ADWEEK BRAND STORYTELLING AWARDS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Global Chief Content Officer
The first Global Chief Content Officer in Mediabrands history, Gaul is responsible for identifying and managing strategic content opportunities across Mediabrands' extensive agency portfolio in 12 of the company's key global markets. Gaul also leads Mediabrands' new Content Studio (MBCS) and is Co-Founder and Global President of Mediabrands' new indie development and production entity, TRAVERSE32. In that capacity, he oversees development, acquisitions, and distribution of original narrative and unscripted branded content projects for the company around the world. Previously, Gaul spent 14 years as Chief Content Officer at Mediabrands' agency, UM, and Head of UM Studios. His most recent projects under the UM Studios banner include OSO (about the founding family behind global luxury jewelry brand TOUS) on Amazon Prime and the 2020 IFC Films' award-winning theatrical and TVOD / Hulu released Christmas documentary, DEAR SANTA, which Gaul produced for the U.S Postal Service. Called "one of the most wonderful films of the year" by legendary movie critic, Richard Roeper, DEAR SANTA has earned eight Telly Awards - including the coveted People's Telly - and was named Best Feature at Tribeca X, among other recent notable accolades. Gaul is also responsible for the critically acclaimed documentary, 5B, about the heroic nurses who put their own lives on the line and founded the first AIDS ward in the world. Produced by Gaul and co-directed by Oscar winner Paul Haggis and Academy Award nominee Dan Krauss, the 100% Fresh film, which was commissioned by Johnson & Johnson and acquired and distributed by RYOT/Verizon Media, was the first brand-funded feature film to ever premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, and earned the Entertainment Lions Grand Jury Prize at Cannes Lions, which also marked the first time an agency has ever won the category. The movie also received a Clio Grand, a One Show Gold Pencil, and is now part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art.
Carol Cain is the Principal and Founder of the branding, communications, and social media marketing agency Brave World Media. Carol's media outreach and communications work is inspired by her time as an award-winning travel blogger with a global social media audience as @GirlGoneTravel. Before then, Carol had firmly established herself as an expert in public relations and communications, a career she has worked to build on for over 20 years. She has invaluable experience working in social media marketing, media outreach, campaign and marketing strategy, brand messaging, and crisis management. Her work is also inspired by her commitment to diversity and inclusion, long before these became marketing buzzwords. When not working to impact the media and marketing industries in positive ways, Carol volunteers her time as a Spanish-language interpreter for asylum seekers detained in the U.S.
Job Titles:
- Chief Creative Officer, NA
James accidentally stumbled into advertising while acting in very bad Japanese commercials while living in Tokyo. He parlayed this "experience" into a 20-year award winning career at agencies like Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Venables Bell & Partners, 215 McCann and the Martin Agency. As the ECD of Momentum NY, he is responsible for all creative output for Verizon, American Express, Walmart, SAP, and more. He lives in New Jersey with his wife (also an award winning creative), 2 daughters, a 110 LB dog and very little free time. He's happiest writing about anything but himself.
Job Titles:
- Group Creative Director
- Group Creative Director / BUCK
Jenny Ko is a Group Creative Director (GCD) at BUCK, a creative company that values collaboration and works with brands from all over the world to make inspiring work for all mediums. She has been at the shop for over a dozen years and works out of its Los Angeles office. Ko was born in Seoul Korea, but has lived in Los Angeles most of her life. She graduated with honors from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, where she has also taught. Ko specializes in strong, visual storytelling informed by her unique style and sense of humor, and she cites the early-20th century design movement Bauhaus, mid-century architecture and music videos as some of the inspirations for her creative vision. At BUCK, she has directed award-winning work for Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon and Airbnb. As GCD, she leads a team of creatives that can vary for each assignment. She also serves as a mentor for those in her department. She's mindful of inclusivity and offers contributors at all levels the chance to do presentations, so they can shine.