Campaign Chemistry

When Dani Mariano joined Razorfish eleven years ago, the agency playbook looked very different. Today, she finds herself writing an altogether new one. With clients chasing market share and AI’s ever-growing influence on collaboration and creative work, Dani describes how she’s moving Razorfish forward with smart, adaptable strategies.

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And the winner is...Uncommon Creative Studio.

In this episode of Campaign Chemistry, the Campaign team took a special field trip a few subway stops away to the NY headquarters of Uncommon Creative Studio to clink champagne glasses with its co-founder, Nils Leonard, celebrating the agency's recent win as Campaign's Agency of the Year in the US. Leonard discusses the innovative projects that have defined their brand, like the New York Fashion Week viral sensation Rat Boot, and the journey of starting the UK-based agency after leaving his successful tenure at Grey London. He discusses the state of creativity in today's world, along with the lessons learned and the principles that guide Uncommon's work.

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For AKQA founder and former chief executive Ajaz Ahmed, leadership is about one thing: being a decent human being.

On the latest episode of Campaign Chemistry, Ahmed opens up about his WPP departure, the cultural cost of bureaucracy in holding companies and why this is a “golden era” for independent agencies. He shares more details around his latest venture, Studio.One, and how he’s leaning on his lived experience and career lessons to build for what’s next. Ahmed also weighs in on the current Cannes Lions scandals surrounding fabricated award-winning campaigns and it reflects a bigger misalignment in the ad agency world.

The sound bite

“Incentives within holding company structures often prioritize awards over client ROI or satisfaction — and that misalignment drives the wrong behaviors.”

The takeaways

1. Indie agencies are having a moment.
2. AKQA was built for the internet era — Studio.One is built for the AI era.
3. Clients want people, not processes weighed down by bureaucracy.
4. The algorithm is not a replacement for the human spirit.
5. Holding companies are losing their spark and that’s why talent is flocking to independents.
6. Business incentives that prioritize trophies over ROI and client trust encourage the wrong behaviors.
7. Leadership is about being a decent human being.
8. Legacy isn’t about scale — it’s about impact and the culture you create.

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When it comes to Kudzi Chikumbu’s career success, it’s not just one thing setting him apart.

The creator, author and now podcast host shares his journey from being an accountant to being one of the first employees at Musical.ly before it turned into TikTok and everything in between. After becoming a key player in the creator economy as the head of global creative marketing at TikTok and the creator behind the popular fragrance account, SirCandleMan, the multi-hyphenate has a firm grasp on creating content that cuts through the noise. 

Chikumbu also discusses the evolution of TikTok, the challenges and joys of navigating fame and the importance of having an “offline life.”  He delves into his podcast, 'Not Just One Thing,' which aims to provide a career playbook for those seeking guidance from successful industry leaders. 

Key Takeaways

• Chikumbu played a significant role in TikTok's growth from its early days as Musical.ly.
• The creator economy allows individuals to explore multiple passions and identities online, as seen in Chikumbu’s entrepreneurial endeavors.
• Sir Candleman emerged from Chikumbu’s love for fragrance and storytelling after a shopping encounter in Paris.
• For creators to protect their peace, it's essential to maintain a real offline life.
• When it comes to creating, Kudzi encourages listeners to let go of others' expectations and pursue their passions.
• Taking intentional breaks is crucial for avoiding burnout.
• Chikumbu highlights emerging voices in the fragrance industry like Funmi Monet, who is quickly becoming a force in fragrance culture.

Key sound bite

"Just do it scared."

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In this episode of Campaign Chemistry, Kirshbaum discusses the evolving landscape at the intersection of music and advertising. He highlights the rise of niche artists and "third places," the current state of messiness when it comes to AI and copyright and music festivals like Governor's Ball turning into "brand ball." The discussion also covers successful brand activations during events like Record Store Day and Super Bowl, as well as predictions for 2026.


Key Takeaways
 

1. The music industry, much like the ad industry, is shifting towards niche interests, artists and genres.
2. Vinyl sales are increasing, even among consumers without record players.
3. AI is becoming a tool for artists, not a replacement.
4. Record Store Day has become a significant cultural event amongst beer brands like Dogfish Head and Coors Light.
5. Super Bowl performances can significantly elevate an artist's profile, as seen in Kendrick Lamar's continued rise in mainstream culture.

