Another TV upfront season is winding down, and following the pattern of previous years, NBCUniversal is the first company to close its TV upfront talks.

Today, the company told ADWEEK it had the “highest ad sales volume” in its history, with record sales commitments overall and its largest digital upfront. The growth was fueled by sports and live events, which included the addition of the NBA, as well as the growth of Peacock.

NBCUniversal did not disclose details around total dollar volume or CPMs (cost per thousand viewers reached). This is the third consecutive year that NBCU didn’t reveal CPM details. Last year, a source said the company was “very happy” with where pricing landed after it drove “modest growth across its portfolio.”

The company last disclosed its total dollar volume in 2022, when it said it had secured more than $7 billion in commitments.

According to NBCUniversal, its three major February tentpole events—the Milan Cortina Olympics, Super Bowl LX, and the FIFA World Cup—drove additional record sales to the business for its 2025-26 upfront, surpassing all three of the property’s combined previous benchmarks. The company also reported “record-breaking growth” across key advertising categories within these cultural events.

Though the company didn’t reveal pricing details, ADWEEK previously reported that NBCU had met its cap on the number of Super Bowl spots it was selling in the upfront, and the company is now looking for $8 million for a 30-second unit.

The company noted that it saw record revenue growth across key categories during this year’s upfront, including retail, restaurants, auto, travel, and financial services, which all grew by approximately 12%.

NBCU also reported that advertisers are “increasingly” moving beyond standard age and gender demos, with nearly 60% of investments now transacted on advanced audiences. Meanwhile, NBCU’s programmatic business, which has included sports and live events since 2023, has continued to see strong demand, bringing in nearly $1 billion in programmatic investments alone for the 2025-25 upfront cycle.  

“This year, we went to the market earlier than ever to strategically align our powerful content slate with our clients’ goals,” Mark Marshall, chairman, global advertising and partnerships, NBCUniversal, said in a statement. “The response has been extraordinary, and we are incredibly grateful for our partners’ trust and collaboration. In a year set to redefine industry benchmarks, ad-supported reach remains the most influential force in media – and no one delivers it like NBCU. With a cross-platform strategy supercharged by cutting-edge technology, we’re proud to engage 286 million people monthly – setting a new standard and delivering the most successful upfront in our company’s history.”  

Live programming and Peacock break records

With the inclusion of the NBA this year, NBCUniversal said it delivered its strongest sports upfront in history, adding 20% new clients over last year and securing a 45% year-over-year increase in volume beyond the big three tentpoles. NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, Golf, and USA Network all benefited from the demand for sports, driving new clients and sports commitments for the properties. 

Live events will also be a major focus of 2026 with the FIFA World Cup, which saw Telemundo experience its best upfront to date, which has already exceeded revenue for the previous World Cup with over 10 months until kickoff.

BravoCon continues to be an in-demand event for advertisers, drawing record-breaking interest across all key categories and prompted returning sponsors to commit to larger investments. Bravo has continued to see steady growth over the past five years, according to the company, representing nearly 20% of the company’s entire entertainment demand across broadcast and cable.  

NBCUniversal also saw a resurgence in broadcast across news, sports, and entertainment, with nearly 15% year-over-year growth, driven in part by new opportunities with the NBA. Over a quarter (25%) of NBCUniversal’s NBA advertisers will be new to broadcast this year. 

Peacock, which saw its largest digital upfront in history, drove a lot of growth, thanks to its ad innovations, low ad load, and viewer experience, the company said.

The NBCUniversal streamer saw year-over-year growth, driving over a 20% year-over-year increase, representing nearly one-third of NBCUniversal’s total upfront commitments.

During this year’s upfront cycle, NBCUniversal sold its entire portfolio across linear and streaming under its One Platform banner. Looking to next year’s upfront, the company will continue to represent domestic Versant advertising inventory, including CNBC, E!, Golf Channel, MSNBC, Oxygen, Syfy, USA, and digital platforms.

Sound the Sirens. It’s awards season yet again, and the Emmys are almost here.

Today, What We Do in the Shadows’ Harvey Guillén, Running Point’s Brenda Song, and Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego helped reveal the Television Academy nominations for the 77th Primetime Emmys, and streaming services continued to dominate.

Among the top highlights, The Bear was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series again, HBO and HBO Max continued to rack up numbers, and Apple TV+ broke its own record.

