Independent creative agency Zambezi has brought Gavin Lester on board as its first chief creative officer. He also has been named an equity partner in the agency. His career has spanned 20 years and two continents, having worked in London, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, for agencies such as 180LA, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, BBH London and NYC. Over the years he has had a hand in high-profile campaigns for Sprint, Levi’s, Lexus, Sony, Netflix and Google, among others. He has won assorted awards including Cannes Gold Lions, Andys, Addys, D&AD and Clios.
Lester comes to Zambezi following a long spell of freelance work at 72andSunny and previously was EVP, executive creative director at Deutsch L.A. where he led creative for Sprint.
Lester’s hire is a reflection of Zambezi’s rapid expansion following a streak of new business wins over the past two years, including Cox Communications, Hubert’s, Stance and Las Vegas Sands Corp. Recently, Lester worked with the Zambezi team in a freelance capacity on the agency’s “Come As You Are” campaign for Las Vegas Sands Corp’s Venetian Resort. He will take charge of a growing creative department that counts two other recent hires, creative director Dan Maxwell and associate creative director Annie Johnston, as well as key internal promotions–Ben George and Nick Rodgers to creative directors and Chris Rutkowski to associate creative director.
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