Sherri Levy

New York Ave’s brand strategy is thought up and designed by humans, not A.I. We begin by getting to know your customers, industry, and mission. Then, our team builds a roadmap that guides our continuing work to disseminate branded content among your audience. Lastly, there are several steps in the process to ensure that every message is infused with strategy that traces back to your primary objectives. This is not a B2C, B2B, or B2B2C process…it’s P2P, person-to-person. Partnering with New York Ave means talking with people who understand people and thus, have the unique ability to formulate messaging so that it clicks. Let’s talk: https://buff.ly/4cPQM28 #NewYorkAve #FullService #MarketingAgency #DigitalMarketing #CentralFlorida #BrandDevelopment #WebsiteDesign #SocialMediaManagement #EmailMarketing #MediaProduction #SEO #SearchEngineOptimization #ManagedMarketing #OutsourcedMarketing #MarketingServices

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With all the CDs/ECDs/CCOs getting laid off, there's no one left to mentor the younger creatives in our industry. And they are dying to learn, grow and make work. In fact, some are willing to moonlight for free just to get opportunities to do just that. I have creatives regularly reaching out and asking if I have anything they can work on. And occasionally, I get projects that are low budget but high opportunity. So I offer the opportunity. I say, "There's no budget for freelancers, but if you want to toss ideas into the pitch, etc. And your idea sells, I'll use the budget we win to fly you out to be on the shoot." That way, there's a reward— a piece of produced work for your portfolio. I've had FT employees at big agencies, recently graduated students and young freelancers pitch in ideas, write scripts, design ads, etc. And I've worked along side them. Mentored them. Pushed their thinking. Crack jokes. Pushed more. Then work odd hours with them to build the pitch. It's a lot of extra work but it's worth it to give them the opportunity to do stuff they're agency or boss won't. Then I've invited them to be on the call during the pitch to watch how their work is presented, how to sell work and how to push the client without making them feel like we're being difficult. And this has led to them getting produced work for their portfolio. And on projects that we didn't win, they got the hands on mentoring they wish they could be getting at their agency or future gig. All of this has taught me three things: 1—The desire to make good work is still thriving in the industry even if there's not a lot of good work being made. (Is it fair to say: "We produce PDFs more than work?" Or, "We fill decks with our best thinking then can't present or defend the ideas in a way that leads to the best ideas getting made? Or is that just me being too cynical?) 2—These creatives are dying for someone to mentor them. To show them how to be successful at this crazy fun business we get to work in. I've heard from multiple creatives as we work, "I wish my CD would do this." Or "This has been so much fun." Or "The experience alone was so worth it." This is great to hear but also it makes me sad. 3—There's so much more than titles and money that you could be offering your creatives to keep them happy and loyal to your agency. Or attract new creatives to your agency when you need to staff up. Offer them mentorship. Offer them experience that they get stiff armed out of because they're junior. I tell creatives, "Any time a client is willing to invest money to make ANYTHING, is an opportunity to make something good/fun/rewarding." (I intentionally didn't include "award-winning" in that list.) I wish I could do more to help. This lack of mentorship tempts me to go back to agency life just to help young creatives love this industry as much as I do. For now, if I can help you in any way, reach out. I give what I have and for now, it's time. #Stayhungrymyfriends

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Gaming + Brand Experience = building authentic worlds for fans and communities to experience better. Check out all the ways Jack Morton Worldwide see the future of gaming experiences evolving in the latest 5 in 5!

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For brands, the highest honor, and greatest reward, is irrational love. The benefits are many. People are more likely to forgive you, pay more for your products, stay loyal when new competitors emerge and they'll instantly want your product...no. matter. what. As we dream up the next INNOCEAN USA, building and measuring irrational love for brands is critical to our mission. And the person at the heart of this is Cindy Scott, author of the Ad Age article below.

