Meet The People is bringing a fresh approach to how holding companies operate in the advertising industry and they’re starting it in North America, seeking to deploy $150MM over the next 24 months.

Created by a team of exceptional industry leaders and entrepreneurs, with decades of experience creating marketing services groups, Meet The People becomes the first people-centric Advertising Group. With a powerful agency roster and the ambition to bring together and deliver seamless creative and digital offerings, Meet The People is attracting entrepreneurially-minded agencies that are ready to evolve and provide their clients and partners with 24/7, always-on access to an array of services and talents in one fully integrated platform. Financial support will come from [Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC.](https://www.innovatuscp.com/), an investment adviser and portfolio management firm.
 
So, what makes this model so revolutionary? No more agency silos and a total focus on people and their work. While the world has figured out how to obtain the pick n’ mix of what they like from online and offline offerings, agencies have yet to follow suit. Meet The People is a group of agency partners, bringing the best and brightest experts from their fields together under the same unitary umbrella. 

The brainchild of a team of award-winning agency leaders and entrepreneurs—[Tim Ringel](https://www.meet-the-people.com/about/tim-ringel), Global CEO; [Tom Armbruster](https://www.meet-the-people.com/about/thomas-armbruster), Global COO; and [Natalie Alberta Dusey](https://www.meet-the-people.com/about/natalie-alberta-dusey), Global Chief of Staff & Corporate Secretary—and backed by New York based boutique specialty finance firm, Innovatus Capital Partners, Meet The People combines the experience of established agencies across multiple marketing disciplines with the data-driven and digitally-enabled capabilities of industry disruptors. The result is a bespoke modern and unique model that can support large and medium-sized brands with cutting edge initiatives, and offer what clients truly want—better services, faster solutions, broad expertise, in a collaborative and transparent manner.   

“With Meet The People, we’re evolving creative and digital with extraordinary talent and data,” said Ringel. “We‘re building a unique, digital-first infrastructure from the ground up that will appeal to brands that are looking to scale with soul and move away from the status quo. Our agency partners will cut through the clutter of the industry and become an extension of a client’s team, ambition and success.”

Meet The People is taking an iconoclastic approach to discussing the growth of the business, with a focus on transparency that it will use to attract the attention of agencies, analysts and industry watchers. The company has aggressive growth goals—to build up a group of 2,000 people—and plans to add additional specialty agencies in the coming months to round out its full-service capabilities.

Meet The People currently oversees three category leading agencies with more than 350 people: [VSA Partners](https://www.vsapartners.com/), a creative, design and branding agency; [Public Label](https://www.publiclabelagency.com/), an integrated agency with above-the-line, experiential and shopper expertise; and [Match Retail](https://www.matchretail.com/), a top sales, merchandising and branded retail agency. Under the new model, each agency will work together as a community while retaining its own identity and culture. 

Ringel continued: “Traditional holding company players own sixty percent of the market but they are incredibly siloed and don’t integrate across all relevant services for their clients. We are claiming our space by rolling up specialized entrepreneurial agencies under one roof to become a true integrated global partner, with a breadth and depth of experience that will be hard to rival.”
 
So who are ‘the People’? Ringel, Armbruster and Dusey most recently worked together at full service, luxury brand-focused creative agency Spring Studios and the European performance marketing company, Artefact (previously NetBooster). Ringel was Global CEO at IPG Mediabrands’ Reprise, where he doubled the size, revenue and profit of the agency in just 24 months, scaling it to 3,000 people. He is also an active investor in well known EU and US early-and late stage startups. ​​ 

Innovatus Capital Partners acquired VSA Partners, Public Label and Match Retail in Q1 of this year. ​​Ravi Bhagavatula, Partner at Innovatus Capital Partners: “As we look to expand our portfolio and grow our marketing services capabilities, there is no stronger leadership team to build this vision than Tim, Tom and Natalie and the immense talents of each individual agency. Meet The People has arrived.”

&nbsp  

&nbsp   

**ABOUT MEET THE PEOPLE**&nbsp  
Meet The People is an international family of unified but independent agencies bringing together key marketing services under one umbrella, allowing for fully integrated but deeply specialized solutions, from Creative and Design to Activation and Measurement. Backed by [Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC](https://www.innovatuscp.com/), Meet The People is deeply committed to the idea that people are at the core of any organization and drive success, and that advertising works best when clients have access to expertise and deep talent.

**ABOUT INNOVATUS CAPITAL PARTNERS**&nbsp  
[Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC](https://www.innovatuscp.com/) is a New York based registered investment adviser and portfolio management firm with approximately $1.6B, as of October 1, 2021, in assets under management. Innovatus adheres to an investment strategy that identifies disruptive and growth opportunities across multiple asset categories with a unifying theme of capital preservation, income generation, and upside optionality.

Innovatus’ lower middle market strategy seeks to invest in companies with a strong market position, tangible and identifiable value, and excellent growth potential. The investment team works closely with business owners, management teams, and lenders to develop creative financial and operational solutions in both control and non-control situations. The team targets lower middle market and middle market companies with revenues of $25 – $250 million with typical deal sizes from $10 – $50 million.

Contact:&nbsp  
Kristen Bryan, Raven Public Relations&nbsp  
E: kristen@meetraven.com &nbsp  
P: 732-395-7595&nbsp  

&nbsp  

 

Independents Unite: Meet The People Launches as the Alternative to Large Holding Companies 

mtp-placeholder

Meet The People—the innovative new alternative to the big advertising holding company model—launched by Tim Ringel in 2021, today announced the addition of Portsmouth, NH-based Saltwater Collective to its roster of agencies.

The full-service digital agency joins the Meet The People group of companies, VSA Partners, Public Label, Match Transact and Match Retail, adding significant digital capabilities to the expanding group. With the completion of the deal, Meet The People grows to 550 employees across North America.

“We’re excited to welcome Saltwater Collective to our group,” says Meet The People Founder and Global CEO Tim Ringel. “We’ve been impressed by Saltwater’s team, client work and thinking since our very first meeting—especially in terms of their digital production and media capabilities. I’m excited to introduce Saltwater to our team across the Meet The People agencies and our incredible roster of clients.”

Saltwater Co-Founder Christopher Griffin agrees, adding, “This is a better connection of like-minded and talented individuals than we could have imagined. Our team will gain access to diverse colleagues and grow from next-level challenges, flexing their creative and technical strengths on a larger scale. In return we’re excited to share Saltwater’s creative interdisciplinary processes with our new partners to enhance their clients’ digital experiences.”

Meet The People has been on a significant growth trajectory. In just under two years since its founding in 2021 and with strategic and financial support through Innovatus Capital Partners LLC, the New York–based portfolio management firm has already completed multiple acquisitions. 

“We are pleased to welcome the Saltwater Collective to Meet The People given their experienced and creative management team and complementary business in digital and traditional media that will continue to expand our portfolio of offerings for clients,” said Innovatus CEO and Founding Partner David Schiff.  

With the Saltwater Collective acquisition completed, Meet The People moves further toward its goal of growing the agency group to over 1,500 people in the near future.

Says Ringel, “It’s truly gratifying to find that our positioning and vision are so inspiring to independent agencies across North America and Europe. And our goal to create the first people- and client-centric advertising group of scale is resonating well with agency founders, with talent across all advertising trades, and of course among our growing roster of clients.”

“Saltwater has been positioned to grow for some time,” says Saltwater Co-Founder Mike Carella. “We’ve been looking for a group to join that would allow us to maximize our potential, expand our services to our clients and give our team more experience and greater opportunities, all while retaining the culture and identity we’ve created here.” 

Under Meet The People’s innovative new organizational approach, all of the roster agencies work closely together as a community in a single ownership structure while retaining independence as a core strength to establish their own identities and cultures. By combining entrepreneurially minded firms into one fully integrated platform, Meet The People is able to bring specialized services to clients, while providing fully integrated agency-of-record solutions to these brands at the same time.  

“With this model, we give our clients what they really want,” says Ringel. “Integrated thinking, better services, faster solutions, less friction and deep expertise, all in a collaborative and transparent manner. It’s definitely a winning solution for everyone.” 

Saltwater Collective and its capabilities are immediately available to the Meet The People clients through VSA Partners, Public Label and Match Retail. 

ABOUT MEET THE PEOPLE

Meet The People is an international group of unified but independent agencies bringing together key marketing services under one umbrella, allowing for fully integrated but deeply specialized solutions, from Creative and Design to Activation and Measurement. Backed by Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC, Meet The People is deeply committed to the idea that people are at the core of any organization and drive success, and that advertising works best when clients have access to expertise and deep talent.

ABOUT SALTWATER COLLECTIVE

[Saltwater Collective](http://www.saltwaterco.com) is a marketing and advertising agency with comprehensive digital and traditional capabilities. Founded in 2007 and based in Portsmouth, NH, Saltwater has a history of earning long-term client relationships rooted in trust, respect and measurable results. Saltwater’s work spans many disciplines, including branding, media, pay-per-click advertising (PPC), creative design, copywriting, website design and development, search engine optimization (SEO), and video and animation.

Saltwater works with clients in a variety of verticals from banking and healthcare to education and retail, and many others. Saltwater was named to Inc. magazine’s list of the 5,000 fastest-growing U.S. companies for three consecutive years, from 2019 to 2021. To learn more about Saltwater Collective, visit www.saltwaterco.com or find the company on social media.

