Independent creative agency Zambezi has hired creative directors Alexandra Sann and Jeff Siegel, art director Stacie Larson, sr. copywriter Kristi Lira and designer Stephanie DeAngelis. Each will report to partner/COO Gavin Lester. Sann has spent the last two years freelancing, creating work for AT&T, Netflix and NestlĂ©. She previously held positions at Ogilvy, TBWAChiatDay and CP+B, leading efforts for clients including Applebee’s, PayPal company Braintree Payments and Old Navy. Sann’s work has been honored by top industry award shows including the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, The One Show, D&AD, Clios and Webbys. She also garnered attention for her Grey Poupon campaign “The Chase,” earning an Emmy nomination and late night TV parodies. Siegel was most recently VP/creative director at CP+B, serving as the creative lead for clients Letgo, Vonage and Cuervo. Larsen, whose previous roles include stints at shops Fitzco in Atlanta and Preacher in Austin, has created work for brands like The Container Store and Bumble. Lira joins Zambezi from Cutwater where she worked across Brawny’s social and digital business, including 2018’s #StrengthHasNoGender campaign and 2017’s “Once a Mother, Always a Giant”—the first spot filmed with Snapchat Spectacles. Before that, she helped defend the McDonald’s account at DDB Chicago. Lira also worked at FCB Chicago with client Cox Communications and began her career at Havas Chicago. DeAngelis, a former senior graphic designer at Rihanna’s SAVAGE X FENTY brand and Clique Brands (WhoWhatWear, MyDomaine, Byrdie Beauty), has led creative on Estee Lauder, Target and Nordstrom. She also spent time as a freelance illustrator for The New York Times, Revlon, Anthropologie, Outdoor Voices, Zappos, Martha Stewart, Bon AppĂ©tit, The Standard, Bando and Man Repeller….
The Martin Agency has promoted Matt Mattox from group strategy director to group account director, charged with leading the GEICO account. Mattox has been a key player in the planning department at The Martin Agency for nearly a dozen years, His track record includes launching the iconic GEICO campaigns “Unskippable,” “It’s What You Do,” “Not Surprising” and “More, More, More.” Mattox’s work has been recognized at nearly every major creative award show and he has won several Jay Chiat Awards and Effies. Mattox assumes the role previously held by Ben Creasey. He will report to chief client officer Danny Robinson, who made an unconventional transition from the creative department to account management this past May…..
Google Opens Its Defense In Antitrust Case Alleging Monopoly Over Online Ad Technology
Google opened its defense against allegations that it holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology Friday with witness testimony saying the industry is vastly more complex and competitive than portrayed by the federal government.
"The industry has been exceptionally fluid over the last 18 years," said Scott Sheffer, a vice president for global partnerships at Google, the company's first witness at its antitrust trial in federal court in Alexandria.
The Justice Department and a coalition of states contend that Google built and maintained an illegal monopoly over the technology that facilitates the buying and selling of online ads seen by consumers.
Google counters that the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow type of online ads — essentially the rectangular ones that appear on the top and on the right-hand side of a webpage. In its opening statement, Google's lawyers said the Supreme Court has warned judges against taking action when dealing with rapidly emerging technology like what Sheffer described because of the risk of error or unintended consequences.
Google says defining the market so narrowly ignores the competition it faces from social media companies, Amazon, streaming TV providers and others who offer advertisers the means to reach online consumers.
Justice Department lawyers called witnesses to testify for two weeks before resting their case Friday afternoon, detailing the ways that automated ad exchanges conduct auctions in a matter of milliseconds to determine which ads are placed in front of which consumers and how much they cost.
The department contends the auctions are finessed in subtle ways that benefit Google to the exclusion of would-be competitors and in ways that prevent... Read More