See ADWEEK’s biggest takeaways from this year’s nominations:

Streaming services are on top again

At this point, it may not be a surprise that streaming services have dominated the Emmy nominations once again. While Netflix led the way last year with 107 nominations, HBO and HBO Max dominated all platforms with 142 nominations for shows such as The Penguin, The White Lotus, The Last of Us, and Hacks.

Netflix came in second this year, with 121 nods for shows like Adolescence, Sirens, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and Black Mirror. However, it seems that Apple TV+ has emerged as a serious contender, with Severance scoring the most nominations at 27.

Meanwhile, Disney+ and Hulu also had strong showings with nominations for Only Murders in the Building, Paradise, and Andor.

The Studio beats Ted Lasso for most-nominated comedy in its first season

Apple TV+’s satirical comedy series The Studio, created by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez, which stars Rogen as a Hollywood studio head balancing his love for film with corporate demands, received 23 Emmy nominations. That’s the most a comedy series has ever received in its freshman season.

The show’s total even beat out Ted Lasso, which received 20 nominations in its first season. The Jason Sudeikis-led soccer comedy show went on to win seven Emmys, including for outstanding comedy series in 2020.

The Studio earned nominations across several major categories, including Rogen for outstanding comedy series, lead actor, writing, and directing. Along with Rogen, the series also stars Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Kathryn Hahn.  

Hollywood is in on the joke

With Apple TV+’s The Studio and HBO Max’s Hacks both nominated in the Outstanding Series category, it seems as though Hollywood is on board with shows that poke fun at its own industry. The Studio doesn’t hold back on its satire of the industry’s obsession with greenlighting sequels, remakes, and blockbuster movies, as well as the skewering of interactions between business executives.

Meanwhile, Hacks, starring Jean Smart as veteran comedian Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder as emerging comedy writer Ava Daniels, both pays homage to and pokes fun at the world of comedy and late-night talk shows. The series also doesn’t hold back at showing how cutthroat (and misogynistic) the industry is.

But apparently, the Television Academy doesn’t seem to mind at all.

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, September 14, 2025, airing on CBS and Paramount+.

Dexter Morgan is resurrected from the dead… literally.

Showtime’s sequel series Dexter: Resurrection takes place a few weeks after the events of Dexter: New Blood, which aired from 2021 to 2022. This time, Dexter runs off to New York City after surviving a near-fatal gunshot wound, chasing down his son.

The sequel series premieres with two episodes on July 11 on streaming and on-demand for the Paramount+ Premium plan and airs on broadcast on July 13, with the rest of the season premiering weekly.

While the cast features Michael C. Hall reprising his role as the titular character, it also stars returning actors like Jack Alcott, David Zayas, and James Remar. But there’s also new talent being added to the main lineup, including Uma Thurman and Peter Dinklage.

To get fans excited about the new series, the Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios marketing, social, and communications team launched an extensive 360 marketing campaign across different cities like London, Mexico City, and New York City with various creative elements.

“The campaign feels multidimensional, so you can experience the Dexter universe in so many different ways,” Amy Campbell, chief marketing officer, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios & Paramount Media Networks, told ADWEEK. “I’m fortunate to work with some team members who have been working on Dexter for many seasons, and it’s so exciting because we are also fans. It’s exciting to be able to put so much energy into it.”

An immersive multi-room activation debuted in London from July 8 to July 13, where fans had the opportunity to walk into various rooms inspired by the show. In Mexico City, a Dexter: Resurrection takeover took place at Comic Con, where the trailer was shown to fans during a panel featuring Michael C. Hall and other cast members. A separate immersive experience will launch at San Diego Comic-Con later this month.

In New York City, sports fans and theatergoers alike were met with custom sponsorships of the Mets-Yankees Subway Series and Shakespeare in the Park. 

On the day of the world premiere on July 11, the Empire State Building was lit up in red in honor of the show’s bloody theme. The premiere itself was also sprinkled with various interactive elements, including a choir, which was brought onto the red carpet before and after the screening of the first episode.

Meanwhile, Showtime debuted custom audio spots in various cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, which were narrated by Hall in Dexter’s first-person monologue style, dynamically targeted with custom messaging that changes based on a user’s location, time of day, and current weather.

