San Francisco indie TBD hires Intel creatives Leila Moussaoui and Sara Uhelski
San Francisco-based agency TBD announced the appointments of Leila Moussaoui and Sara Uhelski, art director and copywriter, respectively.
TBD in San Francisco made its first two hires, creative team Sara Uhelski (l.) and Leila Moussaoui. / TBD
The pair have previously worked together for several years in San Francisco at Intel and Pereira & O’Dell. Both, their new agency said, “bring a shared history of creativity to TBD’s growing team, furthering the agency’s global mindset.”
Moussaoui, a native of Morocco, began her career at Pereira & O’Dell as an art director, where she initially met Rafael Rizuto who was a creative director at the time. The two worked closely together on projects for brands such as the Ad Council and Airbnb. As a member of Intel’s in-house creative team, Moussaoui was instrumental in developing Lady Gaga’s 2017 Super Bowl halftime show. The choreographed aerial performance used 300 Intel 'Shooting Star' drones to light up the sky and was the first-ever drone integration during a televised event. At TBD, Moussaoui will oversee the conception and creation of meaningful projects and bring her global brand experience to the team.
Uhelski, also an Intel alum, worked on projects such as Conflict Free, a partnership between Intel and YouTube influencers which highlighted the company’s commitment to sourcing conflict-free materials to make electronic devices. Like Moussaoui, she also met Rizuto at Pereira & O’Dell where she began her advertising career as copywriter, and has worked with brands such as the Ad Council, Hyatt Regency, 1-800 Contacts and Purex.
Uhelski, who once worked at one of Brazil’s top newspapers, will work closely with Moussaoui on the development and production of creative materials for ad campaigns through the lens of a former journalist.
“Very few agencies are able to seamlessly integrate social impact with creativity in a genuine way, and Rafael does that so beautifully,” said Moussaoui. “Having grown up in Morocco surrounded by countries and people in need, I feel strongly about the impact that brands can have on helping people. We have the opportunity to shape culture and the way people view the world.”
Added Uhelski: “I understand global clients in a way that doesn’t just focus on American culture. I am always looking to create something that is simple but relatable on a universal level. TBD’s vision is inspiring and very in line with what I want to do – solve problems in meaningful ways.”
Said Rizuto, TBD chief creative officer: “Working with Leila and Sara in the past was always a great experience – they have so much to offer in terms of creativity with such unique perspectives and viewpoints. I feel very lucky to have them as part of the TBD team.”