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….
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More