Guy Hayward has been named global CEO of KBS (kirshenbaum bond senecal + partners). Hayward will work closely with KBS’s executive leadership team, reporting to Lori Senecal, global executive chairman of KBS and president/CEO of the parent MDC Partner Network. Hayward will oversee KBS offices in New York, London, Los Angeles, Montreal, Toronto and Shanghai. Most recently, Hayward served as global development director at BETC Worldwide and was responsible for building the BETC network in Paris, London and Brazil while overseeing global clients, including Mondelez International, Bacardi Global, and Diet Coke Europe. In the mid-1990s, he was part of Wieden+Kennedy’s early global growth, working on Nike, Microsoft and Coca-Cola in their Amsterdam office. In 1998, he and his W+K colleagues Chris Mendola, Alex Melvin and Larry Frey founded 180. The agency grew to be nearly 200 people in Amsterdam and 50 in Santa Monica before Hayward left in 2009 to become CEO of JWT UK. In 2012, he moved to Paris to join BETC….
Sugar Film Production has extended its geographical reach beyond its longstanding Dallas operation, opening an office in Santa Monica. As part of its California expansion, Sugar Film Production brings on West Coast consultant Andy Traines–former EP of Anonymous Content and Propaganda Films–to handle West Coast development and marketing. Sugar is headed by owner/EP Tony Miglini and producer Michelle Isbell. National clients Sugar has worked with recently include Time Warner Cable, Shell, Bridgestone, Ram, Ford, Tire Rack and Nestle. Santa Monica is also the home base of Sugar director Chris Smith….
Strategic and creative agency Matter Unlimited has hired creative director Jake Kahana who comes over from 72andSunny. He has created globally recognized campaigns, most notably Samsung’s “The Next Big Thing is Here,” which catapulted the brand. His design leadership has brought him to Tel Aviv and San Francisco where he helped develop the branding and content for several startups….
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More