ABOUT INNOVATUS CAPITAL PARTNERS

[Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC](https://www.innovatuscp.com/) is an independent adviser and portfolio management firm with approximately $2 billion in assets under management. Innovatus adheres to an investment strategy that identifies disruptive and growth opportunities across multiple asset categories with a unifying theme of capital preservation, income generation and upside optionality.  Innovatus’s lower-middle-market strategy seeks to invest in companies with a strong market position, tangible and identifiable value, and excellent growth potential. The investment team works closely with business owners, management teams, and lenders to develop creative financial and operational solutions in both control and noncontrol situations. The team targets lower-middle-market and middle-market companies with revenues of $25 million–$250 million with typical deal sizes of $10 million–$50 million.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Natalie Alberta Dusey
- Global Chief of Staff
- Meet The People, LLC
- natalie@meet-the-people.com
- +44 7956-627-249

Valerie Silverman Kerr
- VSK Public Relations, LLC
- valerie@vsk-publicrelations.com
- +1 (914) 806-6647

Meet The People Adds Saltwater Collective to Its Growing Roster of Agencies

MTP Saltwater Web

— Meet The People CEO Tim Ringel

MTP’s very own Tim Ringel [was featured](https://ceoworld.biz/2023/05/28/reimagining-the-agency-holding-company/) in CEOWORLD magazine in May 2023.

Meet The People believes it’s time for a new approach to building and managing an agency group—one that empowers forward-thinking employees, rewards real collaboration between firms, and values true integration for the benefit of both employees and clients.

What we aim to create at Meet The People is no easy feat, but few great things are. The article highlights why we pride ourselves on being the first true people-centric holding company and how, rooted in humanity, we plan to reinvent the model.

Thank you, [CEOWORLD magazine](https://ceoworld.biz/), for giving Tim a platform to share our values!

Tim Ringel on Rethinking the Agency Holding Group

Tim Ringel, wearing neon shoes, standing in an alley between graffitied walls

CEOWorld-Hero1

We’re excited to celebrate the appointment of Scott Grover as Managing Director of the [WOW! mobile boutique](https://wowmobile.ca/en) part of Match Retail!

Scott shares and supports a growth mindset, operational excellence, an entrepreneurial approach, and above all else, being truly people-first. We look forward to this next chapter for WOW! mobile boutique and Match Retail under his leadership! Exciting times ahead.

Congratulations, Scott, on your new role!


We are excited to introduce Match Retail’s new VP of Creative Strategy, Patrick C. Kavanagh!

Match had been looking to fill this role for some time and is thrilled to have found in Patrick a bundle of creative energy that will energize and challenge clients to create bold programming while supporting the broader Match Retail teams to challenge the status quo.

Patrick’s experience developing concepts and strategies for brand experience and retail activation partners will be invaluable. He’s worked in Canada and the UK with brands such as Campbell’s Company of Canada, Harley-Davidson, Nintendo, Asda (Walmart), Genting Casino and cult beauty brand Illamasqua.

Patrick is based in Ottawa, which gives him a central position to support Match’s partner brands in Montreal and Toronto.

Welcome to the family, Patrick! We look forward to seeing all that you have in store for Match.

Exciting news for Match Retail—we are thrilled to welcome Diljaan Gill as WOW! mobile boutique’s new Director of Training!

Diljaan is a passionate lifelong learner and a creative visionary when it comes to designing high-impact and engaging training programs. We are confident that his experience and expertise will help take its training programs to the next level.

Outside work, Diljaan enjoys rewatching “Breaking Bad,” moonlighting as a food critic, spending time with his dog, and taking random turns and exits while driving to explore new places.

Welcome to the family, Diljaan!


Match Retail welcomes three new hires

New hires at Match Retail: Scott Grover, Managing Director; Patrick Kavanagh, VP, Creative Strategy; and Diljaan Gill, Director, Training

Match New Hires_hero

On May 25, Meet The People sponsored an event with One Earth Rising and Spring Place: “The Inevitability of AI and Its Impact.” This panel discussion is part of the Game Changers Collective series.

A thoughtfully curated panel of industry leaders shared their insights and discussed the impact and future of AI. The Game Changers panelists broke down the incredibly complex world of AI in a digestible and enjoyable manner.

Ideal for anyone interested in learning more about AI and its impact on the business world, including business owners, executives and other industry professionals, this event was designed to help attendees better understand the potential benefits and challenges of AI adoption in business and equip them with the knowledge and insights they need to stay ahead of the curve.

A range of topics was explored, including ways in which AI is transforming the business landscape, the opportunities and risks associated with AI adoption, and the strategies businesses can use to navigate this rapidly evolving field.

Hosted by Jan Roessner, CEO of One Earth Rising, the panel included leaders in the AI, strategy and creative industries:

- Suzanne Rabicoff, General Manager, Invisible Technologies Inc.
- Tim Ringel﻿, Global CEO, Meet The People
- Rob Bailey, CEO and Founder, BackboneAI
- Doug Griffin, Managing Partner, SPATIAL Capital

Thank you to [Spring Place](https://www.springplace.com/) and [One Earth Rising](https://www.oneearthrising.com/) for a fantastic evening.

MTP Sponsors Game Changers Collective on AI

Split screen: on the left, a view of the audience at a Game Changers Collective event; at right, close-up of Tim Ringel, seated, talking into a mic

GameChangersAI-Hero

In April 2023, Match Retail’s Nespresso program successfully launched its inline sales program at Costco. The inline program boasted 125 activations at 34 different Costco warehouses across Canada. 

Costco members visiting the kiosk were guided through the Nespresso coffee experience by Match Retail’s in-store coffee advisor and were served free coffee along with special discounts and savings on Nespresso machines. The Costco Nespresso kiosk experience ran for nine weeks, through May 18.


Match Retail launches 34 Nespresso kiosks across Costco Canada

Nespresso kiosks and workers in Costco Canada locations

Match_nespresso

In April, Ontario-based [Match Retail](https://www.matchretail.com/) was named one of the “Best Workplaces Managed by Women 2023” [Great Place to Work® Canada](https://www.greatplacetowork.ca/en/best-workplaces/best-workplaces-managed-by-women-2023).

After an independent analysis of employee feedback from hundreds organizations conducted by Great Place to Work® Canada, only 25 retail and hospitality organizations in all of Canada were given this recognition. Employee satisfaction at Match Retail is 80%, compared with the Canadian national average of 60%.

This accolade serves as a direct reflection of Match Retail’s unwavering commitment to putting its people first, and fostering a positive and inclusive work environment for its employees. 

In addition, Match Retail has been recognized by Great Place to Work® Canada on the following lists:

- 2023 Best Workplaces in Retail & Hospitality
- 2022 Best Workplaces for Hybrid Work
- 2022 Best Workplaces in Retail and Hospitality
- 2021 Best Workplaces Managed by Women

Congratulations again to everyone in the Match family!

Match Retail named one of the Best Workplaces Managed by Women

Match Retail logo and "Best Workplaces Managed by Women" icon next to MD Vanessa Schnekenburger

Match Best Place 2_hero

VSA Partners won a MUSE Creative Award for its work on a video of the incredible impact one can make as an employee at Sappi’s Somerset Mill. VSA was one of this year’s Gold recipients in the “Branded Content – Recruitment” category. 

In VSA’s own words: “The Somerset Mill video was a fantastic, impactful project, and we are very proud to have been a part of it.”

Congratulations to Sappi for its MUSE Creative wins!

Special congrats to the team: Bill Maday, Doug Gallow, Thomas Horne, Bryan Haney, Elaine Palutsis, Taylor Tran, Melissa Keller, Amy Bretz, Josh Peterson, Terry Maday, Jeremy Garchow and Myles Beeson.

Check out the [press release](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230418005232/en/Sappi-Wins-Two-Gold-MUSE-Creative-Awards-for-Videos-That-Empower-Employees-and-Highlight-the-Power-of-Design) and the [video](https://museaward.com/winner-info.php?id=225660) itself!

VSA Partners wins MUSE Creative Award for Sappi video

Still from Sappi Somerset Mill video with "MUSE Creative Awards 2023 Gold Winner" superimposed on top

VSASappi-Hero

In April, Meet The People Global CEO Tim Ringel had a fantastic time meeting innovative thinkers across the industry at marketing and conference expo POSSIBLE 2023 in Miami.

Most memorable moment? Getting to sit in on an interview with Elon Musk, who discussed his vision for Twitter and why its future will spotlight transparency and freedom of speech rather than freedom of reach. He also said SpaceX is here to inspire us in the same way that the moon landing did decades ago.

Thank you, [Christian Muche](https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianmuche/), for organizing such an inspiring gathering!

Tim Ringel represents Meet The People at POSSIBLE 2023

POSSIBLE event leader Christian Muche on stage at POSSIBLE 2023 in Miami

MTPinMiami-Hero

VSA Partners created an outstanding website redesign for Lux Capital. The updated website launched in April 2023.

Lux Capital is the revolutionary venture capital firm known for its uncanny ability to identify and fund successful innovators in the science and tech space. Guided by Lux’s mission to turn “sci-fi into sci-fact,” VSA Partners set out to capture the rigorous science-based focus that established the Lux brand while presenting the company as a VC powerhouse that manages a $4 billion portfolio.

Check out this [Communication Arts piece](https://www.commarts.com/webpicks/lux-capital) for thoughts on the new Lux Capital website from VSA’s Emily Roche and Michael Trovela.

Head to the site and see for yourself at [luxcapital.com](https://www.luxcapital.com).

VSA Partners designs new website for VC firm Lux Capital

Hero image for Lux Capital's revamped website: the words "WE TURN SCI-FI INTO SCI-FACT" sit alongside shifting images.

Lux-Hero

On March 30, 2023, Meet The People sponsored an event with One Earth Rising and Spring Place: “Empowering Creatives in the Web3 Era.”

A thoughtfully curated panel of industry leaders shared their insights and discussed the impact and future of Web3. The Game Changers panelists broke down the incredibly complex world of Web3 in a very digestible and enjoyable manner.

Hosted by Jan Roessner, CEO of One Earth Rising, the panel included leaders from the tech, music, strategy and creative industries:

- Cheryl Douglass, Co-Founder and Executive Producer, Prima Materia
- Laura Jaramillo, Co-Founder and CEO, Sona
- Ariadna Navarro, Chief Growth Officer, VSA Partners
- Caroline Giegerich, Vice President, Innovation, Warner Music Group

Thank you to [Spring Place](https://www.springplace.com/) and [One Earth Rising](https://www.oneearthrising.com/) for a fantastic evening.