Showtime also partnered with Amazon during Prime Week for custom, limited edition boxes that feature the show’s branding.

Though the campaign officially kicked off in April, Campbell said the seeds for the campaign were planted nearly two years ago, when the Dexter social media team reactivated the franchise’s social channels, while also debuting new TikTok and YouTube accounts and gaining 2.2 million new followers. Cumulatively, the franchise’s social footprint has surpassed 14 million followers across platforms, which, according to Showtime, is the largest among any of the network’s intellectual properties.

Showtime previously reported that the last season of Dexter: Original Sin drove 343 million social views and 16 million engagements, while the series finale delivered a 27% increase in audience over its premiere episode. Meanwhile, the recent trailer for Dexter: Resurrection brought in 52.7 million views in its first week and reached No. 4 on YouTube Trending within 24 hours.

“We’ve been seeding their desires with content, compilations, and fan edits, and that’s been our strategy along the way,” Campbell said. “We have these fandoms we create around the franchises, whether it’s Dexter, the Yellowstone universe, or Yellowjackets, where we really super serve them with content everywhere that they are, and social is an important part of that.”

Campbell also said that Hall himself and executive producer Clyde Phillips partnered closely with her teams through plenty of strategy, planning, and creative sessions to ensure the campaign was reflective and celebratory of the show.

“They’re so engaged, grateful, and wonderful to work with, and it just makes it a pleasure,” Campbell said. “It is such a gem of a show because it’s so well-loved. The cast is incredible. The executive producers are amazing, and my teams are really in lockstep around every single thing that we’re doing.”

Going forward, the campaign for Dexter: Resurrection will be extended on social with platform-intentional videos, episodic publishing, compilations, and user-submitted fan edits. Additionally, every episode will be supplemented with an official YouTube after-show, Dexter: Final Cut.

Campbell said that, at the end of the day, it really ties back to the Dexter fandom and how loyal they are to the show after all these years. She added that they even worked closely with Paramount’s research team on the campaign to understand what’s driving fans.

“People love Dexter,” Campbell said. “Dexter has fans of different generations, and I think the one thing they all love is Michael C. Hall. He’s just so iconic to those fans, and keeping them at the heart of what we’ve been doing has been exciting.”

The Scripps News Group and the Scripps Howard Fund have raised more than $75,000 to provide relief for those impacted by the devastating floods in Central Texas. But Scripps said with many families in need of support, its looking for additional donations.

Every donation to the Scripps disaster relief campaign supports local, trusted nonprofit organizations in Central Texas working tirelessly to help neighbors in need with response, relief and recovery efforts. 

Since the Scripps campaign launched on July 7, the support has seen more than $50,000 donated by hundreds of people from more than 25 states. The E.W. Scripps Company has also contributed $25,000 to bolster the relief efforts. 

Last Friday’s flooding killed at least 120 people, while more than 150 people remain unaccounted for nearly a week later. Among the lives lost were those of dozens of campers and staff from a Central Texas summer camp. The floods are now the deadliest instance of inland flooding in the U.S. since 1976, when Colorado’s Big Thompson Canyon flooded, killing 144 people, according to a new report. 

“The scale of this disaster is devastating,” said Meredith Delaney, Scripps Howard Fund president and CEO. “The donations from hundreds of Scripps News Group viewers from across the U.S. and our local station markets will make a significant impact toward providing essential care and support. But the need is far from over. This campaign, in partnership with The E.W. Scripps Company, allows us to connect the generosity of Scripps viewers with our neighbors in Texas who need immediate and sustained assistance.” 

The Scripps News Group, which is comprised of national and local Scripps journalists, will show the impact of the donations in the coming weeks across all of its platforms.

To give: Text FLOODING to 50155 OR visit scrippsnews.com/relief. Contributions to this campaign are tax deductible. 

During this year’s Cannes Lions festival, ADWEEK teamed up with industry strategist and consultant Julie Thompson and members-only community AI Trailblazers to celebrate ADWEEK’s inaugural AI Trailblazers Power 100 List, celebrating industry leadership in AI.

The Thursday evening celebration at La Paillote de Gaston Gastounette, a restaurant on the Quai Saint-Pierre in Cannes, brought together top tech, marketing, media, and advertising executives for a night of food, networking, and of course, rosé.

