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

[CEO Tim Ringel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-ringel/) told [Meet The People](https://www.meet-the-people.com/)’s story and discussed his fascination with code, growing and selling agencies, and all things advertising on “[Rockstar CMO](https://rockstarcmo.com/)” with host [Ian Truscott](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iantruscott/).

We look forward to the next one, diving deeper into people-centric entrepreneurship and the perks of staying authentic when building a business.

Thanks for having us, Ian! [Have a listen](https://rockstarcmo.com/172-the-see-your-icp-backstage-with-tim-ringel-from-meet-the-people-and-there-are-3-eyes-in-this-cocktail-episode/).

​​Tim Ringel Featured on ‘Rockstar CMO’ Podcast

MTP Global CEO Tim Ringel alongside "Rockstar CMO" logo

10 - Ringel_Rockstar CMO

Tim Ringel, Global CEO and Founder of [Meet The People](https://www.meet-the-people.com/), shared his expert insights on the value of centering the satisfaction and well-being of both employees and clients in his editorial for [Brands Journal](https://brandsjournal.com/).

“Marketing is all about people—brand professionals working with agency consultants to deliver thoughtful and targeted communications that inspire customers,” Tim wrote. “And as such, it’s time for holding companies to embrace this principle in their acquisition practices or risk alienating the very people they’re trying to reach.”

For more from Tim on how we can start valuing people again in this industry, [check out the full piece](https://brandsjournal.com/putting-people-at-the-center/).

Tim Ringel Talks Putting People at the Center

MTP Global CEO Tim Ringel, cross-armed and smiling, stands in a brightly graffitied alley with "Putting People at the Center" superimposed.

8 - Ringel Putting People at Center

We are proud to celebrate the brilliant redesign [VSA Partners](https://www.vsapartners.com/) recently completed for [Invenergy](https://invenergy.com/)—the leading privately held developer, owner and operator of sustainable energy solutions.

VSA partnered with Invenergy to create a website that better showcases its global portfolio and end-to-end clean energy expertise so that it can make an even bigger impact.

Congratulations to the team at VSA: Abigail Williams, Amber Dunk, Brett Wilkes, Clayton Harper, HoJo Willenzik, Jerry Stiedaman, Jess Sochol, Kristin Cella, Morgan Itterly and Thaddeus Ternes.


VSA Unveils New Website for Invenergy

Wind farm with Invenergy logo and "Innovators building a sustainable world" superimposed.

7 - Invenergy_Innovators building sustainable world

Few would disagree that an agency’s greatest asset is its people. [Tim Ringel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-ringel/), ad veteran, serial entrepreneur and one of the founders of Meet The People, is on a mission to ensure that an improved work culture is front and center for ad agency employees.
 
Tim sat down with [Deborah Malone](https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-malone-ab5897/) of [The Internationalist](http://www.the-internationalist.com/) to discuss the evolution of the ad agency, as well as how a better employee experience leads to stronger work and greater efficiency for clients.

Find out what it means to be the world’s first people-centric agency group and why today’s agencies and holding companies must change on [The Internationalist Marketing TV (IMT)](https://youtu.be/24oAV5bh4z4) or the [Trendsetters](https://www.spreaker.com/user/12164524/ts-ringel) podcast.


Tim Ringel Featured on Trendsetters Podcast

MTP Global CEO Tim Ringel, seated, alongside the logo for The Internationalist

6 - Ringel_The Internationalist logo

VSA CEO Anne-Marie Rosser was recently included in a Forbes roundup of 20 business leaders who shared the most important lessons their employees and peers have taught them.

Here’s Anne-Marie’s:

[Read her expert advice](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/06/08/how-to-accelerate-your-business-during-a-downturn/?sh=cb04cf0219c1)!

Anne-Marie Rosser in Forbes: “How to Accelerate Your Business During a Downturn”

VSA Partner CEO Anne-Marie Rosser, seated, with her left arm outstretched, alongside the Forbes logo

5 - Rosser_Forbes logo

Tim Ringel recently shared his insights on what the future can look like for holding companies.

With his industry expertise and his position as Global CEO of Meet The People, Tim breaks down what can improve the outlook for holding companies in [his “Meet The Moment” newsletter piece](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/reimagining-agency-holding-company-tim-ringel).

Tim Ringel Is Reimagining the Agency Holding Company

MTP Global CEO Tim Ringel in front of a graffitied wall, alongside "Reimagining The Holding Company"

3 - Ringel Reimagining the Agency Holding Company

Congratulations to [Match Retail](https://www.matchretail.com/) for once again being recognized as one of Canada’s “Best Workplaces in Retail & Hospitality”! This honor comes only a few months after Match was named one of the “Best Workplaces Managed by Women” in April.

After an independent analysis of employee feedback from hundreds organizations conducted by [Great Place to Work® Canada](https://www.greatplacetowork.ca/en), only 25 retail and hospitality organizations were awarded this distinction in all of Canada.

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.

Congratulations again to everyone in the Match family!

Match Retail Recognized by Great Place to Work in Retail & Hospitality Category

Match Retail leadership alongside graphic for Great Place To Work "Best Workplaces in Retail & Hospitality Canada 2023"

2 - Match_Best Workplace_Retail-Hospitality

— 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

Exciting news for our family of agencies! [Public Label](https://www.publiclabelagency.com/) welcomes two award-winning leaders to its creative team, ushering in an innovative new era.

Please join us in welcoming… 

- [Bruce DeFrees](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucedefrees/), Executive Creative Director, coming to us with over 20 years of creative leadership experience with brands like E&J Gallo, Coca-Cola and M&M Mars
- [Emil Filip Czarnowski](https://www.linkedin.com/in/emil-filip-czarnowski-4a1a72119/), Group Creative Director, who will lead the team with over 15 years of experience in strategy and design for brands like Pepsi, Nestlé, Diageo, LVMH and Heineken

[Read more about Bruce and Emil](https://marcommnews.com/public-label-strengthens-creative-expertise/). Congratulations to the two new leaders!

Public Label Adds Two New Creative Directors

Bruce DeFrees and Emil Czarnowski alongside "Creative Leadership" and the Public Label logo

1 - New CDs_Public Label_DeFrees_Czarnowski

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

vsa_partner_promotions-01

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

blands-vs-brands-youtube_2880x1620

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 

meet_the_moment-01

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

public label_it list-01

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 

mtp_interns-02-01

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

match retail_best places to work 2022-01

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

muse creative awards-01

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

graphis awards-01

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

qiibee_coca cola-01

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

ana tim ringle quote-01-01

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

adweek att-01

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

ai digital-01

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

fashion is your business-01

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

VSA-social-sharing-generic_847faa7e56

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

NFT_leadspace

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

adomni

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.

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**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

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