Experiential advertising agency Momentum Worldwide is expanding its sports sponsorship expertise with the naming of Parisa Howard as Verizon Sports Partnerships lead and NFL expert, who joins from Octagon. Howard was appointed in June before taking maternity leave, and now takes up her role with immediate effect. Based in New York, Howard brings a wealth of agency and sporting experience, having formerly worked at the NFL, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. In her new role at Momentum, Howard will lead strategic planning and execution of Verizon’s NFL partnerships. Howard joins at an exciting time in the NFL season, with the playoffs beginning in mid-January and the Super Bowl around the corner. She has previously worked with a variety of clients, including Snickers, Honeywell, MGM Resorts, Sprint, Papa John’s, Intel, Dannon, Meijer, as well as Johnson & Johnson and its consumer brands. The agency’s sport offering is led by Sampson Yimer, SVP sponsorship consulting at Momentum Worldwide, with Howard reporting into Melissa Misiak, EVP, group account director, North America….
Is “Glicked” The New “Barbenheimer”? “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” Hit Theater Screens
"Barbenheimer" was a phenomenon impossible to manufacture. But, more than a year later, that hasn't stopped people from trying to make "Glicked" — or even "Babyratu" — happen.
The counterprogramming of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office.
And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, "Saw Patrol" ).
This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the Broadway musical adaptation "Wicked" opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic "Gladiator II." Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy — it was already halfway there before the name game began: "Wickiator," "Wadiator," "Gladwick" and even the eyebrow raising "Gladicked" have all been suggested.
"'Glicked' rolls off the tongue a little bit more," actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening of "Gladiator II" this week. "I think we should all band around 'Glicked.' It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it."
As with "Barbenheimer," as reductive as it might seem, "Glicked" also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging... Read More