Slash Auto, a full-service mobility creative content and production studio that is a division of Slash Dynamic, has added Anne McGraw and Taylor Cantwell as executive brand directors.
McGraw and Cantwell will lead client development and relationships in addition to operational strategy and program management, strengthening Slash Auto’s executive team and rounding out the organization’s holistic production and creative capabilities. Joining Slash Dynamic’s founder and managing director, Tanya Cohen, and executive creative directors Steve Rice and Dave Hedeman, Slash Auto brings expertise to the omnichannel advertising ecosystem, specializing in authentic and engaging storytelling that requires the innate understanding of how people and things move.
Cohen founded Slash Dynamic in 2018 as a production company and has since amassed a roster of award-winning filmmakers, many of whom have world-class automotive and mobility experience. The company recently announced a partnership with L.A.-based studio Thunder Road to serve as its marketing arm, expanding the opportunity for brands to seamlessly integrate their products into films or produce branded entertainment with Thunder Road’s directorial slate at the helm.
McGraw brings her two decades of marketing and advertising experience on automotive, mobility and technology brands from both brand and agency sides. As a senior marketing leader at Nissan North America, she led all U.S. social media marketing efforts, the global CGI production team, and ultimately directed lifecycle communications for Electric Vehicles, sedans, and sportscars while managing a multi-agency ecosystem. Prior to Nissan, her notable experience includes leading a national rebranding campaign for Direct General Insurance, managing the Porsche dealer co-op advertising program while at Carmichael Lynch, and earning her OEM chops as a direct marketing manager at General Motors. She started her career at Autotrader.com during its initial year of operations, and believes the start-up mentality of moving fast and breaking the mold is the key to mobility content innovation. McGraw is located in Nashville, Tennessee.
Cantwell has spent over a decade leading and transforming marketing, communications and customer experience for global and startup organizations within the mobility and high-technology sectors. Taylor has most recently served as a brand strategy consultant and led communications for a global commercial electrification group. Taylor also directed marketing and communications and led a rebranding initiative at Romeo Power, Inc., an energy technology leader delivering advanced electrification solutions for complex commercial vehicle applications. She managed holistic marketing efforts for Karma Automotive’s top retailer, in addition to customer and retailer engagement for the U.S. eastern region. Taylor was also a global top performer in her role at Tesla Motors where she was instrumental in refining the delivery experience for new vehicle owners. Cantwell is located in Orange County, California.
“Slash Auto has hit the ground running since its formation earlier this year,” said Cohen. “We are proud to have Anne McGraw and Taylor Cantwell join our Slash Auto executive management team as their combined expertise and vision for the future of automotive content and consumer experience adds a powerful element to our creative and production offerings.”
In addition to meeting the immediate needs of automakers and mobility brands, Slash Auto is uniquely focused on creating impactful narratives and immersive experiences that speak to the future landscape of the collective automotive industry, ultimately empowering consumers and end-users to engage with their mobility products. Slash Auto’s range of capabilities spans film, digital, social, earned media, branded and lifestyle content, integrated partnerships, experiential activations and earned media.
Eleanor Adds Director Candice Vernon To Its Roster For Spots and Branded Content
Director Candice Vernon has joined production house Eleanor for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She has already wrapped several jobs at Eleanor, which waited to announce her until they had a body of work together.
Via Eleanor, Vernon made history as the first Black director on a Febreze commercial. The “Small Spaces” campaign marks a major departure from Febreze’s typical blue-and-white world. The home of the “Revolving Door” commercial is a beautiful array of bold sunset hues, African prints, and African art.
Vernon said, “I asked myself, what feels right to me? What feels new? I wanted to bring an essence of not just Black Americans but the full diaspora. I wanted to make a statement that we’re not a monolith.”
Following the success of the “Small Spaces” campaign, Febreze brought Vernon back for a comedy-infused trifecta exploring the hilarious situations that call for an air freshening hero.
Febreze Brand VP Angelica Matthews said, “About two years ago, we realized the consumers that were the most loyal to Febreze were the African American consumers. And the more we learned, the more we realized the richness that we were really missing. So we said we have to go beyond just Black casting, we need to get Black directors that truly understand the culture that truly understand how to bring authentic performances out on screen. We really looked around the industry and noticed there’s actually a shortage of African American directors who have experience doing commercials. When we all saw Candice’s reel, we could all tell the passion for the craft, passion for really trying to help us from where we are to where we’re trying to go.”
Vernon brings a unique lens to... Read More