Meet The People Sponsors Game Changers Collective: “Empowering Creatives in the Web3 Era”

Moderator and four panelists on a red-carpeted stage; one panelist holds the mic.

Game_Changer_Collective

During the month of March, Meet The People celebrated the many brilliant women of Public Label, Match Retail and VSA Partners, including its own Natalie Dusey, in honor of Women’s History Month.

Here are a few highlights:

**Natalie Dusey** is Meet The People’s very own Global Chief of Staff and one of its four founding members.

— Natalie on the best part thing about her job

**Anne-Marie Rosser** is the CEO of VSA Partners, the branding powerhouse in Meet The People’s family of agencies.


— Anne-Marie on what she’s looking forward to in 2023

**Erica Calhoun** is the SVP of Experiential for Public Label, the innovative experiential marketing firm in Meet The People’s family of agencies.



— Erica on the best part of her job

**Ariadna Navarro** is the Chief Growth Officer of VSA Partners, the branding powerhouse in Meet The People’s family of agencies.

— Ari on the most exciting part of her job

**Vanessa Schnekenburger** is the Managing Director of Match Retail, the retail giant in Meet The People’s family of agencies.





— Vanessa on the best thing about her job

Women’s History Month at MTP: Celebrating Our Women Leaders

Photo collage of five women in leadership roles at MTP, VSA, Public Label and Match Retail

WomensHistoryMonth-Web (1)

Meet The People recently hosted an event with One Earth Rising and Spring Place: “The Future of Work: The Rise of the Agile Worker.”

During this event, a panel of industry leaders shared their insights and discussed the impact of flexibility and technology on the modern workplace and the rise of agile workers. Our panelists provided unique professional and personal perspectives on the culture shifts surrounding remote and hybrid working conditions.

The panel included leaders from the tech, commercial software, cosmetics, advertising, consulting and video game industries:
- Craig Ellis, President, North America, Meet The People 
- Francia Cooper, Senior Manager, Global Brand Communications, Maybelline
- Jan Roessner, CEO, One Earth Rising (panel moderator)
- Yang Mou, CEO, Kumospace
- Karina Bernacki, VP, People, VSCO
- Nayef Zarrour, Director, Operations, Nyan Heroes

Thank you to Spring Place and One Earth Rising for a fantastic evening.

Meet The People Sponsors Game Changers Collective: “The Rise of the Agile Worker”

Six people seated on barstools; a man at far left holds a mic.

FutureofWork-Web

In February 2023, the Anthem Awards presented VSA Partners with a Bronze Award for the company’s work on “Until Justice Just Is,” a campaign created in association with the YWCA.

In VSA’s own words:

In April 2023, Transform magazine [highlighted](https://www.transformmagazine.net/articles/2023/five-minutes-with-kim-mickenberg/) the moving and impactful “Until Justice Just Is” racial justice campaign by speaking with Kim Mickenberg, an Executive Creative Director at VSA:

[View](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB9LSTsdz8k) the video campaign. For more information on the campaign, visit the [Until Justice Just Is](https://untiljusticejustis.org/) website as well as [VSA’s website](https://vsapartners.com/work/ywca).

VSA Receives Bronze Anthem Award for “Until Justice Just Is” Campaign

Five posters from the VSA–YWCA “Until Justice Just Is” campaign

UntilJusticeJustIs-Web

On February 6, 2023, Meet The People’s Global CEO, Tim Ringel, represented the company at the LEAP 2023 conference in Saudi Arabia. Here’s what Tim had to say about his experience at the conference:


CEO Tim Ringel Represents MTP at LEAP Conference in Saudi Arabia

MTP Global CEO Tim Ringel pictured next to LEAP conference logo

Tim_Ringel_LEAP

Meet The People recently hosted an event with One Earth Rising and Spring Place: “Brand Z | Know Your Audience—Sell To and Work With Gen Z.” 

During this event, a panel of industry leaders shared their insights about Gen Z–related business challenges and opportunities. As marketers know, branding, selling, hiring and managing members of Gen Z requires a different approach compared with other generations. Our panel discussed and shared their knowledge about creating successful employee and consumer relationships with Gen Z. 

Hosted by Jan Roessner, CEO of One Earth Rising, the panel included leaders from the fashion, retail, automotive, advertising, consulting and video game industries:

- Nelly Mensah, VP of Digital Innovation, LVMH
- Tim Ringel, Global CEO, Meet The People
- Melissa Beight, Engagement Manager, Vivaldi
- Oliver Maletz, Former Head of Marketing & Digital Europe, Volkswagen
- Jay Norris, CEO, Guesst

Thank you to [Spring Place](https://www.springplace.com/) and [One Earth Rising](https://www.oneearthrising.com/) for a fantastic evening. Check out photos below! 

Meet The People Hosts Event on Connecting With Gen Z

MTP Cover Images Nov 22-Feb 23

With zero-party data, marketers can get consumers’ explicit consent to use their data and create individualized experiences without sacrificing privacy. This move will build a stronger long-term relationship with consumers—but only if you give them a reason to consent.

[Click here for CEO Tim Ringel’s full take](https://www.clickz.com/are-you-ready-for-zero-party-data/267750/ ) on the promise and power of zero-party data in the cookieless future on ClickZ.

Tim Ringel Weighs In on Zero-Party Data

Headshot of Tim Ringel with the words "Are You Ready for Zero Party Data?"

MTP Cover Images Nov 22-Feb 23-02

Meet The People agency VSA Partners officially announced the hiring of Thaddeus Ternes as its new Vice President of Technology. In this position, Ternes will be charged with expanding and growing the firm’s technical capabilities in the areas of app and web development, as well as working with emerging technologies such as extended reality, connected devices, ambient computing and other nascent technologies.

VSA CEO Anne-Marie Rosser is very excited at the additional capabilities Ternes’ hiring brings to the agency’s client roster. 

“We couldn’t have been more fortunate in finding someone as talented as Thaddeus to fill this role,” she said. “His deep background in software development, along with his many years in digital marketing, give him the perfect set of skills for leading us into new-tech arenas that will further bolster our ability to design for a better human experience.”

Ternes comes to the position after half a decade with Accenture. There he distinguished himself as a leader in “human-centered technology,” developing complex initiatives with an eye on keeping human interaction simple, accessible and intuitive. In his most recent role, he was the Principal Creative Technologist and Experience Architect at Accenture Song in Austin, where his work included designing services for smart cities, intelligent logistics operations and frictionless retail experiences.

“Making technology more meaningful and inclusive is my passion, and I could see very quickly that it aligned well with VSA’s purpose,” Ternes said. “It’s an exciting time for technology. We’re on the precipice of huge breakthroughs, and with that comes a responsibility to ensure people remain our priority, and that new technologies are used to elevate, not complicate, their experiences.” 

Welcome to the Meet The People family, Thaddeus! [Click here to learn more.](https://www.vsapartners.com/news-ideas/vsa-partners-welcomes-thaddeus-ternes)


VSA Hires VP of Technology Thaddeus Ternes

Thaddeus_Ternes_MG_9316-1_r1_2880x1620

Public Label, an agency in the Meet The People family, was recognized by Chief Marketer in its 2023 editorial list of the top brand engagement and activation agencies serving the U.S. Congratulations to Public Label and the team for this acknowledgement!

[Click here to view the list.](https://chiefmarketer.com/event/cm200-2023/?oly_enc_id=4413J6573689B3Y)

Public Label Named Top Agency of 2023

Public Label's Logo and the Chief Marketer 200 Logo on a black background.

MTP Cover Images Nov 22-Feb 23-03

Meet The People CEO Tim Ringel recently appeared on the podcast “TheUnNoticed Entrepreneur,” hosted by Jim James. 


In this episode, Tim shares how he has built and grown multiple businesses by leveraging the power of authenticity. From standing out in the investor crowd to building cohesive businesses, Tim uses authenticity and care to differentiate his message and infuse his companies with a soul of true purpose. He also discusses how you can continue to be authentic and display care as your organization scales, and in turn build a self-perpetuating culture of empathy and honesty.


Additional topics include different types and objectives of investment strategies, and how to pick the one that matches you and your mindset; creating cohesive cultures across a network of businesses that can provide structure and flexibility when needed; and how entrepreneurs can leverage programmatic marketing. 


[Click here](https://theunnoticed.cc/episode/this-serial-entrepreneur-build-his-business-from-zero-to-500-employees-in-less-than-a-year-by-meeting-the-people-through-being-authentic-and-resonating-with-tim-ringel-ceo-of-meet-the-people) to listen to the episode. 


Tim Ringel Appears on “The UnNoticed Entrepreneur” Podcast 

Headshots of Jim James and Tim Ringel with the title "The UnNoticed Entrepreneur" and subtitle "Refuse to Be Overlooked"

MTP Cover Images Nov 22-Feb 23-01

VSA Partners, part of the Meet The People family, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Since its founding in 1982, the company has become an iconic part of the Chicago advertising and design community, and has worked with top brands like IBM, Google and Nike to help companies break through in an increasingly noisy world. 

To mark the milestone of its 40th year, the agency sought to do something different from the approach companies typically take to celebrate such occasions.

“We easily could have focused this anniversary as a retrospective on the exceptional work VSA is known for,” says VSA CEO Anne-Marie Rosser. “But what really makes VSA successful is our people and their laser focus on designing for a better human experience. We knew that any effort to mark our anniversary should reflect the VSA way of thinking that has driven our work for 40 years and will continue to empower us for years to come.”

With this framework, VSA created an insightful, playful and at times poignant video series exploring the power of design in all its forms. The result is a window into the minds at VSA, and how team members channel the world of design into their work. 

The editorial campaign focuses on a wide range of concepts, from museum branding to detective shows to kitchen gadgets. Each video then explores how these transformational ideas have improved and enhanced the creativity of individual staff members.

