Wieden+Kennedy is the canonical independent creative agency of the modern era. Founded 1982 in Portland, built the campaigns that defined modern brand marketing — Nike "Just Do It," Old Spice, ESPN, Honda "The Cog." The 43-year Nike relationship demonstrates what selecting an agency actually looks like.
Time's 2019 Person of the Year choice was a masterclass in engineered controversy — polarized audiences, dominated two news cycles, and forced a legacy brand back into cultural relevance. Here's how it worked.
Two decades running a 200-person firm. The leaders who hold both well-liked and well-respected build organizations that compound. The ones who hold neither don't get the chance to find out. Ronn Torossian on what builds loyalty — and what burns it.
"Organic" used to mean appearing in search results without paying for placement. In 2026, organic means being cited by the AI engines without paying for placement. The 2019 SEO fundamentals held up. They are no longer sufficient. The Generative Engine Optimization layer sits on top.
Facebook has executed one of the more substantial recent corporate communications pivots across recent quarters. The Cambridge Analytica fallout, the NYT "Delay, Deny, Deflect" investigation, the Congressional hearings, the $5 billion FTC settlement, and the broader "privacy-focused vision" pivot. How the pivot has performed across different audience categories.
Carol Cone built a career around purpose. Her principles — authenticity, employee buy-in, leadership behavior — are the ones brands still get wrong.
The idea of measurable goals in marketing is hardly a foreign one.
Nike — $51.4B revenue, 400M+ app members, Just Do It at 38 years. The five layers of the brand, the AI visibility gap in running, the Elliott Hill reset, and the full EPR Nike cluster index.
Industry trends are pointing to a shift in the dynamic between client and agency.
Bayer moved its digital media buying in-house across 2018-2020, saving tens of millions and redirecting the dollars into digital execution. The cost story ran in the trade press. The control story mattered more. The account, the broader in-housing pattern, and the hybrid model that settled around it.