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More and more people are downshifting from ad-free to ad-supported memberships across multiple streaming platforms as Americans grapple with their household budgets. A good demographic to target with economic messaging these final days as Facebook enters the restriction period... "Crucially, Netflix saw momentum in its ad-supported membership tier, which jumped 35% quarter over quarter. While Netflix doesn’t expect ads to become its primary growth drive until 2026, it said the ad-tier accounted for over 50% of sign-ups in the third-quarter in countries where it’s available." https://lnkd.in/eW95ntYM

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Not every creative can do every kind of creative. And that's a good thing. As a young writer, I saw the campaigns that would come out of Wieden + Kennedy and think, "Dang, that's great writing." Imported from Detroit. It's amazing what you're capable of. Find Your Greatness. Strike. (Even their new Winning Isn't For Everyone.) All of them extremely well written and inspiring and envy inducing in the best kinds of way. And while working on brands like Ram or Coke or Samsung or Target, I would try so hard to write like that but I always felt like it was a cheap knock you find on Temu. Even when my scripts sold and the clients LOVED them, I was always meh about the finished product. It took me years of failing to do this kind of writing and be this kind of writer to accept that that's not my style. I don't enjoy writing big poetic emotional manifesto anthem spots. (Which is good because clients don't ask for them much any more.) Sure, I can think of those kinds of big ideas, but when it comes to writing dialogue, it takes me an excruciatingly long time to land a VO I think could compete at that level. And it's not fun for me at all. I think I've done one or two I can say I'm proud of. (Look at the LeBron Samsung or Jeep SB spot I worked on.) Then one day, it hit me. I get comedy. Like many writers on LinkedIn, I did stand up in NY. I taught and performed improv comedy in NY, VA and UT. I still perform improv comedy regularly at ComedySportz Theatre. I get funny story telling and scene work. I like, no I LOVE to write funny ads. Not those slapstick infomercial spots you see coming out of Utah, but insightful and smart humor that connects people to products. So that's what I do. And that's what I get called to do. It's humbling to say this out loud. And even now as I write this I'm like, "You could do totally do that kind of writing. You're good enough to be a writer at WK." But that's my pride talking. To which I say, "Shhhh. It's okay. You're not gonna get asked by WK to write a Nike Manifesto. You'll be okay....shhhhhhhh...." The reason I'm sharing this is maybe you're struggling to figure out what kind of creative you are. Maybe you're trying to do something you're not good at and don't enjoy doing. Maybe you need to find peace in the truth that that's not you and that's okay. So if you're stuck on this excruciating wheel of creative self discovery, don't get off. Change the direction. Work to find out what kind of creative you are. Work to find out what kind of ads you ENJOY making. Then go forth and slay. You many need to make less money. Or have a lower title. But you'll be happier, I promise. And eventually, you'll get hired to do more of what you love. Or you'll get booked when agencies or brands need something you can deliver. It might not be every gig, but the ones you get, you'll love doing. In the mean time, let's watch this ad together and go, "Dang, that's great writing." #stayhungrymyfriends

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Someone said that I was on a quest to be on every cap table in the industry. It is true that I have found my way on to a few but have never had any that have exited. Not super focused on it; It is a bad way to live. In the past, I have worried a lot about when this or that company was going to exit. But I now try really hard to be all "one-day-at-a-time" and "accept the things you cannot change" about the various equity pieces. I have a lot of sleepless nights, and it is a regret of mine. At one point, I gave myself a panic attack and had to consciously shift my thinking. Cautionary tale. Moving on. When starting companies, I have been part of teams where we wanted to build something that we thought clients would very much want, was hard to replicate by large companies in the space and required extreme domain expertise. Neither of the tech companies that I helped found were "built-to-sell" as their primary focus. They are technology/product companies where there are real assets that would be hard for someone to duplicate. However, I have observed that if your company survives in AdTech, you have a strong technology, and you are not too big (a very experienced founder told me sub-300MM in valuation), you likely get bought; otherwise, you have to take the leap and go public. I think this dynamic is part of Aperiam's success. They have a higher probability of exits, but at more modest valuations. I think this is a very smart model. Not zero to one, but zero to .6., but they have had some power law type exits. Let's see if anyone from there corrects me. I can think of a few cases where companies have not sold or gone public, and the founders are operating solid companies. And that is why you don't build to sell. You could be operating the company for a while and you don't want to get burned out and angry that you are stuck with something that is worth a lot but can't exit. Regardless, I would be up for an M&A surge.