A cocktail reception, co-hosted by ADWEEK, AI Trailblazers, Cadent, and Julie Thompson, was followed by the annual Julie Thompson VIP Cannes Dinner, which was sponsored this year by AI Trailblazers, Cadent, Chemistry, CLIK Events.

View photos from the sun-dappled evening below.

Peloton has appointed Megan Imbres as its new chief marketing officer (CMO).

It also promoted senior vice president of connected fitness software, Francis Shanahan, to chief technology officer, a newly created role at the fitness company.

“Together, the appointments represent a commitment to creative and technical innovation to empower Peloton Members to live fit, strong, long, and happy,” the brand said in a release.

Imbres succeeds Lauren Weinberg, who left in April amid a restructuring that split the company’s marketing function into two separate teams. Former vice president of global communications, Letena Lindsay, also departed at the time.

Imbres brings more than 20 years of experience in technology and entertainment marketing. She was previously a managing director on Apple’s marketing comms team since 2022, where she oversaw creative campaigns and cultural moments like the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show and Apple TV’s partnership with Major League Soccer.

Before that, she served as global head of brand marketing at Amazon Ads and led brand and content marketing at mobile streaming startup Quibi. She also helped establish Netflix Originals.

At Peloton, Imbres will oversee global brand and product marketing, growth marketing, creative, consumer insights, and member engagement. She will report to chief executive officer Peter Stern.

“Megan’s experience in growing direct-to-consumer subscription businesses, her creative instincts, and her track record of delivering culturally resonant campaigns will propel us on our path towards growth,” he said in a statement.

Imbres is Peloton’s fourth CMO since 2020. The brand struggled to combat slow sales following a pandemic-era boom.

In Q3, Peloton reported $624 million in revenue, a 13% decrease year-over-year. As a result, it slashed its advertising and marketing spending by 46% year-over-year, leading to a 3% year-over-year increase in profit to $318.1 million.

Today, AI-driven technology firm Samba TV released its 2025 State of Diversity TV report, which highlights the representation gaps that are still prominent across TV and advertising.

The results revealed a 5% year-over-year decline in non-white talent in popular TV programming, which dropped to 42% overall, as well as an underrepresentation of Hispanic talent both on screen and in ad impressions delivered to Hispanic households.

Hispanic people comprise 20% of the U.S. population, but the Samba TV research found that Hispanic actors only make up just 7% of casts in top shows, while Asian representation dropped by 50% since last year, down to only 6%.

Meanwhile, white households received 63% of ad impressions despite accounting for just 58% of the population. In comparison, Hispanic households received 21% fewer ads than their demographic share would suggest, according to Samba TV data.

“Content today is less representative of the population,” Ashwin Navin, CEO and cofounder, Samba TV, told ADWEEK. “We observed onscreen talent is 5% less ethnically diverse than last year, while the population continues to grow in diversity. Overall, the industry is less representative in its casting decisions.”

Navin noted that “diversity does drive viewership,” with diverse audiences more likely to watch diverse casts. Meanwhile, advertisers are underexposed to diverse audiences by up to 12%.

Here are more of the topline takeaways from the Samba TV report:

Linear networks lead diverse representation

Samba TV found that linear networks lead the way when it comes to diverse representation, with ABC leading with more than half (55%) non-white casts among their popular TV shows, followed by Netflix and NBC at 44%, respectively.

Streaming shows overrepresent white actors at 60% compared with 58% of the general population, while linear casting is more diverse at 56% white, driven by representation of Black, mixed, and other race talent. 

Meanwhile, Samba TV found that scripted crime shows lead at strong representation with 47% non-white casts, while reality TV ranks the lowest at just 33%.

Diversity leads to viewership

The report also noted that diverse casting has a positive (36%) correlation with diverse viewership. Black viewers have the strongest correlation, with Black-led streaming shows coming in at 68%.

Brands still struggle to connect with multicultural audiences

Samba TV found that brands like Colgate, AAA, and RoContent lead in culturally relevant ad engagement among Hispanic, Asian, and Black consumers, respectively. Education and finance ads index highest for Black consumers, while the pet and pharmacy category underperforms for Hispanic viewers.

Navin said that one of the reasons advertisers still struggle with reaching diverse consumers is because media planning for major brands does not incorporate representative data. But in addition to data, effectively reaching consumers also requires nuance.