[Check out coverage from Adweek here](https://www.adweek.com/adweek-wire/vsa-partners-celebrates-40th-anniversary-with-exploration-of-designs-human-impact/), and [click here to view the microsite and video series](https://vsaforty.com/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=meet-the-people).


VSA Celebrates 40 Years with Campaign

VSA40_Thumbnail

Michael Cioffi of Match Retail, part of the Meet The People family, was recently published in ManageHR Magazine. His piece, “Leading with HEART,” gives leaders advice on how to build employee trust and meaningfully invest in their teams. 

“Your employees need to trust that in their time of need, you’re there to support them,” he writes. “This requires a leader to walk the walk and talk the talk.” 

[Check out the article here](https://contingent-workforce-canada.managehrmagazine.com/cxoinsight/leading-with-heart-nwid-1593.html) to read more about how you can use Michael’s “HEART” mnemonic to create stronger teams and employee relationships. 


Match Retail’s Michael Cioffi Published in ManageHR Magazine

Headshot of Michael Cioffi with words "Leading With Heart"

MTP Cover Images Nov 22-Feb 23_05

We are thrilled to announce that Meet The People agency VSA Partners received *four* awards in the 2023 Graphis Advertising Awards program, including a Platinum, two Golds, and a Silver. 

The Platinum and two Golds went to three spots created as part of the “Invite Knowledge In” campaign for Pearson’s Connections Academy. 

The Silver award was given to work performed for Affirm B2B. 

Huge thank you to the 2023 Graphis Advertising Awards program, and to the team members who made it happen! 

[Click here to see the award-winning work.](https://www.vsapartners.com/news-ideas/vsa-partners-wins-multiple-graphis-advertising-awards)



VSA Wins Multiple Graphis Advertising Awards

A collage of images from VSA's work for Pearson's "Invite Knowledge In" and Affirm B2B's "Turn Up the Volume" campaigns..

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VSA’s Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro was recently a guest on the podcast “Rockstar CMO FM,” hosted by Ian Truscott.

Ari and Ian examined how the role brands are expected to play in society has shifted: as the institutions that once acted as moral compasses failed or ceased to command respect, society has increasingly turned to corporations to provide the same level of ethical guidance we once expected from religions, governments and educational centers.

In fact, some brands even command a cultlike status not unlike a religion, with passionate communities rallying around a charismatic business leader.

Ari and Ian discussed how brands can embrace this newfound role as purpose providers with responsibility and credibility, and how embracing brand as a business asset can help brands build purposeful growth throughout their entire ecosystems and successfully articulate their offerings to consumers.

[Check out the link here to listen!](https://rockstarcmo.com/139-the-hola-to-opportunities-ariadna-navarro-of-vsa-partners-and-storytelling-over-a-cocktail-episode/ ) Ari and Ian’s interview begins at 00:27:25.


VSA’s Ariadna Navarro Guest on “Rockstar CMO FM” Podcast 

Polaroid images of Ian Truscott, Jeff Clark, Ariadna Navarro, and Robert Rose's headshots

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VSA Partners recently announced six moves within its executive suite, including a new CEO and the naming of three partners.

After serving for two years as President, Anne-Marie Rosser will ascend to the role of CEO at VSA Partners. She will succeed Dana Arnett, who after four decades at VSA, will take on the title of Founder and Chairman. Ariadna Navarro has served for four years as the agency’s Chief Strategy Officer and will expand her role to take on the Chief Growth Officer position. VSA Partners’ three new partners include Mike Walsh, Head of Client Engagement; Kristin Lingren, General Counsel and Secretary; and Thom Wolfe, Head of Design. 

Congratulations to all on the well-deserved promotions and transitions. 

See coverage of the news below!  

[MarComm News](https://marcommnews.com/vsa-partners-elevates-six-executives-names-three-new-partners/)
[MediaPost](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/379341/rosser-upped-to-ceo-vsa-partners.html)
[Shots](https://shots.net/news/view/vsa-partners-elevates-six-executives-and-names-three-new-partners)
[Marketing Dive](https://www.marketingdive.com/press-release/20221101-vsa-partners-elevates-six-executives-names-three-new-partners/)
[Little Black Book](https://www.lbbonline.com/news/vsa-partners-elevates-six-executives-and-names-three-new-partners)

VSA Partners Announces Partner Promotions

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VSA Chief Growth Officer Ariadna Navarro was recently a guest on the “JUST Branding” podcast, co-hosted by Jacob Cass and Matt Davies.

In this episode, Ari tackles the rise of “blands”—a category of brands that, while claiming to offer a completely unique product, adopt an almost uniform visual identity and voice.

[Check out the episode here]( https://justcreative.com/blands-vs-brands/ ) to learn more about what a bland is, why blands became so popular and how companies that once embraced the blands can create a stronger, longer-lasting brand legacy.

VSA’s Ariadna Navarro Is Guest Speaker on “JUST Branding” Podcast

Headshots of Jacob Cass, Ariadna Navarro, and Matt Davies

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On Thursday, October 20, CEO Tim Ringel kicked off “Meet the Moment at Spring Place,” our ongoing exclusive dinner series. Tim welcomed a mix of industry professionals from advertising, media, venture capital and branding for a lively evening of conversation, cocktails, dining and networking.  

Thanks to all who attended! 

Photography from Meet the Moment

Meet the Moment: How MTP Is Changing Up the Ad Agency Model 

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We are very proud to announce that Public Label was named one of the Top 100 Event Agencies of the Year by Event Marketer! The program is judged by the editors of Event Marketer magazine, who then present the annual special report on the top event agencies serving the experiential industry. 

Congratulations to Public Label! 

Public Label Makes the Top 100 2022 It List Presented by Event Marketer

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This summer marks the debut of Meet The People’s summer internship program. We sat down with interns Lucas and Frederik to hear how it’s going. Check out the videos on our social media below!

[Lucas](https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChsM7HzlO1b/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)
[Frederik](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjA8od_AoNn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)

Meet the Next Generation 

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We are very proud to announce that Match Retail has been recognized by Great Place to Work Canada! 

Congratulations to the Match Retail leadership and community for this well-deserved award. 

Match Retail Recognized by Great Place to Work Canada

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Congratulations to VSA Partners for receiving a Creative Platinum MUSE Award for their work on Connections Academy’s “Invite Knowledge In” campaign!

We checked in with Executive Creative Director Avery Gross at VSA Partners to hear more about the history behind the campaign: 

“Connections Academy has been doing online education right for over 20 years. With the ‘Invite Knowledge In’ campaign, we sought to reflect that heritage by tapping into the energy and expressive spirit that has set them apart from the beginning.  

Huge shout-out to the incredible team that partnered with clients every step of the way to make it happen: Jared Kranz, Shantal Gonzalez, Bryan Haney, Debbie Bennett, and Arturo Gigante.” 

VSA Partners Wins a Muse Creative Platinum Award

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We are very proud to announce that VSA Partners received a Silver Award and five honorable mentions in the 2023 Graphis Design Awards program. 
 
The Silver Award went to strategy, branding and digital work performed for Spacial, a prefab manufacturing company of accessory dwelling units. 
 
And receiving honorable mentions were Udemy, FuelCell Energy, Curia, Affirm B2B and Chicago Council on Global Affairs. 
 
Congratulations to the incredible team members who made it happen!  

VSA Partners Wins Graphis Design Awards

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Imagine a world where consumers are rewarded in crypto for sharing their zero-party data with brands they love. 

We are excited to announce that our partners at qiibee have just announced a pilot program with Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland that will do just that. This move is a critical step toward empowering consumers by putting their data back into their hands, as well as an excellent use case for the power of crypto. 

[Click the link here](https://www.qiibee.com/news/qiibee-x-cchbc-loyalty-pilot/) for more on how this loyalty program of the future works.


qiibee x Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland: An Exploration of Loyalty

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CEO Tim Ringel was recently featured in Digiday’s piece “ANA’s programmatic buying guide aims to shine a light on murky inefficiencies for CMOs.” 

The article covers the debut release of ANA’s programmatic guidelines, a critical resource for CMOs as it becomes increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-changing programmatic landscape. 

CEO Tim Ringel told Digiday's Antoinette Siu that he believes “programmatic is absolutely a legitimate investment, but it depends what you are looking for. Understand where the dollars go and ask the right questions.”

[Read the full article here](https://digiday.com/media/anas-programmatic-buying-guide-aims-to-shine-a-light-on-murky-inefficiencies/).


Tim Ringel Featured in Digiday Article

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VSA Partners’ Chief Strategy Officer Ariadna Navarro was recently featured in Adweek’s article “After Shedding WarnerMedia, DirectTV and Xandr, Here’s How AT&T Will Connect With Customers.” 

We're incredibly proud to call AT&T one of our clients, and we look forward to its next chapter under Kellyn Smith Kenny’s innovative and holistic marketing leadership.

[Read more here](https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/att-next-chapter-industry-leader-5g-kellyn-smith-kelly/) from Ariadna Navarro as she weighs in on AT&T’s return to its roots.


VSA Partners' Chief Strategy Officer Ariadna Navarro Quoted in Adweek

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We are proud to announce our partnership with AI Digital, allowing our clients to leverage technology with human optimization to drive better consumer buying decisions!

“There are a lot of synergies between our companies. Meet The People obviously takes a people-centric approach to driving client outcomes, and we feel the same way,” says Stephen Magli, Founder and CEO of AI Digital.

[Read on for more details on our strategic partnership with AI Digital](https://www.adweek.com/adweek-wire/meet-the-people-partners-with-programmatic-consultancy-ai-digital/).


Meet The People Partners With Programmatic Consultancy AI Digital

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To help kick off New York Fashion Week, we’re sharing CEO Tim Ringel’s episode of the podcast “Fashion Is Your Business.” Tim sat down with hosts Pavan Bahl, Simeon Siegel and Alesia Lanzo to discuss how brands can make it in the ever-changing digital landscape. 

Have a listen [here](https://omny.fm/shows/fashion-is-your-business-a-retail-technology-podca/tim-ringel-ceo-meet-the-people-former-ceo-spring-s).