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It’s hard to believe that I first became a Creative Director 25 years ago - time flies. But from the very start, before becoming a CD, I learned a few things and gained some knowledge along the way, all of which helped me sustain my career and helped me to be a better Creative Director. Here they are. 1. Getting to know the business from the top down, from the start. 2. Seeking out mentors and advisors. 3. Learning the rules so that I could confidently break them. 4. Studied the work of those who succeeded in the industry and then forged my path. 5. Learning how to be patient. 6. Being a sponge for inspiration and knowledge. 7. Asking questions, always. 8. Realising that an ego is not a great copilot. 9. Managing fear. 10. Taking risks is worth the risk. 11. The importance of having a trusted posse. 12. Working overseas away from my comfort zone was a great move. 13. Trusting my gut and becoming a good decision-maker. 14. Accept my mistakes and failures. 15. Doing workshops, training, and courses. 16. Finding great collaborators. 17. Accepting that I was not the only one to encounter self-doubt &/or imposter syndrome at times. 18. Not allowing a comfort zone to dull my creative mind. 19. Saying yes to opportunities. Even the ones that scared me. 20. Taking time out. 21. Ignoring critics. 22. Not taking myself too seriously. 23. Celebrating my wins and better understanding my losses. 24. Having fun along the way. 25. Never working for anyone I couldn’t have a long and enjoyable dinner with. {Disclaimer: I failed twice at this, but I soon learned from my mistakes.} To celebrate recently hitting 25,000 followers on LinkedIn I am offering 25 coaching sessions of 125 minutes each which can be used any time over the next 2.5 months all for a very discounted price. Offer ends Oct 2 at 5 pm. Yes, I get carried away with numbered themes - welcome to my mind. Contact me for more details and  to secure your spot - [email protected] ✳ Note: there are only 19 spots left of the 25. ✴ Oh, and if it's Creative Director Coaching you're looking for, I have spots available now. #creativedirector #creativecoach #creativity

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< WHEN GIANTS COLLIDE, INDEPENDENTS RISE > The news of OMNICOM and IPG merging is shaking up the ad world. And while the ad worlds needs to be shaken up, it looks like they're doubling down on established thinking that bigger is better. We disagree. Bigger's not better. The world is moving faster. And they just got slower. Of course it's not without its advantages. I'm sure they're listed in a deck somewhere. But while the headlines may focus on size and scale, let’s take a moment to celebrate something they can’t replicate: The soul of independent agencies. We're fuelled by passion. Driven by people. And racing toward a better place, not a bigger place. Independence isn’t just a business model. It’s a mindset. It’s about having the freedom to take risks, the courage to speak truth, and the agility to change when the world demands it. They aim for dominance. We aim for relevance. And in this ever-changing marketing world, relevance beats scale every time. Here’s to every scrappy, creative, and unstoppable independent agency out there. Keep proving that size matters less than spirit. And if you're a client who feels like you just got one more layer between you and your expectations, give us a call. Church+State and our partners at Substance would love to chat.

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As an icebreaker in a recent dance class, we were asked to say our names in melody or rhythm. The result? Momentary embarrassment followed quickly by the freedom of play (shoutout to my freestyle+ play maestros) - but more than anything, an instantaneous and lasting memory of all 20 classmates' names. Is this not the power of sonic branding? Veritonic's recent study revealed that "64% of podcast listeners report feeling more connected to a brand when it has a sound identity as opposed to brands that only have a visual identity." The neuroscience holds up as our brains are wired to connect melody to memory, but brands are slow to prioritize "sound and feel" in their identity and awareness strategies. Now, this study started with listening behavior to begin with - polling podcast listeners about, well, listening. But the direction is still (ugh pun intended) sound... Podcast hosts are even taking sonic branding into their own improvised hands - Dax Shepherd's greatest gift to ZipRecruiter was creating that "get recruitin'" melody in each podcast ad, Busy Phillips did the same for Foria (with an homage to "Gloria") - perhaps creating more actual brand recognition and value than any testimonial could. SO. Brands, like my fellow awkward dancers, may follow the same trajectory: momentary embarrassment (I need a jingle in 2024?!), the freedom of play (yes, yes I do), and invaluable lasting memory. I mean, does Gen Z even know how to spell b-o-l-o-g-n-a?! https://lnkd.in/gd2seDCG

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Coachella: a cautionary tale for brands. Despite its star-studded lineups and passionate attendees (we see you, Taylor Swift!), the festival recently hit a sour note with a record-breaking lack of interest. Over the years, Coachella went from music fest to brand extravaganza. Brands, eager to be 'cool,' splurged on everything from art installations to VIP parties, reaping short-term benefits and boosting Coachella's visibility as a marketing benchmark. But nothing lasts forever, and now they're facing the music. What does Coachella stand for today? What legacy has it created? Without clear guidelines for partnerships, space usage, and participation - letting people use it the way they saw fit - Coachella's brand has been diluted away. Brands, take note: protecting your equity goes beyond logos. Comprehensive guidelines should cover employee conduct, decor, and partnership strategies, ensuring a cohesive brand experience. Coachella can bounce back, but it will take deep reflection before next year's lineup announcement to reclaim the essence that made it special to begin with. #Coachella #Brand #BrandExperience

