Blake Marquis | Oct. 30 2020
Twenty Twenty sure has been a rollercoaster of a year for all of us. It’s required adjusting to a new way of working, challenging all that is comfortable, and confirming an unwavering commitment to our clients and each other.
Yet throughout this wild ride, our team has continuously risen to every challenge, going above and beyond their day-to-day roles to help us end this year thriving. And to that end, we are stoked to announce not one, not two, but EIGHT promotions across The Many, and we invite you to celebrate each one of them with us! In order of appearance…
Jorge Andrade, from Associate Director of Design to Director of Design.
How long have you been working at The Many? Six and a half years.
What is your most favorite memory since you started with the agency? I’ve been at The Many for such a long time and have seen it grow, evolve and transform over the years, from a project-based to fully-integrated agency. My greatest memory will always be my first step into the agency. As a fledgling designer, I felt like the smallest fish in the biggest pond. The world was my oyster and growth was limitless. As soon as I arrived, I knew The Many thrived not only on its culture, but through its talent; our people inspire me everyday.
What would you like to accomplish in this new role? I want to continue to scale and mentor our design team as we partner with new clients and organically grow existing ones. We are also taking RFPs from outside the agency-client roster to further establish our expertise and cross-department integration. The Many was started with the pursuit of creating meaningful design, and to leverage all the expertise that an agency possesses, we make informed decisions based on strategic research, analytics from media results, and big creative ideas, rather than simply from a subjective design eye—and I plan to keep pushing that vision forward.
Maria Favela, from Motion Graphics Designer to Senior Motion Graphics Designer.
How long have you been working at The Many? Two years.
What is your most favorite memory since you started with the agency? There are so many favorite memories to choose from, from bonding over late night work sessions to casual happy hours. But I have to say, the first day I walked into the old office during the Mistress days, and remembering how excited I was to be part of a great group of people, definitely stands out as one of the best.
What would you like to accomplish in this new role?
To grow as a leader and keep pushing the Motion team forward.
Svetlana Kornilova, from Senior Project Manager to Associate Director, Project Management.
How long have you been working at The Many? Two years.
What is your most favorite memory since you started with the agency?
My favorite moment was around a magical Christmas, and we were working on Social for a very fun project with Santa that had to go live just before he was leaving to make his Christmas Eve journey—the timeline was very precious. But as I was packaging the approved files, I noticed a typo in the animation!!!! OMG! Santa had left the building and the post was going live at 7am. So I made some calls, and the only person who wasn’t already slumbering, waiting for Santa, was a copywriter. So I picked her up and we went back to the office to fix the typo. Imagine a copywriter and project manager fixing animation! But combining our knowledge of After Effects and some Googling and YouTube tutorials, we made it and met the deadline. This is one of my favorite things about The Many, people are up for the challenge, passionate, and feel responsible for the full project and never say, “It’s not my job.” ❤️
What would you like to accomplish in this new role?
I want to make The Many famous for its strong Account/Project Management team so that when people hear that you’re a Project Manager at The Many, it’s a guarantee of quality and an exceptional learning experience.
Miguel Lopez, from Junior Accountant to Accountant.
How long have you been working at The Many? One year and three months.
What is your most favorite memory since you started with the agency? My fondest memory would have to be when it all started—my very first day at The Many. Right off the bat, I could see that this place was special. The energy in the building formed feelings of enthusiasm, happiness, and I could generally tell that every individual here oozed brilliance in their respective field. Honestly, I was intimidated because I didn’t think I could measure up, and assumed I might come across a bunch of individuals with egos. To my surprise, everyone ended up being so humble, warm, lovely, and kind-hearted! Those feelings quickly went away and I automatically felt like I was always a part of the family! My first day, also coincidentally ended up being karaoke night and I got the rare opportunity to witness the partners sing their hearts out to all kinds of music and the likes of Biggie Smalls, Sublime, and Queen. After that, I knew I had found my home!
What would you like to accomplish in this new role? In my new role, I will help streamline our procedures and become more robust in my knowledge of our financial forecasting functionality. I want to continue to become a full-fledged financial liaison between our underlying subsidiaries, our Brand, Media, and Production departments. I hope to master what I’ve learned from my mentors and eventually pass down my knowledge to all of our future juniors.
Conner Needham, from Social Innovation Associate to Junior Art Director.
How long have you been working at The Many? Two and a half years.
What is your most favorite memory since you started with the agency? This is such a hard question to answer! The agency culture is beyond amazing, especially around the holidays. But alas, I have to choose—I loooove Halloween, so I would have to say seeing how the agency goes all out for this one, in particular, is quite the sight to behold. Taking client calls in costumes is the best thing in the world. Last year, I won “best costume” for staying in character ALL DAY with my rendition of the “Mother Of The Year, Karen!” I’ve even brought her out a few times in quarantine to lighten the mood. At the time, I didn’t realize how much attention Karen would be getting in 2020.
What do you hope to accomplish in your new role? In my new role, I want to continue to push boundaries creatively and make some badass, award-winning work!
Madison Merhoff, from Project Manager to Senior Project Manager.
How long have you been working at The Many? Two years and three months.
What is your most favorite memory since you started with the agency?
There are way too many favorite moments to pick just one! But it’s the everyday moments that I love. Looking down from the loft at the old office and seeing everyone lined up for our weekly catered lunch where everyone is smiling and chatting, or coming in on Halloween and hysterically laughing at costumes of “Old Town Road” or the infamous “Amir and the Projector” meme…those are the memories that stand out to me. It’s all of the little things that bring everyone together that make us The Many.
What would you like to accomplish in this new role?
In my new role, I’d love the opportunity to manage a Project Coordinator. I have such memorable experiences learning from all of my previous mentors, and I hope to pass on valuable knowledge and help set them up for success!
Kylie Wu, from Brand Director to Senior Brand Director.
How long have you been working at The Many? Five and a half years.
What is your most favorite memory since you started with the agency? I have so many fond memories to choose from, but walking into our new office on the Pacific Coast Highway for the first time felt like it was the first day of school. Seeing how excited everyone was and feeling so proud of the journey we’ve all been on to get to this next stage was definitely a special moment.
What would you like to accomplish in this new role?
I look forward to continuing to lead our teams forward in creating amazing work that we and our clients can be proud to be a part of.
McKenna Petri, from Media Planner to Senior Media Planner.
How long have you been working at The Many? One year and one month.
What is your most favorite memory since you started with the agency?
My favorite memory is my first week in the new office! It was so much fun exploring the new space, trying out all the new spots to work (cafe, library, outside), and taking in the gorgeous views and sunsets.
What would you like to accomplish in this new role?
I have been incredibly lucky to work with amazing managers and mentors to get to where I am now. In my new position, I am hoping to refine my team management skills so that I can be as great a manager or mentor to someone else.