CEO Tim Ringel Featured on Fashion Is Your Business Podcast

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Marketers have grown addicted to cookies to bring them consumer data—but what happens when those cookies start to crumble?

We believe that one of the answers may be zero-party data, which is why we’re investing in Swiss tech company [qiibee](https://www.qiibee.com/). qiibee uses blockchains to create a rewards marketplace that lets customers find true value in loyalty programs, and marketers tap into data that’s voluntarily given.

Check out press coverage of this partnership from [Adweek](https://www.adweek.com/adweek-wire/meet-the-people-solves-marketers-cookie-addiction-with-zero-party-data/) and [Digiday](https://digiday.com/media/media-buying-briefing-meet-the-people-hopes-investment-in-blockchain-based-zero-party-data-pays-off/).

Meet The People Solves Marketer’s “Cookie Addiction” With Zero-Party Data 

VSA Partners, the hybrid brand strategy and design agency, has deepened its digital footprint through the acquisition of RoundTwo Digital consultancy. RoundTwo will join VSA Partners as part of Meet The People, which is the industry’s first people-and client centric advertising group created by Tim Ringel in 2021. 

RoundTwo was founded by Joseph McConellogue, formerly of IPG Mediabrands’ Reprise, where he served as the Managing Director of Canadian Operations, launching the agency’s performance digital offering and growing it into a 40+ team powerhouse in Canada. Joseph relocated to Chicago, where he established a new Reprise office and established their eCommerce offering. 

The acquisition of RoundTwo adds expanded digital capabilities to VSA’s award-winning portfolio offerings, with RoundTwo bringing a robust practice including eCommerce channels, media, analytics, and customer journey and experience strategies. “As the needs of our clients continue to evolve and expand, it’s important to be able to anticipate and position ourselves for success,” said VSA President, Anne-Marie Rosser. “By adding the caliber of talent we have with Joseph and RoundTwo to VSA’s roster, we’re ensuring that we’re able to exceed client expectations, as well as differentiate ourselves in a saturated marketplace.”

In a time of uncertainty in advertising as a result of a global pandemic, RoundTwo took eCommerce by storm, working with and creating highly ROI-driven programs in categories that include apparel, beauty, retail, and healthcare. With a unique understanding of the consumer experience, McConellogue and RoundTwo established a foundation of programs to help convert brands interested in venturing into the digital marketplace. “I’m very excited to add my background and experience to such an amazing agency,” said McConellogue. “For many years, VSA has been the benchmark for creativity and brand design across B2B and B2C markets. I am looking forward to bringing my digital experience and integrating within this institution.”

With a 40-year history of solving complex business problems, VSA is recognized for setting the industry standards in brand development and marketing. Working with global brands that include Google, Nike, Affirm, and IBM, VSA creates a brand voice that breaks through the noise and clutter across a range of industries.

McConellogue will join the agency as Associate Partner, Digital Performance Media and work closely with Chief Strategy Officer Ariadna Navarro, Chief Client Officer Jeff Walker to help define the full service offerings of the agency. “We’re looking forward to being able to sit with new and existing clients and showcase how VSA continues to listen and grow,” said Jeff Walker. “RoundTwo provides us with an additional breadth and depth of experience, and we’re excited to see the impact it will have.”



ABOUT VSA PARTNERS   
VSA Partners is a hybrid brand strategy and design agency with a 40-year history of solving complex business problems. We deliver design-driven experiences that perform in market, realizing the future of a brand for some of the world’s most respected and forward-thinking organizations, including Google, Nike, IBM, Robinhood and Affirm. Our approach hinges upon deep collaboration with our clients to identify, prioritize and convert individual interactions into a positive impact on long-term value in a highly transactional and noisy world. Global by trade, but unapologetically midwestern at heart, an intrinsic desire to help fuels our pursuit of solutions of substance. Amplifying brands—not to add to the noise—but to find a voice that rises above it. VSA Partners. Where brands breakthrough.

ABOUT MEET THE PEOPLE   
Meet The People is an international family of unified but independent agencies bringing together key marketing services under one umbrella, allowing for fully integrated but deeply specialized solutions, from Creative and Design to Strategy, Activation, and Measurement. Backed by Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC, Meet The People is deeply committed to the idea that people are at the core of any organization and drive success, and that advertising works best when clients have access to expertise and deep talent.

Contact:   
Gene Cyranski, Meet The People   
E: gene@meet-the-people.com   
P: 312-952-0181


Meet The People's VSA Partners Broaden Offering with Key Acquisition

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At VSA, we see NFTs as the next iteration of technology that will shape brand-consumer relationships. NFTs are the newest frontier where brands can build meaningful experiences and connections with their customers and communities; the first step of the digitization of physical assets that can be monetized, sold, and tracked in the digital world; and a testing ground for the ecosystems and programs that will define the next iteration of the digital age.

In order to help brands leapfrog into this new era, we’re partnering with Ripple, the leading provider of enterprise blockchain and crypto solutions for cross-border payments. Ripple utilizes the open-source, public XRP Ledger, which is fast, low cost, and, most importantly, carbon neutral—using negligible amounts of energy to validate transactions when compared to other blockchains.

Brands looking to jump into a new world of revenue streams, explore different business models, and deepen relationships with their communities can consider taking the first step into this tokenized future through NFTs.

Want to explore this new world of tokenization and NFTs with us? [Read the full report.](https://meet-the-people-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/NFTs_WelcometotheNextFrontier_54539c0b67_21ab0c5745.pdf)



NFTs: Welcome to the Next Frontier

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Newly launched advertising group, Meet The People, is breathing fresh life into the industry with its entrepreneurial-minded approach to business. It’s also attracting the attention of industry executives seeking new models for agency collaboration. Meet The People welcomes Craig Ellis and Andrew Roth to their executive team as President of North America and Global Head of Business Strategy, respectively. Together, Ellis and Roth complete a high-profile leadership team for the next-generation enterprise.

Meet The People is the first people-centric advertising group, founded by an exceptional team of leaders and entrepreneurs – [Tim Ringel](https://www.meet-the-people.com/about/tim-ringel), [Tom Armbruster](https://www.meet-the-people.com/about/thomas-armbruster) and [Natalie Alberta Dusey](https://www.meet-the-people.com/about/natalie-alberta-dusey). The addition of Ellis and Roth demonstrates that the people-first approach is taking root beyond just the independent agency community, but at the legacy holding companies as well. “We’re excited to have such recognized leaders join us as we look to move away from the status quo,” said Tim Ringel, CEO of Meet The People. “The addition of Craig and Andrew makes a statement to the rest of the industry that there is top-down interest to effect change and develop a new operating model designed to prioritize the people who make up the lifeblood of our industry.”

With 24 years of experience building, creating, and integrating agencies across digital start-ups and on the publisher side, Craig Ellis joins Meet The People from Resolution Agency, the specialist performance agency within Omnicom Media Group. Resolutions’ recent accelerated growth is attributed to Ellis’ role as President, helping to rebrand, reposition, and reengineer the agency and culture, and attracting an impressive client roster during his tenure. As Global Chief Operating Officer of Reprise, IPG Mediabrands’ digital front door, Ellis assembled more than 3500+ employees in 42 countries and 72 offices, making Reprise one of the network’s fastest-growing agencies. His guidance as CEO of Reprise Australia led to the agency becoming one of the top search agencies in APAC. His expertise in developing and shaping business cultures will enhance Meet The People’s people-focused vision.

When asked why he joined Meet The People, Ellis said, “At Meet the People, we want to re-engineer how an agency group and its people within work and make it better. Our aim is to focus on the experience of our employees and clients, eliminating legacy bureaucracy and red tape, and taking a more forward-thinking view of what we can achieve and create together. I’m excited to join Meet The People, because we’re confident we can help evolve the industry standards of how we do business.” 

Whether championing innovative solutions internally at IPG or helping to lead disruptive approaches from the firm he co-founded, Andrew Roth has embraced unconventional perspectives and methodologies in the advertising industry throughout his career. Before joining Meet The People, Roth served as EVP and Head of Innovation Strategy and Corporate Development at IPG DXTRA, an ecosystem of 27 specialized agencies under the IPG banner. In this role, Roth helped develop and execute integrated marketing solutions across the network, designed DXTRA’s data strategy, and oversaw the network’s global portfolio operations, where he worked with each agency’s leadership to integrate emerging technology and data-driven solutions as well as develop each agency’s respective investment and acquisition strategies. Prior to his role at DXTRA, Roth served as EVP and Head of Corporate Development and Business Integration for Weber Shandwick, part of the IPG DXTRA ecosystem and one of the largest marketing communications agencies in the world. Roth also co-founded and served as Chief Strategy Officer for Bomoda, a data science and brand consultancy, which was acquired by Weber Shandwick. Roth began his career in private equity, first as an M&A attorney primarily focused on private equity clients and their portfolio companies, and then transitioning to business development and strategy at Blackstone upon receiving his MBA from Columbia Business School. 

“There are many models that people are trying to position in hyperbolic ways as ‘the best,’ or ‘most revolutionary,’ said Roth. “Essentially, the industry has become saturated with several voices saying the same thing. Our approach is simpler – we’re creating a family of agencies led by thoughtful and creative founders with the sole purpose of ensuring that the only voice that matters is the client’s.” 

Meet The People currently oversees three category-leading agencies with more than 350 people: [VSA Partners](https://vsapartners.com/), a creative, strategy, design and branding agency; [Public Label](https://www.publiclabelagency.com/), an integrated agency with above-the-line, experiential and shopper expertise; and [Match Retail](https://www.matchretail.com/), a top sales, merchandising and branded retail agency. Under the new model, each agency will work together as a community while retaining its own identity and culture.

