VML has hired Sean Burns as executive creative director. He comes over from FCB Chicago where he worked as a sr. VP, creative director, on brands including Kmart, MillerCoors, Hillshire, Cox Cable and Janssen. Prior to FCB, Burns was a VP, creative director, at Grey New York. His work has been recognized with four Cannes Lions, Gold Addys, Gold New York Festival World medals and Effies. Well-known work Burns has helped craft includes Kmart’s “Ship Your Pants” and “Jingle Joes.” At VML, Burns will serve as a principal team lead alongside current managing director and executive creative director Jeremy Schutte.
Additionally Erik Peterson has joined VML as North American director, optimization and acquisition. For more than 20 years, Peterson has consulted in the digital marketing industry with applied marketing communications and user experience (UX) expertise. Since 2009, he has blended behavioral science and data insights to optimize customer experiences to increase incremental revenues in ecommerce for leading Fortune 500 brands. Peterson has been a featured speaker at the Adobe Summit 2015, ClickZ Live, 2012 Conversion Conference and 2011 MIMA Summit. His work has been recognized by Chicago Association of Direct Marketing (CADM) and ZenithOptimedia for Best Performance Marketing program.
VML has also hired Rob McCutcheon as a strategic technology lead working across the agency’s Gatorade business. McCutcheon integrates business, digital and design, and has worked on channel strategy, platform strategy and communication strategy for a variety of Fortune 500 companies, including Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Victoria’s Secret, T. Rowe Price and Unilever. McCutcheon previously worked as director, customer experience strategy, for Team Detroit and as a senior strategy manager for Razorfish in New York.
And Hilary Murdock has been promoted to group director and head of strategic planning for VML Chicago. She helps drive consumer insights and digital strategy across the Kimberly-Clark and Kellogg businesses. Murdock has been with VML since June 2014 as strategic planning director and previously worked on the KFC account at FCB Chicago.
