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July 14, 2024

Praytell hires Ketchum's Sean Flynn to co-lead sports practice

Praytell has hired Sean Flynn as SVP of its new sports practice. Flynn joined Praytell this month, reporting to CEO Andy Pray. He will lead the practice, which has 10 staffers, alongside SVP Stephanie Shambo. Flynn will also play a central role in supporting the sports, gaming and entertainment initiative of Praytell holding company Project, which brings people from the network together in a “one agency” approach, Flynn said. Most recently, Flynn co-led Ketchum’s sports practice as SVP. He worked for the Omnicom Group firm in various roles since first starting there in 2009, but left for a brief stint working on global consumer PR at Netflix between 2017 and 2018.

Image Credit: Skims, Gatorade, Nike, Dallas Stars, Adidas

July 12, 2024

Top Sports Marketing Campaigns of 2024

In yet another example of how 2024 is shaping up to be a landmark year in the world of sports, sports marketing was one of the leading trends at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. With no shortage to choose from, Ad age polled experts from the Amp community on the year’s best sports ads thus far. "The campaign that stands out most for me this year has been Adidas’ ongoing launch of Anthony Edwards’ signature shoe, the AE1. Despite Edwards’ fame as an up-and-comer, it’s obvious that Adidas recognized early on that mainstream audiences might not yet be familiar with the rising NBA star. And even those who knew his name didn’t really know him yet. And so the campaign felt as much like an introduction to Edwards himself—a promising talent on the brink of superstardom—as it was a shoe release." —Casey Null, director of strategy, Wondersauce

Image shows Wondersauce CEO John Sampogna

May 23, 2024

Key Takeaways from TV Upfronts 2024

Once upon a time linear and digital media lived in separate kingdoms, vying for separate opportunities and budgets. But during this year’s upfronts—which featured both Amazon and Netflix making their first in-person upfront presentations—the gates were thrown wide open to bidders across platforms. With seemingly boundless options for advertisers to choose from, agency leaders say brands should stay focused on reaching the right kinds of viewers. “We strongly advocate for brands to prioritize a media channel that allows them to tell their story,” said John Sampogna, co-founder and CEO of Wondersauce. “Over the last five years, brands have been so focused on direct response and lower-funnel conversion tactics that their marketing lacks a brand story, making it nearly impossible for them to stand out in such competitive and saturated platforms like Meta and Google.”

May 12, 2022

AGENCIES: Thursday Stir

Smashburger is urging people to “Smash It” in everything they do. In a campaign from Partners + Napier, a woman in front of a really big screen calls out relatable moments in life when the path to least resistance may not be the best, such as wearing pajama pants to the grocery store. She also states that sharks deserve more than a week and bacon is a national treasure, while demanding people eat a better smashed burger, like the one from Smashburger.

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April 28, 2022

How Hybrid Events Have Evolved—and 9 Ways to Prepare for What's Next

Focus on the experience first and foremost. Scott Kellner, senior vice president of sales and marketing for global experience marketing agency GPJ, thinks many people are actually approaching hybrid events backwards. “They begin with the technology and craft their plans based on what that technology allows them to do,” he points out. “Instead, clients need to have a firm grasp of what success looks like—in terms of metrics, brand affinity, brand awareness, etc.—and then design the experience, including the technology, to achieve the goals. In other words, the platform is not the experience. The platform is one tool for delivering the desired experience.”

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January 5, 2022

Gaming and eSports Agency OS Studios hires Wayne Leonard as Head of Accounts

Gaming and eSports agency OS Studios hires Wayne Leonard as head of accounts. Leonard was most recently vice president, account director for gaming and esports at George P. Johnson Experience Marketing. Earlier in his career, he was part of the production team that launched the first PlayStation. At OS Studios, Leonard will be the liaison between the agency and such clients as Twitch, Nexon, Konami and eMLS. OS Studios CEO John Higgins said that Leonard has “an extremely rich and expansive history in gaming activations in North America.”

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December 23, 2021

Gaming and Esports Agency OS Studios Connects Sailors Across the Globe With the Power of Gaming

Gaming and Esports Agency OS Studios, a member of the Project Worldwide network, is delighted to announce the return of the Navy MWR Esports tournament series. The series kicked off earlier this year, as Navy MWR personnel (morale, welfare and recreation) were looking for ways to connect Sailors while avoiding physical contact during the height of the pandemic.

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