&nbsp  


Advertising Veterans Join Meet The People, Further Cementing the New Working Model’s Impact Across the Industry

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Meet The People, the next-generation global advertising and consulting group formed by experienced advertising and technology executives Tim Ringel, Thomas Armbruster and Natalie Alberta Dusey, and [Adomni](https://www.adomni.com/), the leading programmatic digital out-of-home advertising planning and buying platform, announced their partnership on-stage at the Digiday Media Buying Summit during Advertising Week 2021. The exclusive partnership combines Meet The People’s deep expertise in digital advertising, social media content and creative execution with Adomni’s Demand Side Platform (DSP) best-in-class planning and buying platform for programmatic digital out-of-home screens.

Tim Ringel, CEO of Meet The People said, “The future of brands and the advertising industry comes from people as much as it comes from technology—creators, entrepreneurs, thinkers and agencies who deliver "digital” in human terms. We recognize how important digital out-of-home advertising is for brands because people are back out of their homes shopping, relaxing, running errands and spending money in stores again. With Adomni’s DSP, we have an unprecedented opportunity to harness consumer attention with handcrafted creative executions that extend the online experience to the physical world. The flexibility and control that comes with programmatic DOOH unlock a new paradigm for brands to reach and influence consumers in ways that were never possible in the past.” 

Jonathan Gudai, Adomni CEO, said, “Meet The People is in a unique position. They are led by a team of expert creative and performance marketers who not only have deep knowledge and expertise but are also able to take advantage of the latest and greatest trends in digital advertising. Programmatic digital out-of-home is one shining example of that. We as an industry need more emphasis on creative strategy and execution. The magic happens when we marry creative excellence with the online to offline to online consumer journey. Meet The People truly is the next-generation ad agency collective, where cutting-edge solutions are brought to brands of all sizes. We are excited to see how Meet The People paints our digital out-of-home canvas of 500,000+ screens in 28 countries to enhance both upper-funnel awareness and lower-funnel performance for brands.”


**About Meet The People**&nbsp  
Meet The People is an international family of unified but independent agencies bringing together key marketing services under one umbrella, allowing for fully integrated but deeply specialized solutions, from Creative and Design to Activation and Measurement. Backed by [Innovatus Capital Partners, LLC](https://www.innovatuscp.com/), Meet The People is deeply committed to the idea that people are at the core of any organization and drive success, and that advertising works best when clients have access to expertise and deep talent.

**About Adomni**&nbsp  
Adomni is a programmatic advertising platform that easily connects brands with on-the-go consumers via real-world digital screens. Advertisers can target audiences using mobile location data and launch campaigns in minutes, using one of the largest DOOH networks in the world. Currently, the Adomni platform offers access to over 70 billion monthly impressions on hundreds of thousands of digital screens across the U.S., Canada, EMEA and APAC.
 
Learn more at [www.adomni.com](https://www.adomni.com/)
 
&nbsp 


Meet The People Selects Adomni DSP as its Exclusive Programmatic Digital Out-of-Home Platform

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Creative marketing agency [Public Label Canada](https://www.publiclabelagency.com/) announced today a new partnership with [Autism Canada](https://autismcanada.org/), the only Canadian organization with a national perspective on the issues currently facing those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), their families and other stakeholders.
 
The Toronto-based agency has been named strategic and creative agency partner for the organization, tasked with establishing a bold brand story and raising awareness by creating a clear understanding of what autism is, what it means to be an individual on the Autism Spectrum, and how to create an environment of support for all to thrive. Scope of work includes developing a new brand narrative and redesigning the Autism Canada website.
 
The rebrand comes at an important time for many nonprofit organizations. The pandemic saw a shift in donation behaviour, with Canadians donating less or halting donations citing pandemic-related financial difficulties. Additionally, for organizations like Autism Canada their support and knowledge has been more sought after by people and families living with ASD, making it more important than ever to communicate the importance of charitable causes for organizations. 
 
“Although there’s a rising rate of ASD, there is still broad confusion around what it means to have autism,” said Anne Dean, SVP/GM Marketing Solutions at Public Label. “Autism isn’t a single, simple categorical entity, but a complex, inconsistent and individualized experience, which makes it difficult for Canadians to understand. Our goal is to create a greater understanding of ASD that generates compassion and galvanizes Canadians to support the cause, empowering them to change the way they see and experience people with Autism Spectrum Disorder.”
 
The partnership kicks off just in time for the [Au-Some conference](https://autismcanada.org/support-programs/au-some-conference/), which takes place on October 23 during Canada’s Autism Acceptance Month. The one-day event aims to educate through presentations about living with autism created and presented by individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Guest speaker, Eugene Levy, Canadian Icon and Autism Advocate, will open the conference with a welcome and introduction. Public Label is also a title sponsor of the event.
 
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Public Label to clearly define our purpose, especially now as we face obstacles within the current charitable climate,” said Barbara Patten, Executive Director of Autism Canada. “While overall donations have decreased, needs are still prevalent. Requests for support increased by 44% amid the pandemic, making donor support as critical as ever. Raising awareness of ASD will ultimately improve the lives of all individuals on the Autism Spectrum and their families.”
 
New work for Autism Canada will be unveiled in 2022.

&nbsp  

**About Public Label**&nbsp  
Public Label is a North American creative marketing agency. Made up of an inspired group of enthusiasts from all corners of the marketing world, Public Label’s mission is to help brands recognize and align with consumer motivations and cultural movements. Public Label identifies cultural trends, taps into what people already believe in, and builds stronger brand affinity and loyalty. This results in action that drives conversion, ultimately leading to brand growth. For more information, visit [www.publiclabelagency.com](https://www.publiclabelagency.com/).

Autism Canada Partners with Public Label for Brand Relaunch

mtp-news-autism-canada

For VSA employees as well as those we recruit, we’ve adopted a long-term hybrid model that allows people to define their way of working in the way they want. This means that VSAers can work from anywhere in the United States—home, office or anyplace in between. Working from anywhere gives VSAers the option to find time to work alone, join others for office-based collaboration, or meet up as needed for small-group moments and client meetings. We’re also hiring with geographic “neutrality”—pursuing the best talent wherever they may live. 

Aaron Heltsmith, VP of Talent Experience, states, “We think having a workplace option matters most these days. Employees benefit from human interaction and the need for a change in scenery from time to time. And VSA benefits from a diversity of experiences and perspectives that come from seeing and participating in the larger world.”

In this hybrid strategy, we see our offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco as a flexible, accessible network of workspace hubs for employees to use as needed for work and interaction with colleagues. For more information, [visit the VSA Careers page](https://www.vsapartners.com/careers).

Recruit From Everywhere and Work From Anywhere

VSA-news2

[Ripple](https://ripple.com/), the leading provider of enterprise blockchain and crypto solutions that are faster, more transparent and more cost-effective, today announced a $250 million fund to provide creators with the financial, creative and technical support needed to explore and craft premium non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other tokenization projects on the [XRP Ledger](https://xrpl.org/). 

The heightened interest and boom in NFTs globally has introduced new revenue streams and business models while deepening the mainstream’s relationships with the communities, people and things they care about. However, when it comes to creating state-of-the-art NFTs, many creators face barriers to entry—including the fear their NFTs won’t sell and a lack of understanding when it comes to navigating NFT concepts. Developers, meanwhile, are often burdened with high transaction fees and clunky user experiences on marketplaces or platforms. 

While digital art and collectibles have quickly captured public interest and popularity, the utility of NFTs goes far beyond these use cases. By providing creative and technical support to a diverse array of marketplaces, creators, artists and brands, Ripple’s creator fund seeks to enable longtail use cases for tokenization—for example, interactive experiences and fractional ownership.

Ripple is teaming up with innovative NFT marketplaces and creative agencies who recognize the potential of these unique tokenized assets and, as part of the launch, will have first access to the fund. Together, Ripple’s creator fund and its partners are accelerating the evolution of NFTs while eliminating the pain points associated with crafting compelling projects:

- [Mintable](https://mintable.app/)—“Everything we do at Mintable centers around accessibility, and it’s time that we look at that holistically—creators of all disciplines and backgrounds need to have access to equal opportunities in the space,” said Zach Burks, CEO of Mintable. “There are so many untapped opportunities within the constantly evolving NFT ecosystem, and we’re excited to be deepening our partnership with Ripple to support their creator fund in order to encourage greater growth in the industry.” 

- [VSA Partners](https://vsapartners.com/)—“NFTs have been a source of huge excitement for creators, enabling new ways to build communities and meaningful brand equity,” said Sarah Lent, CMO of VSA Partners. “It’s clear that when creators and brands are deliberate with their NFT campaigns, it will have a long-lasting impact on their customers, partners and the larger community. As a premier partner of the creator fund, VSA can help brands and artists think through the entire ecosystem of brand-building experiences— the community of fans to engage and deploy the strategic guidance and storytelling needed around NFTs to generate brand value.” 

- [mintNFT](https://mintnft.com/)—“MintNFT is honored to be selected as a key partner to build the next-generation NFT 2.0 experience leveraging the XRP Ledger to connect fans with premium brands, content owners and talent around the world,” said James Sun, founder and CEO of mintNFT. 

“While NFTs have opened the door for a tokenized future, actually navigating these concepts is a different ballgame for many,” said Monica Long, GM of RippleX at Ripple. “By starting with marketplaces and creators, our fund seeks to take the guesswork out of NFT projects to unlock unexplored tokenization use cases on the XRP Ledger.”

Minting NFTs on the XRP Ledger will enrich the experience for creators seeking new ways of monetizing their works. For developers, the XRP Ledger’s innate performance advantages—speed, low cost and built-in [royalties](https://xrpl.org/transfer-fees.html#transfer-fees)—make it ideally suited to drive NFT utility at scale, and without the need for Layer 2 protocols. Library support is also available to simplify NFT integrations and bypass direct XRPL development. The XRP Ledger is a [decentralized](https://xrpl.org/decentralized-exchange.html), open-source blockchain. Its built-in, [decentralized exchange (DEX)](https://xrpl.org/decentralized-exchange.html) provides fast settlement for tokenized assets of all types—including NFTs—while its Federated Consensus mechanism eliminates gas fees and is 120,000 times [more efficient](https://xrpl.org/impact.html) than blockchains that rely on proof-of-work validation. 

