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Since 2018, the Ram BandVan program, a partnership between G7 and Ram, has featured and helped a variety of up-and-coming artists who’ve gone on to grow their fanbase and perform on bigger stages. From solo artists to trios playing a variety of hits, the Ram BandVan has been able to help these artists along their journey. Most recently, singer-songwriter Ashley Cooke got behind the wheel of the ProMaster BandVan for a leg of her tour schedule.

PRWeek has unveiled its 2023 U.S. awards shortlist and Praytell is nominated for Outstanding Midsize Agency.

As we close the books on another year, it’s time to take a closer look at the major themes that defined these past 12 months, from the highs to the lows and everything in between. “If we look back at the start of this year, we can see the rise of things like crypto, the secret place where you can get rich fast, or Web3 being the ‘promised land,’” said John Higgins, CEO and cofounder of OS Studios. “When brands heard about the buzz, they wanted to have a seat at the table first or at least make their presence known immediately. Many people believed NFTs would be the next big thing and have a great impact as opposed to the impact they actually have today. The hype for what could’ve been is almost silent now following the many failed metaverse collabs and projects. The past 12 months have been fairly difficult for the metaverse.”

Women We Admire is pleased to announce Top 50 Women Leaders of New York for 2022. We acknowledge these individuals for not only their professional achievements, but also their philanthropic and community efforts. Their contributions span across all sectors and are as diverse as the state itself. This year’s awardees are leading within some of the state's largest industries including financial services, healthcare, professional and business services, manufacturing, education, and more. The list includes Robin Kleban, SVP & Group Account Director, George P. Johnson Experience Marketing. Robin is a Senior Vice President and Group Account Director at George P. Johnson Experience Marketing (GPJ). She has been with the company since 2007, holding various strategic account leadership roles. GPJ is the world’s leading event and experiential marketing agency, and part of the Project Worldwide network. In her role at GPJ, Robin devotes her time to the developing and managing teams that create enduring value for the agency’s clients. She oversees a team of diverse thinkers who believe in the transformative power of human engagement and true relationships. She delivers that ethos through a management style that fosters collaboration, fearless ideation and allowing everyone to show up as their authentic selves. Kleban has three decades of marketing experience across various industries. Before GPJ, she spent 10 years in publishing, including 5 years as VP of marketing at Gannett, Inc. and several years as marketing manager for Film & Video magazine. She is active in several local organizations, including sitting on the board of Dutchess Outreach.

Congratulations to Motive Agency for winning a Clio Sports Award for the "Own Your Ridges" campaign with Ruffles and LeBron James.

Integrated creative agency Darkhorse is celebrating its 10th birthday. The agency, who have offices in Auckland and Sydney, are marking the milestone and reflecting on how they have evolved since their inception. Darkhorse joined Project Worldwide, a global network of 14 agencies with 42 locations across the globe, in 2017. “Joining Project Worldwide has enabled us to access new markets and harness the brain power of our sister agencies,” Hewitt said. “It is a family of exceptional people doing exceptional work, we’re looking forward to a bright future as we explore taking the Darkhorse approach to more markets. "With 10 years under our belt - we’re excited for what the next 10 will bring.”

As electric vehicles enter the mainstream, Volkswagen subsidiary Electrify America is pouring more than $10 million into a campaign that seeks to bring in new EV buyers. “As Seen on EV,” released today, hypes up electrification by playing on TV show tropes ranging from Western to reality, where a contestant lists the qualities of a car as if it was a true love. Execs framed Electrify America’s campaign, created by the brand’s agency of record Praytell, as “brand neutral,” including keeping a distance from its owner VW’s brands.

Best Livestream Tourney: DoorDash, Battle of the Brands Sept. 24-25, Twitch OS Studios, Wavemaker, Edelman. This year, Twitch streamers tuned in to a two-day melee Battle of the Brands, hosted by esports broadcaster Chris Puckett, where 10 of their favorite players took up arms in defense of a variety of national QSR chains. Playing on the MultiVersus battleground, the participating brands (including Dunkin’, KFC, Taco Bell and Wendy’s) duked it out in round-robin and then double-elimination tournaments. More than 25,000 Twitch streamers tuned in to see the last round, where Chili’s got business done. “Everyone gets super loyal and passionate toward restaurant brands, and it's a hoot to watch the rivalry—like KFC swearing it's better than McDonald's,” said John Higgins, CEO and chief creative officer of the gaming agency OS Studios. “Battle of the Brands was the first to address this culture as an actual fan base while using the incredibly interactive Twitch platform.”

GPJ has been working on high-profile launch events with Gulfstream for years. In 2021, when Gulfstream had not one – but two – new aircraft to launch, they looked to past successes and once again selected GPJ to help bring their evolving innovation story to life. They were confident that GPJ would quickly onboard and partner to create an industry-leading customer launch event. Not one for following standard industry trends, Gulfstream asked GPJ for a bold and creative solution – a hybrid solution – for this launch event, which would increase the reach of the event beyond the physical location at their Savannah, Georgia world HQ to a global audience. Working closely with the Gulfstream marketing team, broadcast partner NOMOBO, and sister agency Spinifex Group, GPJ designed, built, directed and broadcast Gulfstream’s worldwide show reveal of the all-new Gulfstream G400 and Gulfstream G800 aircraft LIVE to both in person and virtual audiences.