Experiential Executive of the Year
Shelley Elkins
When agency Jack Morton Worldwide created a real-life version of the home in mobile puzzle game Merge Mansion, the client was eager to carry these ideas into its digital space. According to agency global co-president Craig Millon, using a physical activation to develop a flagship product speaks to the potential for experiential to become more than just a marketing silo.
“Instead of being offline or online, [marketing strategy] should be something that flows between the two,” he said, emphasizing that constant access to technology means consumers don’t methodically separate physical and digital experiences. “It’s important to offer a more natural blend of digital and live, because that’s how people live.”
Jack Morton wants its brand strategy to last well beyond a single activation. The agency, which works with clients including Adidas, McDonald’s and Meta, is Adweek’s Experiential Agency of the Year. This year, the global agency saw 30% overall business growth and brought 50 new clients into the fold.
Shelley Elkins, who led the team as senior vice president and executive creative director before moving to NVE Experience Agency in October, is Adweek’s Experiential Executive of the Year. —Emmy Liederman
Check out the full story on Adweek’s Experiential Agency of the Year and Executive of the Year here.
Experiential Brand of the Year
Cadillac
When Cadillac CMO Melissa Grady Dias charged Jack Morton Worldwide to come up with an exhibit for the grounds of the U.S. Open, the agency team immediately did the most logical thing—they split for Las Vegas.
Not to hit the slots, though. “We took a field trip—we went to all the immersive exhibitions there,” said Jack Morton senior vice president Julie Levinthal.
