall management. Both report to Bob Greenberg, chairman, CEO, and global chief creative officer.
“What makes the opening of R/GA Stockholm particularly exciting is that this is not a move driven by a specific client requirement, but a decision born solely out of our own agency’s global growth strategy,” said Bob Greenberg, chairman, CEO, and global chief creative officer. “We now have extensive experience opening successful offices, this being our ninth one. With Stockholm’s proximity to London, and R/GA London’s recent growth, I expect the Swedish office to flourish. Since Sweden has long been a hotbed of innovation and creativity in the digital space, our move here gives R/GA an unrivalled opportunity to work with some of the most talented people in the industry, clearly demonstrated by the hires of Anders and Kay.”
Plans call for the staff of R/GA Stockholm to grow to 25 by 2012.
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More