For more information on Ripple’s creator fund, visit [www.ripple.com/creatorfund](www.ripple.com/creatorfund).

VSA Joins Ripple on $250M NFT Creator Fund

ripple-news

VSA Partners, the hybrid brand strategy and design agency, has led the brand transformation of AMRI, a leading contract drug manufacturing organization, emphasizing its ability to take drug development “from curiosity to cure.” That’s the core positioning and tagline VSA developed as it’s transformed the company to Curia. The new rebranding effort rolled out last month. AMRI, which began as Albany Molecular Research, Inc. (AMRI) in 1991, tapped VSA Partners to handle the assignment, which the agency turned around in a little over six months. Its brief involved simultaneous strategy and design processes that addressed naming, messaging, brand identity, a website overhaul, environmental branding, sales enablement, social media and advertising. 

“Given the importance and emerging challenges of scaling drug discovery and manufacturing today, this was an exciting project for everyone at VSA,” said Joe Nio, head of strategy and analytics for VSA. “We tapped our Promise to Performance&reg; methodology to discover unmet needs where the industry wasn’t serving customers fully and helped identify unique segments within Curia’s target audience. The results, we believe, position Curia well for today’s fast-changing and demanding pharmaceutical landscape.” 

For development of the new name, Curia, VSA relied on its proprietary naming process, said Mike Walsh, VSA’s Client Engagement Lead. The origin was an early Roman word that means “a gathering of minds.” 

“It has a lyrical quality that also alludes to the promise of medicine,” Walsh noted. 

The new logo utilizes a stylized molecular icon to form the dot in the lower case “i” in “Curia,” which links the mark to the previous AMRI brand identity. 

“In a category where playing it safe has led to a sea of sameness among competitors, we created a bold expression system that balances scientific expertise with respect, and compassion for the human lives we impact,” said Thom Wolfe, Executive Creative Director, VSA Partners. 

“What impressed us about VSA from the start was their ability to quickly get smart on a complex business,” said Kerry Hutchings, Head of Global Marketing at Curia. “The combination of strategic thinking and creative execution has helped set Curia up for success.”

Curia, formerly AMRI, is a leading contract research, development and manufacturing organization providing products and services from R&D through commercial manufacturing to pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical customers. Curia’s 3,100 employees at 21 locations across the U.S., Europe and Asia help its customers advance from curiosity to cure. Learn more at [CuriaGlobal.com](https://curiaglobal.com/).

VSA Partners leads AMRI brand transformation to Curia

curia-news

Leading sales, merchandising and branded retail agency [Match Retail](https://www.matchretail.com/) is proud to announce that it has been recognized as a Great Place to Work&reg; in Canada. 

The agency received this certification after a thorough and independent analysis conducted by Great Place to Work&reg; Institute Canada. Certification is based on direct feedback from Match Retail employees, as part of an extensive and anonymous survey on corporate culture and the workplace experience, which received a 78% participation rate from employees.

“This recognition is for all of us at Match Retail to celebrate,” said Vanessa Schnekenburger, Managing Director, Match Retail. “We truly believe that we have the best employees and we are committed to continuing to put our people first.” 

Nancy Fonseca, Senior Vice President of Great Place to Work&reg; Canada, says that a great workplace is about the level of trust that employees experience in their leaders, the level of pride they have in their jobs and the extent to which they enjoy their colleagues. “Our data shows that great workplaces benefit from stronger financial performance, reduced turnover, and better customer satisfaction than their peers. What’s more, work environments with trust at the foundation are ripe for innovation, agility, resilience and efficiency,” Fonseca said.

The recognition comes at a time of significant growth for Match Retail, driven by new business wins and expanded capabilities, including an exciting training and development offering that was recently unveiled for client partners. 

Schnekenburger added: “Certification is just the first step towards understanding how our employee experience stacks up to the best companies. We will use the results and employee feedback to keep improving our agency and implementing initiatives that will inspire our people and grow our culture even further.”

Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes Canada’s Best Workplaces in a series of national lists including those published by The Globe & Mail (Canada) and Fortune magazine (USA). Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks, framework and expertise needed to create, sustain and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. Visit us at [www.greatplacetowork.ca](https://www.greatplacetowork.ca/en/) or find us on Twitter at [@GPTW_Canada](https://twitter.com/GPTW_Canada).

Match Retail Certified as a Great Place to Work in Canada

match-news2

A new integrated global campaign for Mānuka Health serves to raise awareness for the many natural benefits of its rare mānuka honey line.

Launching this month, this first global campaign by VSA Partners for the brand looks to educate consumers on the complex differences and natural potency of mānuka honey, and to position Mānuka Health as a supportive partner of those on the lookout for ways to improve their health and wellbeing.

The campaign, featuring bold typography and an optimistic palette of highly saturated warms and cools, will deploy in cross-device display ads, leveraging custom data segments, mobile interstitials, social media, online video and digital out-of-home to communicate how Mānuka Health’s natural mānuka honey line offers more than just a way to sweeten tea and toast.

Inspirational copy lines such as “A Spoonful of Seize the Day,” “Nature Up, Game On,” “A Honey as Potent as Your Potential,” “Stack Your Wellness Bench With New Zealand’s Finest,” “A Daily Dose of Get It Done” and “Meet Your New Wellness Wingman” convey motivating, confident yet relatable messaging on how the brand’s natural mānuka honey can help consumers as part of their daily health and wellness regimen.

“This isn’t just any honey, so we wanted the creative to have a look and tone that reflects how great this product makes you feel,” said Evan Thompson, Creative Director, Writer, VSA Partners, based in Chicago. “The bright colors, layering and bold type all help to give Mānuka Health an ownable point of view in the crowded health and wellness space.”

“The power of Mānuka Health honey is in its natural potency, and this campaign is about giving people the confidence to embrace their true nature and live to their full potential,” said Anya Saikkonen, Global Marketing Manager, Mānuka Health. “We are delighted to work with VSA Partners to help educate consumers on the benefits of our special natural product in a vibrant and approachable way.”

The special honey is made from the nectar of the native mānuka plant, and is highly valued for its distinctive natural properties. It’s also rare, originating only from New Zealand and produced just a few weeks a year—weather permitting—when the mānuka plant is in flower.

Mānuka honey is a delicate resource that requires careful handling and processing to ensure its special natural properties are retained during the extraction and packing process. Unlike most suppliers, Mānuka Health owns the full process from hive to jar, from its 20,000 beehives to its own extraction and processing facility and in-house quality testing laboratory.

The campaign is the first global work for the brand by VSA Partners since the agency won the account in January. Additional strategic design and communications initiatives are in the works for rollout later this year.

[Mānuka Health](https://www.manukahealth.co.nz/en-us)’s purpose is to “re-nature people” for the betterment of health, communities and the planet. Inspired by the knowledge that New Zealand bee products hold special and unique health properties, Mānuka Health is driven by a desire to use science to understand and harness these unique natural products, share their potential and help re-nature our world. Today Mānuka Health is made up of a growing team of dedicated specialists (about 1.5 billion bees and 140 humans) who carefully craft and nurture its mānuka honey, propolis, royal jelly and New Zealand gourmet honey to capture the living energy of New Zealand nature.

VSA launches new integrated global campaign for Mānuka Health

manuka-news

VSA Partners, the hybrid brand strategy and design and communications agency headquartered in Chicago, has appointed Sarah Lent as its Chief Marketing Officer. The announcement was made by VSA President Anne-Marie Rosser. 

Sarah is a veteran marketing executive with over 20 years’ experience in developing business solutions and unlocking growth opportunities for clients through brand, digital innovation, design, communications and media. Lent will spearhead VSA’s growth efforts, including business development, marketing, media relations, brand leadership and content creation.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, Lent has worked across 4 continents and brings to her position at VSA a deep passion for taking emerging technologies coupled with world-class creativity in order to contextualize them in the real world. She is fueled by looking for the leap-frog moments of change and taking clients on the journey—something she has quickly proven in her short tenure at VSA by the partnership she secured with Ripple as the premiere creative partner for their $250m NFT Creators Fund. 

Sarah has held a number of senior positions at agencies all over the world, including running growth across the US for Essence, the performance media agency that’s part of Group M, and for the EMEA region while at R/GA, a leading global digital innovation, design and communications agency. 

Prior to R/GA, Lent spent seven years with Interbrand, serving in client-facing and leadership roles in the UK, South Africa, and the US. Over the course of her career she has led teams working on a range of global brands across categories, including Disney, HP, Cisco, Adobe, LVMH, Ikea, Siemens, Diageo and more. 

Lent states, “We live in a noisy and highly transactional world. Every second, a different voice urges brands to pivot to a new type of content, dive headfirst into emerging forms of media, and monetize each trend while simultaneously creating the next one. Brands can no longer compete on convenience or ease of use—technology is the equalizer, not the differentiator. This is why I am so excited to be joining VSA. As a hybrid brand strategy, design and communications agency, VSA has the unique capability to help brands stand out from the clutter by creating better human experiences at key moments of impact, which in turn yield loyalty and social capital. VSA approaches each challenge with the rigor of a management consulting practice, coupled with world-class storytelling and design, ensuring everything that we deliver is applicable and contextualized in the real world, delivering substantial impact for the long-term. Brands don’t need help making more noise. They need a partner, like VSA, to help them rise above it.”

With a strong commitment to social causes and activism, Lent most recently served on the Board of Directors for Infinite Family for seven years, an organization built to connect teens across townships in South Africa with video mentors working to integrate confidence and self-reliance as they prepare for their lives as young adults and beyond. She resides in Marin County.

VSA Partners Appoints Sarah Lent as Chief Marketing Officer

sarah-lent

Creative marketing agency Public Label has announced the appointment of Erica Calhoun, who joins the agency as Senior Vice President and Head of Experiential, working across the agency’s highest-profile accounts, such as Moët Hennessy, Ford Bronco, Adidas, BRP and Progressive, among others.