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Important read for all of us:

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"Chaos asks questions of you order never will" The wonderful Colleen DeCourcy retells her experience working with Dan Wieden when she took over as Chief Creative Officer at Wieden+Kennedy Her immediate response to me asking about working with Dan was this quote about chaos. We have a natural reaction against chaos because it can be destructive and unsettling but what if we reframed it as a necessary condition for achieving something truly breakthrough 🌪 Chaos propels you forward while order maintains the status quo 🌪 Chaos creates leaders while order creates managers 🌪 Chaos demands a response while order delays it 🌪 Chaos reveals the cracks while order papers them up 🌪 Chaos forces ownership while order delegates it 🌪 Chaos fosters creativity while order fosters compliance 🌪 Chaos requires trust while order replaces it It got me thinking whether there is an optimal mix of Chaos and order required to achieve breakthrough ideas and momentum? We spend most of our time creating order but what if what we actually needed was an injection of chaos? To hear more from this episode check out the links in the comments John Kearon Kerry Collinge Orlando Wood

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Embracing AI is essential for staying competitive and driving innovation. It enhances efficiency, uncovers new opportunities, and transforms how industries operate. A mindset of adaptability and learning ensures organizations can harness AI’s potential to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world.

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This is yet another proof that AI is here to stay. Robert Zemeckis' latest feature film is at the same level of content quality as all his other movies but with the added exponential enhancement of storytelling and visual narrative through Generative AI. Training their models with factual actors' historical information delivers a de-ageing process like no other; Metaphysic.ai continues to break ground! I can't wait to see this film. It already feels like another excellent, feel-good tearjerker. 😎 #MetaphysicAI #GenerativeAI

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Today's marketers are turning to nontraditional advertising formats to garner consumer attention, thanks to a highly fragmented marketing environment where mass media moments are few and far between. Mother New York strategist Evan Giordano sums it up nicely: "You can’t rely on advertising around a piece of culture anymore and expect that anyone and everyone will see it, because they won’t.” #Marketing #NontraditionalFormats #MarketingTrends

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Everything Gavin Bridge says here about the opportunity for FAST (Free Ad Supported Streaming TV, eg Tubi) is why streaming platforms are a partnership and ultimately exit opportunity for MakeLoveNotPorn, because our 'human curation layer on top of the internet' offering represents the partner/investor Holy Grail - how to monetize sex, safely: 'FAST services shouldn’t shun brand extensions from adult brands, especially given the interest in the genre and their higher than average adoption of FAST. .. At the end of the day, capitalism will ultimately see that the most money to be made is made, and it is for reasons like this that I think what’s outlined here will happen sooner than later.' https://lnkd.in/etq9KYJe

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I'm a big believer in the power of Pattern Recognition, and here is a Pattern that I often find myself Recognizing: Things change SLOWLY, and then RAPPIDLY. For example, when I started consulting for talkshoplive® just a few years ago, the majority of marketers and media companies were either unaware of the potential of live-stream shopping and / or they misunderstood it and dismissed it. But Bryan Moore knew exactly what the potential - and power - of this new form of social-commerce was. So much so that talkshoplive® is to live-stream shopping what Apple is to tech, Google is to search, Meta is to social, Netflix is to streaming, and X is to turning 44 billion dollars in venture capital into 25 dollars in cash... But I digress. As Variety summed up today's amazing announcement, "NBCU’s massive reach paired with the power and scale of TalkShopLive’s multi-embed point of sale technology is truly a game-changing partnership for what the future of video commerce and bridging the worlds of entertainment and retail together looks like, by making every moment shoppable. This partnership is transformative for talent, brands, and retailers looking to reach new customers and drive sales.” In other words, if you SUDDENLY notice all of your favorite brands, retailers, and talent are collaborating on shoppable, shareable, irresistible content... thank Bryan Moore for that. Lord knows I do.

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Conquering your fear of flying solo is just the beginning. So many more fears to squish. Crib Notes: Not flying solo was the answer. Thanks ADWEEK for the feature. #adweek #advertising #marketing #startuplife #creativeviolence

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