“Diversity is not just defined by ethnicity, but by ideology, cultural identity, geography, and media context,” Navin said. “There’s a big opportunity for brands to reimagine audience planning with big data and AI to address a much larger set of cohorts that can be defined in more nuanced ways.”

Brands still have the opportunity to show up meaningfully in the moments that matter to their customers, especially with creative messaging that resonates in content that culturally connects, according to Navin.

“The bottom line is: Representation alone isn’t enough. Relevance is what drives results. When there is quality data driving these decisions, the impact is measurable,” Navin said.

Sinclair has launched a national fundraising campaign in partnership with The Salvation Army to support those affected by the devastating flooding across Texas called Sinclair Cares: Texas Tragedy Relief.

The station group said 100% of funds raised will provide critical emergency assistance including mobile feeding units, meals, hydration, shelter, clean up kits, hygiene kits and emotional care to survivors and first responders.  

“The devastation caused by the recent flooding is truly heartbreaking, and our deepest condolences go out to the families who have lost loved ones,” said Rob Weisbord, Chief Operating Officer and President of Local Media at Sinclair. “Sinclair is part of this community, and in times like these, we believe it’s our responsibility to step up and help. Through Sinclair Cares: Texas Tragedy Relief, we hope to mobilize our audiences and help provide immediate support to those impacted. We’re proud to partner with The Salvation Army, whose teams are already on the ground delivering critical aid where it’s needed most.” 

Sinclair’s stations in San Antonio (KABB and WOAI) and Austin (KEYE) have been reporting on the story since the flooding began on July 4, delivering continuous coverage on Friday and Saturday, expanding newscasts into Sunday, with KABB and WOAI airing 52 hours of live coverage, and KEYE also adding extended live coverage. To further support the ongoing effort, Sinclair has deployed 10 journalists and additional resources from other markets to assist with comprehensive coverage across all platforms.   

“Our hearts break for every family affected by the floods in Texas. In times like these, The Salvation Army is committed to being a steady and compassionate presence – meeting urgent physical needs while also offering emotional and spiritual care. We are grateful for partners like Sinclair who stand with us to bring hope, comfort, and practical support to survivors and first responders as they navigate this tragedy,” said Commissioner Merle Heatwole, National Commander, The Salvation Army.  

OtterBox’s new campaign, “Made for Yes,” marks a major shift toward lifestyle marketing for the smartphone case brand as it aims to deepen its relevance among Gen Z.

Debuted in June, it’s also the brand’s first work from new global creative agency of record, Digitas.

The campaign shifts OtterBox’s messaging away from product durability and toward values that Gen Z aligns with, like inclusivity, individuality and spontaneity, said Sam Quagliano, vice president of marketing at OtterBox. In addition to new creative, it includes seasonal product drops with bold colors and customizable designs, as well as a creator-led component built around organic content and live events—such as partnerships with influencers at Coachella. OtterBox is also reevaluating its brand partnerships to reflect its updated positioning.

“Younger generations prioritize self-expression and purpose-driven brands,” Quagliano explained. “For OtterBox, a brand known for protection and performance, this was the right moment to expand our narrative.”

In February, OtterBox brought on Digitas as its new global creative AOR to help develop the new work. Quagliano said the brand needed a partner that could bridge OtterBox’s heritage of “trust and protection” with “storytelling that resonates emotionally and culturally.”

Both agencies declined to share details on the length of the pitch; OtterBox has worked with agencies including CP+B and Jacobson Rost in the past. PMG is the media agency of record for Otter Products, across the OtterBox, OtterBox Business Solutions, and Liviri brands. COMvergence estimates OtterBox’s 2024 ad spend was $15 million.

“Digitas brings a fresh approach, balancing data-driven insight with creative flair—a combination that ensures campaigns like ‘Made for Yes’ feel both authentic and strategically sound,” Quagliano said.

Digitas chief creative officer Atit Shah said the campaign was designed to “reintroduce the brand in a way people hadn’t experienced before.”

“They’ve always stood for protection, but we saw an opportunity to explore what that protection can empower—all of life’s messy, beautiful, gritty, and exhilarating moments,” he said. “’Made for Yes’ is about embracing those passions that move us forward and encourage us to say ‘yes’ more often, stepping out of our comfort zones.”

