Translation has expanded its creative leadership roster with the hiring of Achilles Li. Working closely with chief creative officer John Norman, Li will serve as group creative director for the independent agency’s NBA and Champs Sports accounts. He brings years of experience in the world of international sports marketing to bear on behalf of the two athletic brands.
Prior to joining Translation, Li spent over three years as Executive Creative Director at Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai, touching nearly every one of the award-winning agency’s accounts as a team leader or lead creative. His time at W+K Shanghai spawned an assortment of celebrated creative work for a variety of media and markets—from the international appeal of Jeep Brand’s “Built Free” global campaign to the city-specific insights of Nike’s “Beijing City Attack,” which radically transformed Nike Basketball’s presence in the Chinese market. Li first signed on with the agency in 2006 as a creative, following a two-year tour of duty as sr. copywriter at Leo Burnett Hong Kong. Before that, he served as sr. copywriter at JWT Hong Kong.
His work has been recognized by competitions including the CLIOs, D&AD, and the Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity.
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