Multicultural agency commonground has brought veteran producer Brendan O’Malley on board as executive producer of both broadcast and digital across all businesses in New York. Prior to joining commonground, O’Malley ran his own graphics production company and has spent the last three years on an extended assignment producing TV, radio and Internet content for the Asian/American market for Verizon and Subaru. He spent 18 years as sr. partner/executive producer at Ogilvy NY creating award winning work on several blue-chip brands including American Express, Miller Lite, Maxwell House Coffee, Post Cereals, NYNEX, Dove, SAP and Delta. A Brooklyn-born native, O’Malley got started in advertising at Young & Rubicam NY after graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Cinematography. O’Malley has worked as an art director, copywriter, film director and producer. He is a voting member of the Directors Guild and the Emmys. Additionally, O’Malley has produced advertising work that has won Cannes Lions, ADDY’s, One Show, Clio’s, Effies, 3AF and is Emmy nominated….Director John Poliquin has joined Hiccup Media, the hybrid creative strategy, content production and post house founded in 2006 by former agency producer Rob Simone and editor/director Michael Cruz. Fashion/lifestyle helmer Poliquin’s credits include Urban Outfitters, Diet Coke, Burberry and H&M. Poliquin is also known for his music video work, which includes a 2012 Juno Award win. He also directed the 2011 found-footage horror film Grave Encounters and its 2012 sequel Grave Encounters 2, as well as shot videos for “The Next Star,” a popular talent show airing on the youth-oriented Canadian television network YTV….Flame artist Chris DeCristo has joined Los Angeles-based digital production and design company Timber as Lead Flame. DeCristo has amassed a broad body of work over his many years in production and VFX. He has freelanced for visual effects and design studios before landing at Timber, including Superfad, Digital Domain, Method and Psyop. During that time he lent his talents to numerous advertising campaigns for brands including Sony, IBM, Hyundai, Kia, HP, Lexus, Bacardi and Nike. Prior to his time freelancing, DeCristo cut his teeth at CBS Digital (CBS Television) where he worked for 12 years, nine of which were as a VFX supervisor/flame artist. He became a sr, Flame artist in 2001 and went on to supervise many top TV shows, including Touched By an Angel, X-Files and The Sopranos, and was twice nominated for an Emmy….
Ben Edwards and Guy Hobbs Set To Return To FCB London As Exec Creative Directors
Multi-award-winning senior creatives Ben Edwards and Guy Hobbs are rejoining FCB London as executive creative directors. They will assume their appointments in February 2025. The duo will report into chief creative officer Owen Lee, and partner closely with ECD Kyle Harman-Turner. Edwards and Hobbs will work across the entire portfolio of the agency’s client roster including Skoda, Andrex, Intuit Quickbooks, and new client, global confectionery brand Perfetti Van Melle for which FCB London has just been awarded lead agency for creative and strategic responsibilities for a portfolio of its gum brands. The appointment of Edwards and Hobbs follows a remarkable year for FCB London which has secured a raft of new business wins not only for Perfetti Van Melle but also Kellanova’s advantage brands including Pringles--as well as launching a number of celebrated campaigns including “Get Comfortable” for Kimberly-Clark’s Andrex. The creative duo join from Wonderhood Studios where they have been ECDs for nearly three years working with Three, Coral, and premium car brand Ineos Grenadier, among others. Prior to this they had a three-year stint at BBH firstly as sr. creatives, then associate creative directors, working across brands such as Tesco, Samsung, and Barclays. Edwards and Hobbs first teamed up eight years ago while at FCB London. During their time, they produced an array of award-winning work, including the acclaimed “This Girl Can” campaign for Sport England and “Pay it Forward” for The Big Issue, which won a host of awards including a Grand Prix at Eurobest; Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards at Cannes Lions; and a Gold Pencil at The One Show. FCB London CCO Lee said, “Everybody loves a boomerang. We’ve been wanting to tempt Ben... Read More