NYC picks creative heavy hitters for Mayor’s Creative Council to help inform citizens
In New York City, the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships and Creative Communications unit announced the formation of The Mayor’s Creative Council, made up of some of advertising’s biggest names.
New York City announces formation of The Mayor’s Creative Council
The diverse coalition of executives and creative leaders from private marketing, advertising and media companies will pool their creative resources to help the city more effectively connect New Yorkers to city information, resources and initiatives.
Members of the council will provide pro-bono resources including strategic consultation, creative development and production to bring selected initiatives from across city government to life. Andrew Essex, former chief executive of Droga5 and the Tribeca Film Festival, and current chief executive and co-founder of Plan A, will chair the council.
"Madison Avenue has long been the global epicenter of creative communications, but all that talent rarely gets a chance to give back. It only seemed natural to bring together a diverse collection of the industry's best and brightest to help the great city that gave us a name," said Essex in a release.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said: “The way we communicate with New Yorkers needs to be as vibrant and diverse as the people we serve. With the help of the Creative Council, we will be able reach New Yorkers more effectively, ensuring they know about the city’s most important programs and initiatives."
Susan Credle, chief creative officer at FCB, is one of the founding members of the council.
“FCB is thrilled to join our industry colleagues in lending our talent and creative energy to New York City and the Council," said Credle. "I personally am so excited to see the Mayor’s office realizing the important value of creative thinking when it comes to solving problems and creating opportunities. We look forward to working with the City to communicate issues of vital importance to our fellow New Yorkers across the five boroughs.”
The group has already begun two projects related to public health.
“This new partnership shows, once again, the amazing civic good will that exists across our iconic industries to help New York City and New Yorkers," said Darren Bloch, director of the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships.
"In a city of 8.6 million people – having important information break through the noise is no small task, but with the help of these local experts, the best marketing and communications talent in the world, we’re thrilled to have a new set of tools to help to reach people in every neighborhood with information about vital city programs.”
Other founding members include:
- Michael Bierut, partner, Pentagram
- Tenicka Boyd, senior advisor and director, Color of Change
- Wendy Clark, global chief executive officer, DDB
- Errol Cockfield, vice president of communications, MSNBC
- Dan Gonda, managing director, Droga5
- Gerry Graf, chief creative officer, Barton F. Graf
- Rei Inamoto, chief executive, Inamoto & Co
- Michael Koziol, chief executive, Huge
- Michael Lebowitz, chief executive, Big Spaceship
- Erin McPherson, chief content officer, Verizon
- Susie Nam, chief operating officer, Droga5
- Brett Pulley, executive vice president, Weber Shandwick
- David Sable, chief executive officere, Y&R
- Kwame Taylor-Hayford, co-founder, Saturday Morning
- Natalie Troubh, managing director, Badger & Winters
- Alain Sylvain, chief exeucive, Sylvain Labs
Sylvain said: “As a native New Yorker, I know what it’s like to be frustrated about city government. This is my chance to do something about it. We apply our creative approach to consumers everyday. It’s exciting to now think of them as citizens instead. The power of creativity is tremendous and I applaud the city for this ambitious and visionary effort.”
Jess Matthews, chief content officer of the Mayor’s Creative Communications unit, sees the Creative Communications unit as a transformative step forward for the city.
"Now, some of the world’s brightest minds in advertising and marketing are helping to take our efforts to the next level. This first-of-its-kind partnership with top leaders in the creative industry will ensure that this administration's most critical messages – from services available to rights guaranteed – reach every single New Yorker, regardless of background," said Matthews.