22squared Hires Matthew Zaifert as Its Newest Creative Director

Independent agency 22squared appointed Matthew Zaifert as a creative director. In the role, he will work out of 22squared’s Tampa office across the several of the agency’s key accounts, while reporting to executive creative director Kevin Botfeld

“Matthew is an extremely talented, no ego creative writer, with a breadth of big brand experience. He’s exactly the type of leader and enthusiastic storyteller we were seeking for the growth of our clients and agency,” Botfeld said in a statement. “We’re excited to welcome Matthew to the 22squared family.”

Zaifert joins 22squared from Publicis New York, where he has spent over two years as a creative director, working with brands including Wendy’s, Cadillac, and Samsung. Before Publicis he spent eight years as an associate creative director with BBDO New York, working with such brands as AT&T, Snickers, M&M’s, Footlocker, Autism Speaks, and Mountain Dew, winning several Cannes Lions for his work on Snickers and AT&T. Prior to that he served a short stint as a copywriter with mcgarrybowen.

The Atlanta headquarters of 22squared has also made several additions to its creative department in recent months since promoting John Stapleton to CCO in the same move that sent Botfeld to Florida. Albert Patton moved over from R/GA to run the team in April, and the indie shop hired Bryan Lee (formerly with BBDO Atlanta) as CD last month.

22squared Wins Mizuno USA

Mizuno

Back in January, we learned that Mizuno’s American wing planned to launch an agency review. The impetus for this move was McKinney’s decision to resign the account after three years as AOR, citing the awards they’d won for the work but also mentioning the client’s “limited resources.” Several months before making that decision, the agency produced Mizuno USA’s first national TV campaign, which earned coverage via the dearly departed Stuart Elliott.

At the time, we heard that the footwear company — American headquarters located in Norcross, Georgia, 20 miles from Atlanta  — was taking pitches from local agencies like BBDO. That rumor turned out to be true in a general sense as Mizuno chose the ATL’s own 22squared as its new creative AOR today.

22 will handle everything from creative to buying and social media.

From the press release:

In addition to 22squared’s robust integrated offering, it was also their deep understanding of a challenger brand like Mizuno that helped land the national business…The account will be led by 22squared’s Ed Klein EVP, Executive Group Director.

From agency CEO Richard Ward:

“They were looking for a nimble agency with the ability to effectively blend creative with the many platforms available to reach today’s active consumers, and we look forward to delivering on all counts.”

On the earlier point about limited resources, it’s not yet clear whether the client wants to produce another national TV campaign.

A contact familiar with the matter tells us that, while such a large-scale campaign is very much a possibility, the ultimate decision depends on the agency’s initial creative work for its newest client, which should break sometime in early 2016.

22squared Jumps Cheeseburgers for Krystal

Agency 22squared teamed up with production company Tool and director Geordie Stephens to launch a new campaign for Atlanta-based burger chain Krystal with the 30-second “Cheese Lovers Death Metal Minibike Jump.”

The spot launches features some suburban kids blasting some metal and setting up a bike jump over a pyramid of Krystal burgers. Their resident Evel Knievel sets out to clear the jump and everything seems to be going according to plan, until suddenly it isn’t. Ending with the tagline “Stupid Good,” it’s evident the spot was built around the line with its (intentionally) stupid humor. “Cheese Lovers Death Metal Minibike Jump” is just the beginning of the campaign, as a handful of spots will roll out throughout 2015, presumably featuring similarly lowbrow humor.

Credits:

Client: Krystal
Chief Marketing Officer: Jason Abelkop
Director of Marketing Communication: Angela Johnson

Agency: 22squared
Chief Creative Director: John Stapleton
Creative Director: Curt Mueller
Copywriter: Bobby O’Neill
Art Director: Peter Kehr
Director of Integrated Production: Matt Silliman
Executive Producer: Bryan Jameson
Executive Group Director: Ed Klein
Account Supervisor: Katie Hunter

Production Company: Tool
Director: Geordie Stephens
Managing Director – Live Action/EP: Oliver Fuselier
Managing Director – Digital: Dustin Callif
Executive Producer: Rob Helphand
Producer: Jeff Tanner

Editorial Co.: Cosmo Street
Editor: Tessa Davis

Two ACDs Join 22squared

Today we confirmed that two longtime Atlanta-area associates will work together at a third consecutive agency: Associate Creative Directors Rob Bloom and Ryan Taylor have left Moxie Interactive to join 22squared.

We last heard from copywriter Bloom and art director Taylor when they left their positions at JWT’s Atlanta office for the ACD roles at Moxie just over a year ago.

While at the latter shop, the two both worked on the Georgia Pacific account under current EVP of creative Anthony Reeves; they will now serve as senior creatives within 22’s newly formed content department.

Moving forward, both Bloom and Taylor will report to 22squared EVP/CCD John Stapleton.

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We Hear: Movement on the Ashley Furniture Review

347-02-38-35-Francesca-Sofa-Loveseats-ashley-furnitureMore than a month ago, AdWeek brought you news that national plush couch chain Ashley Furniture had launched a creative review.

Today we heard a couple of things from our sources about that review:

  • Ft. Lauderdale’s Zimmerman, which served as the company’s AOR since 2009, is out

At least two parties remain standing:

Since this isn’t a small account (Ashley is offering more than $50 million in yearly media spending), we expect to hear more on the review soon.

For context, in 2012 the chain chose Ryan Partnership as AOR for the launch of its spinoff chain, literally named “ZZZ’s by Ashley.”

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Lease-to-Own Retailer Promises You’ll Go From Rags to Riches in No Time

Can't afford that furniture, those appliances or those electronics? Sure you can.

Aaron's, the lease-to-own retailer, has unveiled a new ad campaign that suggests leasing products from the company isn't just a wise idea for credit-challenged people—it's the first step toward becoming rich and famous beyond your wildest dreams.

The ads, from 22squared, feature characters—Bobby, Charmony and Emilio—who've become wildly successful, but as it turns out, they once didn't even know the basics of living beyond their means. A fourth ad stars Nascar driver Brian Vickers, who apparently just gets super excited about Aaron's in general.

The theme is "Own the life you want," which is certainly an interesting mix of aspirational and financial—a reminder that, for many, they're one and the same.