He added that while the campaign targets Gen Z specifically, it also appeals to OtterBox’s “OG fans: enthusiasts and hobbyists who want durable caseware.”

Since launching last month, the campaign has driven a 1,704% increase in Instagram followers and a 164% boost in TikTok engagement, according to OtterBox. The creator campaign also drew in 1.7 million impressions.

“We’ve shifted from speaking to Gen Z to creating with them,” said Quagliano.

Martin Riley, Michelle Douglas, and Hugh Connelly didn’t leave Huge to fill a market gap. They left to make great work again with people they trusted and respected.

“We liked making great work,” Shophouse CEO Riley told ADWEEK. “We liked working with ambitious clients. We liked working with talented people who we like. And I think that just allows you to kind of point creative capability at different types of briefs.”

The trio began piloting Shophouse in late 2022, quietly building a globally distributed design house that blends strategic storytelling, digital experience, and product innovation. They are now officially launching the agency, and Shophouse has already delivered major work for Procter & Gamble’s SK-II skincare unit and Tapestry brands Kate Spade and Coach.

Besides Riley serving as CEO, Douglas leads strategy, and Connelly heads creative. They also have a rotating bench of senior freelance talent around the world to assemble bespoke teams around client briefs.

The three founding partners had previously all worked together in senior roles at Huge—Riley as global president, Douglas as group VP and client partner, and Connelly as executive creative director for Asia. Each left before Huge was acquired by private equity firm AEA Investors in December 2024.

Shophouse joins a growing wave of indie agencies launched by industry veterans disillusioned with the holding company system. In the last 18 months, several indie shops like Studio.One, ImaginaryFriend, and Antidote have emerged with new models designed to be faster, leaner, and more adaptable.

For the Shophouse founders, the desire to break away was personal.

“When you’re growing, it’s fine,” said Riley, recalling his time at Huge. “When you’re shrinking, the only lever you can pull is people costs. And it sucks. You just kill your culture.”

That dissatisfaction isn’t unique. A June ADWEEK survey found that just 32% of employees at holding company-owned agencies described morale as positive—compared to a clear majority at indie shops. Nearly half of holdco employees said they were looking to leave not just their agency, but the advertising industry altogether.

Connelly, agreed. “It got harder and harder to do the world’s best work,” he said. “They tend to shed senior talent, because senior talent is the most expensive. What you’re getting rid of is people who have that sort of experience and know how to solve big problems. You start to try to solve big, ambitious problems with a junior team—and when morale is low, that gets challenging.”

While Shophouse operates like a creative agency in practice, its founders bristle at the term “advertising agency” and insist on being called a “design house.”

“Design is strategic problem-solving,” said Connelly.

They intentionally avoid the bloated overhead of legacy firms—no office leases, big support structures, or layers of middle management. “The idea is not to take funding,” said Riley. “When you start to take funding, you start to compromise your principles. I’d rather earn very little and keep that independence.”

Proving the model

Shophouse began informally when Riley approached P&G, his longtime client at Huge, with a new way of working. After securing approval from the brand, the trio took on major SK-II assignments, including brand repositioning, content libraries, and premium work across China.

“They threw everything at us,” Riley said. “They knew what they wanted us to do, they knew how to use us, they liked the model, and they’ve kept working with us since then. We’ve never had a day off from SK-II.”

The agency soon added Coach and Kate Spade to its roster. “Coach repositioned for Gen Z,” Douglas said, “and we were really able to take that repositioning and create new experiences for them.”

Shophouse also recently rebranded consulting firm Cprime as an “AI-native” brand and is currently building its new digital experience. Douglas said that Shophouse is built to be flexible.

“As marketing changes—channels, consumers, expectations—we’re in a position to flex and grow,” she said. “This model lets us do that.”

The three founders live on three continents: Riley in Singapore, Connelly in Spain, and Douglas in New York. Their teams are spread across the U.S., Europe and Asia. Their first credentials deck included a photo of a desk clock set to three time zones.

“We called ourselves the world’s smallest global agency,” said Riley. “And we’ve grown with that attitude.”

As for what’s next, the team is clear-eyed. “I would be happy if big brands bring us real problems,” said Riley. “And you build a reputation of being the agency people go to if something is big, if something’s going to be breakthrough—or if it’s broken.”