Production company Stink has expanded its global presence, launching its first U.S. office, which is to be led by managing director Jeff Baron who spent the past 12 years with Anonymous Content where he served as sr. executive producer.
Accustomed to working closely with a team of directors creating cutting-edge and award-winning campaigns, Baron will combine his experience with the established Stink infrastructure and focus on growing the roster within the U.S. The office opens with an existing high profile directorial lineup which includes John Hillcoat, Nicolas Winding Refn, Martin Krejci, Yann Demange, Nacho Gayan, Ne-O, Jones+Tino, Norman Bates, and Pleix. Up until last month, the Stink directors were repped by Skunk in the U.S.
Baron said, “The opportunity to work with a global brand like Stink along with the level of talent it represents was something I couldn’t pass up. The production model is changing, and Stink represents that evolution. I look forward to bringing my live-action experience to this new U.S. entity and combining it with the other elements of production from digital to branded content to long-form and beyond.”
The opening of Stink’s Los Angeles office is accompanied by the West Coast expansion of interactive production company Stinkdigital. Currently Stinkdigital has a sizable presence in New York, where it has produced work for Google, Old Spice, Target, GE, Prada, HP and IBM in the past year alone. Stink and Stinkdigital will share an L.A. office space and provide a truly integrated production package to clients and agencies.
Daniel Bergmann, president of Stink, said: “The USA is one of the most important markets and we have been looking for the right time to consolidate our brand here. Now we know we are ready because we have the right team, the best talent and a clear strategy. Stink USA is a new generation company with great culture and the ambition to play a significant role in elevating our industry and come to be an inspiring place for talent of all sorts. We will work hard side by side with Stinkdigital finding new ways of collaboration in the advertising and entertainment industry.”
James Cunningham, a current executive producer at Stink London, will join Baron in Los Angeles. Stink has also secured East Coast representation with Gisela Limberg of Hunky Dory. Limberg will serve as head of sales. Millie Munro of Munro & Co will handle the West Coast and Chris Brown of Baer Brown will handle Midwest representation.
Executive producer Iliana Espineira will head up Stinkdigital’s Los Angeles offering. Espineira worked at Stinkdigital New York for three years before relocating to the West Coast in 2013. Mark Pytlik, CEO of Stinkdigital, said: “We’re incredibly excited to have Stink join us in the U.S. market and to finally be able to offer fully integrated services that cover everything from creative, design and technology to film and branded content.”
The U.S. launch adds to Stink’s existing profile of offices in London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Shanghai and São Paulo. Stink was founded in 1998. Stinkdigital was formed in 2009.