Key sound bite

"Budweiser's [One Second Ads] campaign didn't move the needle."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Intersection of Music and Advertising

02:46 Trends in the Music Industry

05:31 The Role of AI in Music Creation

08:39 Ethics of AI and Music Rights

11:14 Record Store Day and Brand Activations

14:06 The Impact of Super Bowl Performances

16:44 Future Trends in Music and Marketing

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Join Frank Mazzola, chief creative officer, Real Chemistry; and Alok Gadkar, cofounder, CEO and CCO, Tuesday Communications, to hear stories from behind the jury room door. As members of this year’s Pharma Lions Jury, Mazzola and Gadkar share what it’s like in the room, trends from this year’s awards and how pharma clients can get engaged.

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In this conversation, Adeela Johnson, CEO and co-founder of travel gear brand Béis, shares her journey from being a mom of three to leading the successful D2C brand she co-founded with actress and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell. Johnson discusses the importance of consumer-centric design, the importance of relatability in influencer marketing and what the Béis team learned from its early beginnings that helped the brand come out on top in a post-pandemic economy. Johnson also emphasizes the significance of community engagement and experiential marketing in building brand loyalty, such as the "Béis Wash" pop up event and teases future Béis plans and innovation.

 

Noteworthy quotes

This has been edited and condensed for clarity.

1. On authenticity and brand personality: "[Béis] is authentic to who [founder Shay Mitchell] is and obviously we leveraged her following, but it was much more than that. Her personality became the brand's personality. And that is really hard to do... it's hard to develop a sense of community and a sense of loyalty to a brand when people can't relate to it as much."
2. On founder vision and humility: "[Mitchell] was very clear early on in the brand [stating] 'I don't want this to be Béis by Shay Mitchell.' Very intentionally, which again is very humble for a celebrity of her caliber to say, 'I want this brand to be innovative, to be meaningful, to have purpose that lives beyond me.'"
3. On community-driven innovation: "We had this great vision — it was this huge bag and we gave it to moms in our community and they gave us such tremendous feedback. We changed it before we launched it. And we do that frequently, where we get feedback from our community on color [and needs]."
4. On team passion and grit: "You can't replicate and you can't teach [passion]. You either have it or you don't. And when we recruit, [we] want you to have a million different perspectives. I don't want you to agree with me, but I want you to have grit and passion."
5. On consumer-centric product development: "The goal for us is always to have consumers say, 'that is a function that I didn't know I needed and now I can't live without.' If [we] get that from a consumer, we're doing our job."
6. On community as the next influencer: "Community [is the] next influencer and growing as a trend. We've been seeing that for years and we were founded in that."
7. On transparency and creating behind-the-scenes content: "People want to see behind-the-scenes, relatable content. People want to see art [and they] want to know who the people are behind these brands that [they] want to build a relationship with. It's no longer about transactions."
8. On building brand relationships beyond transactions: "People don't buy a product. They buy into a brand and they buy into a vision. They buy into a community. We leveraged Shay early in the brand to give the brand personality and make it relatable, not just a brand that existed with a bunch of products."

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If you’ve never been to the basement of the Palais, let us set the scene for you. There are dozens of displays of campaigns for each category that show key details and visuals of some of the top work. Attendees can also visit computer labs to watch films and case studies for the campaigns. 

While walking the work, visitors can spot many of the industry’s top creative thinkers and CMOs. During the time Campaign recorded this podcast, we spotted Kory Marchisotto, CMO of e.l.f Beauty, Chad Broude and Megan Lally, CCO and CEO of Highdive, respectively, and Tabata Gomez, CMO of McCormick & Company wandering the floor and looking for inspiration. 

In the Palais basement, Campaign was joined by new 4A’s CEO Justin Thomas-Copeland, Brynna Aylward, CCO for adam&eveDDB North America, Christine Olivas, CEO and chief strategy officer for No Single Individual, and Ciro Sarmiento, CCO for Colle McVoy.

They each walked the work, breaking down several campaigns that they loved, why they worked and in some cases, how they made them.

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What does it take to secure, plan and execute a main stage presentation at Cannes? Christopher Charles, executive creative director at 21Grams, and Fiona Cauley, a comedian with Friedreich’s Ataxia, who recently opened for Nikki Glaser, are fresh from their presentation on the main stage at Cannes. Hear the behind-the-scenes story of their presentation, how it went and what they believe the impact will be for healthcare marketing. 

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Caroline Winterton is steering a new era of integration and creativity at North America uniting distinct agency brands while preserving their unique strengths. Her empathetic, future-focused leadership has driven deeper collaboration, emotionally resonant work, and business growth, with recent client wins like IKEA and Bimbo global and top industry honors such as 2x Grand Effies at the Global Best of the Best underscoring the agency’s momentum. Through it all, she continues to champion creativity as a strategic advantage and compassion as a leadership superpower.

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