Alex Dobson has been named creative strategy lead, U.S., for The&Partnership. Dobson, who joined the agency in 2019, previously served as strategy director and has played a pivotal role in the global success of the firm’s Mars account, overseeing high-profile campaigns for brands including Skittles, Snickers and Extra Gum. Since joining The&Partnership, Dobson has helped lead the way on Mars’ addressable strategy, social content and purpose-led campaigns, enabling the company’s brands to forge stronger connections with their consumers. This includes developing the strategy behind the 2023 Gold Effie-winning “Everyone’s Original” campaign for Ben’s Original – the brand’s first campaign following its rebrand from Uncle Ben’s. Most recently, Dobson oversaw strategy on global Halloween TV campaigns for Twix and M&Ms. Other campaign highlights include the launch of Skittles’ “Squishy Cloudz,” the brand’s first-ever gummy confection, and the Snickers’ “Go Full Fan” campaign in support of England’s Lionesses, the country’s national women’s soccer team during the team’s run to the Euro 2022 championship. Dobson also played a key role in driving sales for Extra White gum up by more than 30 percent through the “Every Smile Should Shine” campaign. In his new role, Dobson will lead the U.S. creative strategy Team, working with the firm’s media agency, mSix&Partners, to bring more data-informed content strategies to clients. Along with client work, he will guide the agency’s implementation of AI tools throughout the agency’s work. Prior to joining The&Partnership, Dobson was a sr. strategist at Grey London, working with client Nomad Foods. Earlier at Bow&Arrow (now part of Accenture Song), he developed strategy for clients including Dow Jones and Google….
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