Melanie Myers has returned to Wieden+Kennedy as global director of creative resources. She spent 11 years with W+K's Portland office before leaving in 2007 and later started WNTD, a creative recruiting and consulting company. WNTD will continue to operate with Myers' former partners. Based in W+K's Portland quarters, Myers will work closely with existing creative recruiters in each office to focus globally not only to find and hire outstanding and diverse talent in all offices, but to retain people who are already in place…..La Comunidad has expanded its strategic planning capabilities to include media services and connections planning. The independent, Miami-headquartered agency has appointed David Lawlor to head the new division under executive director of global strategy, Richard Monturo. Earlier in his career he was with Crispin Porter+Bogusky where during his five year tenure he helped develop and implement media strategies for both the general and multicultural markets for Burger King, Volkswagen, Geek Squad and Jawbone….Michael Dezso has joined JWT's Atlanta office as senior partner, director of strategic planning. He comes over from BBDO where he was VP, senior account planner. In his new role, Dezso will oversee strategy and planning across the office's clients including the U.S. Marine Corps, FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program, U.S. Virgin Islands Tourism, Brother, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Nokia and SCANA Energy. He will report directly to JWT's Atlanta CEO, Ridge White. Prior to BBDO, Dezso worked at Modernista in Boston as co-leader of the strategy and planning department and served as deputy director of planning on accounts including (RED), TIAA-CREF, Budweiser and Animal Planet….
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