Reporting to Brian Kittelson, Public Label’s EVP Brand Strategy and Commercialization, Calhoun will oversee the agency’s experiential practice in the U.S. and Canada. Her responsibilities include managing client relationships to drive retention and growth; leading, managing and mentoring project teams; and providing integrated solutions for IRL, digital and hybrid experiences for both B2C and B2B clients. She joins as a member of the agency’s leadership team, where she will play an instrumental role in the development of Public Label’s business and culture as well as helping lead DE&I initiatives.

“Erica’s passion for motivating teams, paired with her impressive track record working with iconic brands on breakthrough creative experiences, is an unmatched skill set,” said Kittelson. “She is our captain of experiential, a leader who is able to empower others, influence change and achieve actionable results. We’re incredibly lucky to have her on board.”

Calhoun has over 20 years’ experience leading strategic, best-in-class marketing strategies for clients. Prior to joining Public Label, Calhoun was vice president of account management at MKTG, a global lifestyle marketing company and part of the Dentsu Aegis Network, where she also served as the Experiential division’s chairperson of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council. Throughout her 14 years at MKTG, Calhoun was consistently recognized as a top achiever while earning industry awards: Ex Awards, Pro Awards and Sports Business Journal Awards, among others. She has designed multimillion-dollar marketing strategies, and provided leadership to a large portfolio of top brands and properties, including DAZN, Bulgari, Amazon, Facebook, PepsiCo, Wells Fargo, Major League Soccer, AT&T and Canon. 

“It is such an exciting time for experiential marketing and navigating how we, as marketers, will create the fertile space for brands and consumers to connect post-COVID,” said Calhoun. “I love to build and grow, and I see enormous opportunities to do both at Public Label. Once I met this team of passionate creatives, innovators and tinkerers, I became even more energized. I look forward to working with our portfolio of client partners to create the kinds of disruptive, creative experiences that motivate consumers to act.”

Calhoun started her career on college campuses, deeply involved in the realm of collegiate events and sports marketing as she was completing graduate work at both Missouri State University and Arizona State University. From there, she was recruited to be one of the founding contributors of launching the WNBA during the league’s inaugural season (1997) and made history by becoming the Phoenix Mercury’s first public relations director. In her role, not only was she building a new future for female athletes everywhere, but she touched all aspects of marketing, from sponsorship, media relations and community relations to consumer journeys, merchandising and retail. She learned how to build a community, which she would go on to leverage throughout her career.

Calhoun later joined Mauldin Brand Agency in Atlanta, GA. While there, she helped establish the branding division and led marketing efforts for major clients, including NASCAR, Nextel, Craftsman, BET, So So Def Entertainment, Atlanta Worldwide Touring, Wendell Scott Foundation, Columbia Records, Def Jam Records and AEG.

Calhoun attended Missouri State University as a Regent Scholar and track and field scholarship athlete, and received a BA in public relations/communications and a master’s in communications/rhetoric while also serving as assistant track and field coach and chair of the NCAA Campus Compliance Committee. Calhoun was named Athlete of the Decade for the Gateway Conference and was inducted into the Missouri State University Hall of Fame for her tremendous success in outdoor and indoor track and field. Calhoun then went on to pursue a second graduate degree, a master’s of social work (MSW), from Arizona State University. 

Currently, she serves on the board of WISE NYC Metro (Women in Sports and Events), a nonprofit organization focusing on networking, education, industry thought leadership and career growth for women in the business of sports, and also serves as its chairperson for program events, overseeing key events and working with the board to ensure the organization’s objectives are met.

Calhoun added: “I am blessed to be a strong storyteller and I can thank my mother and father for that. In this business, we are building experiences and creating memorable moments for brands, but it all starts with a story.”

Public Label Appoints Erica Calhoun as SVP, Head of Experiential for North America

calhoun

Ryan Macor has been named VP Business Development for [Match Retail](https://www.matchretail.com/), a leading sales, merchandising and branded retail agency. 

In his new role, Macor will be responsible for leading growth initiatives for the agency. His primary focus will be representing the agency in Canada and unlocking new opportunities across the Canadian market, with a future goal of expanding Match Retail’s reach into the U.S. He will report to Vanessa Schnekenburger, Managing Director, Match Retail. 

“We are thrilled to have Ryan on board to help drive growth in the Canadian market,” said Schnekenburger. “He’s a proven leader and trusted client partner who is able to build strong and lasting partnerships within every level of an organization. His unstoppable energy and entrepreneurial spirit are exactly what we need to take Match Retail to the next level.”

Previously, Macor was at Toronto-based Influence Marketing, where he was director of experiential and digital marketing. There he led clients like Corby Spirit and Wine, Twisted Tea, Onlia Insurance and HoMedics Canada, and managed the national “Truly Canadian” tour for Moosehead Breweries, which increased purchase intent by 15 percent. Macor also launched Xbox Live into Canada with a national sales and merchandising campaign. With Sony, his team of account managers carried a sales quota and were responsible for the bestselling mobile handset in Sony’s history. 

Over his 20-year career, Macor has managed teams in a variety of roles, including merchandising, sales, direct to consumer, experiential and digital. Agency management is in Macor’s blood as he founded sales and experiential agency, Firsthand Marketing, in 2006. The agency worked with CPG brands on a national scale, including Telus. At Firsthand, not only was Macor credited with growing the agency over the course of 11 years to 50 full-time employees, but he also pioneered world-class experiential work for clients. He was behind the Canadian launch of Telus TV and its in-home suite of services. 

Macor’s experience also extends into the hospitality and restaurant sector. From 2012 to 2018, Macor was president–owner of 101 Hospitality in Vaughan, Ontario, where he operated multiple food and licensed establishments in a franchise system averaging over $2.5 million in yearly sales per location. During this time he doubled sales by utilizing long-term strategic planning and delivering a consistent guest experience that exceeded brand standards.  

“As we all prepare to return to normal, Match Retail is well-positioned for some big wins,” said Macor. “For all the clients we serve, we have the ability to leverage the powerful thinking our agencies were founded on, while creating a new path of innovation that builds from cultural movements.”

Ryan Macor Joins Match Retail as VP, Business Development for Canada

macor

South Dakota’s city of Sturgis, best known for its annual [Sturgis Motorcycle Rally](https://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/)—the largest motorcycle rally in the world—is spreading its wings with a new look and feel that represents the future of the rally while immortalizing its heritage as it ushers in a new wave of riders.

Created by our in-house creative team at Public Label, the [rebrand elements](https://gdusa.com/news/fresh/sturgis-motorcycle-rally-spreads-its-wings) include a flagship logo that serves as the universal symbol of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, two evolving subsidiary logos intended to mark the 81st and 82nd annual events, and a new tagline: “The Ride. The Roar. The Rally.”

“Baby boomers largely shaped current rally culture but are increasingly putting their kickstands down for longer or permanent periods,” said Eric Moncaleano, ECD, North America at Public Label. “With Gens Y and Z driving modern motorcycle culture, we wanted to find a way to rebrand the rally with the right balance of nostalgia and inclusiveness so that it appeals to all age groups and rider types. The result is a modern and simple brandmark that celebrates the rally’s roots with an eye toward the future that we believe will propel this iconic brand and festival forward.”

The new logo is infused with meaning. The open wings symbolize freedom. The “S” found within the icon represents the winding roads throughout the Hills and also the community of Sturgis. The wings double as exhaust pipes, and the lateral lines denote the cooling fins of a cylinder. The mark also resembles an eagle, with its head facing forward (the future) and its tail backward (the past), connecting the generations of rally-goers with open wings.

“Sturgis is the largest and most famous motorcycle rally in the world with an amazing legacy and landmarks like historic Main Street, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse National Memorial and Devil’s Tower Monument,” said rally director Jerry Cole from Sturgis. “It’s a rider’s dream. The new brand identity Public Label created represents freedom, the American spirit, the Black Hills and motorcycles. We’re thrilled to have partnered with them to help bring this vision to life as Sturgis soars into its next 80 years.”

The logo will be used on all print and digital materials, as well as merchandise for the rally, including future partnerships and co-branded items. The 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place August 6–15, 2021.

City of Sturgis Unveils New Brand Identity for Motorcycle Rally Created by Public Label

sturgis

In this episode of [The Voice of Retail™](https://www.retailcouncil.org/the-voice-of-retail-podcast/) podcast, Michael LeBlanc delves into the world of in-store merchandising from the agency perspective with Vanessa Schnekenburger, Managing Director at Match Retail. This innovative Canadian company is helping brands and retailers alike execute on-shelf and in-store, so it’s a great opportunity to tap into Vanessa’s experience and wisdom about the state of brick-and-mortar retail.

Listen to the podcast from [Retail Council of Canada](https://www.retailcouncil.org/podcast/exploring-the-state-of-in-store-merchandising-and-modern-retail/).

Exploring the state of in-store merchandising and modern retail

In celebration of Women’s History Month, our very own Anne Dean has shared her story and path to leadership as part of REEL 360’s REEL WOMEN series. Anne is an inspiration to our team and a true example of excellence in leadership.

She is a client-focused leader who translates broad strategies into clear business objectives and action plans that drive brand growth in both regional and global marketplaces.

Prior to joining Public Label, Anne spent 20 years at global brand development, activation and deployment company SGK, where she held a variety of leadership roles, most recently as VP, Brand Deployment, Americas region.

At SGK, Anne was also a Founding Co-Chair of Matthew’s Women in Leadership, where she created a network to support the attraction, engagement and development of women in leadership positions to raise awareness and support diversity in the workplace.

A true believer in the power of the right talent team, Anne is focused on nurturing and developing a culture that is built on trust, collaboration, diverse thinking and creative curiosity.

Read Anne’s full story in [REEL 360’s REEL WOMEN series](https://reel360.com/article/reel-women-public-label-gm-svp-anne-dean/).


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