Latest news with #Wieden+Kennedy
CNBC
17-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
'Bad meetings' are essential, says CEO: You 'learn more' from them than the good ones
Neal Arthur doesn't mind having bad meetings at work. He actually treasures them, he says. Arthur is the CEO of Portland, Oregon-based Wieden+Kennedy, an advertising agency known for slogans like Nike's "Just Do It" and Bud Light's "Dilly Dilly." At his workplace, meetings that seem negative on the surface are essential to creativity and professional growth, he said during a June 13 episode of LinkedIn's "This Is Working" video series. When Arthur gathers employees after something goes wrong, a project doesn't land or a client is unhappy, he presents the negative feedback as an opportunity to think outside the box — instead of browbeating his team to get it right, he said. "We're not afraid to have bad meetings ... we really value [them]" said Arthur. "If we're only having good meetings, it's because we're sharing things with you that you expected and we need the space to be able to share things with you that you didn't."Bad meetings aren't for pressuring employees to fix mistakes or appease an unhappy client, because such motivation tactics often backfire, Arthur said. Instead, they're for generating great ideas — instead of rushed or uninspired ones — to get out of a rut. Say your team recently worked on a project for a client, for example, and they hated what you gave them. Telling your employees that they really dropped the ball and badgering them to get a new concept on your desk by day's end could result in safe, predictable ideas. Instead, using Arthur's approach, you might ask them to challenge themselves to pursue the craziest idea in the room, imagining what the project could look like without limits. "I think [it's helpful] to remind each other that pressure doesn't lead to better output," said Arthur. "I've never seen an idea get better because a creative was told, 'If this isn't awesome, then we're going to get fired.'" "You learn more from bad meetings than you do from good ones," Arthur added. Plenty of CEOs have their own preferences for how to run the best meetings. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, for example, likes to conduct "messy meetings," which are brainstorming sessions that feature plenty of rigorous back-and-forth about people's ideas, he told the "Lex Fridman Podcast" in December 2023. These sessions often last longer than their allotted time slot, allowing the conversations to wander around. "When I sit down [in] a meeting, I don't know how long the meeting is going to take if we're trying to solve a problem," Bezos said. "The reality is, we may have to [let our minds] wander for a long time ... I think there's certainly nothing more fun than sitting at a whiteboard with a group of smart people and spit-balling and coming up with new ideas and objections to those ideas, and then solutions to the objections and going back and forth." Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, swears by his two-minute rule, he told CNBC Make It in 2018. "You have to give someone an uninterrupted two minutes to explain their thinking before jumping in with your own," Dalio said. "This ensures that everyone has time to fully crystallize and communicate their thoughts without worrying they will be misunderstood or drowned out by a louder voice." However you conduct meetings, prioritize creativity and authenticity over intimidating your employees to get something done, Arthur recommended. "Our best leaders absorb that pressure, and then everyone else feels like they're having a great time," he said.
The Irish Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu's mystery fiance revealed after she kept his identity secret despite romantic proposal
BIG Brother presenter AJ Odudu's mystery fiance has been revealed as an American art director living in New York. The TV presenter, 37, last month in the most spectacular of ways. 4 AJ Odudu's fiance has been revealed as an American art dealer from New York Credit: Instagram 4 The Big Brother presenter officially launched her relationship publicly last month Credit: Instagram 4 AJ's fiance Peter Gibson is said to be relocating to London Credit: Instagram It has now been revealed that her fiance is Peter Gibson, who is originally from Idaho but currently living in the Big Apple. But the pair are planning to settle down in the UK, according to the Peter reportedly works for brand agency Wieden + Kennedy, who also have offices in London and Mexico. READ MORE ON AJ ODUDU The pair are currently together in Seattle as they prepare for their nuptials. It is understood that AJ has been quietly making trips back and forth to New York to spend time with her partner. A source told the publication: "He's [Peter's] now planning a move to the UK so that he and AJ can live together and properly set themselves up for the future. "With many strings to his bow as an art director and creator, it made more sense for Pete to relocate, especially given AJ's career has taken off to new heights in the UK." Most read in News TV The Sun has reached out to AJ's rep for comment. was flooded with messages of congratulations from her famous pals after revealing her engagement. Fears for AJ Odudu and Will Best as CBB fans spot 'tension' in mistake-filled show - did you? Taking to Instagram, she wrote: "Hiya love," followed by a heart, ring and puppy eyes emoji. The presenter star did not reveal the name of her man, but she shared a string of loved-up snaps in which they embraced and kissed inside a photo booth. Another snap saw AJ proudly show off her sparkler while wearing a gorgeous feathered dress. Her partner - who had not previously been known by fans - looked suave in a cream suit, layered above a black tank top. The Strictly star's post attracted heaps of comments from her celeb friends, with Jourdan Dunn added: "Congratulations!!!" while Joe Baggs, Henry Southan and Yinrun Huang also sent their love. Up until now, AJ had been believed to be single. In December 2021, there were rumours when she was on Strictly that she was dating her dance partner When quizzed on Strictly: It Takes Two, the duo laughed and appeared awkward, before Kai explained: "If people react like this then it means we are doing something right, because that is the way the dance should be danced." He went on to say they wanted to do the "passionate, fiery and intimate" dance justice. "If people want to think that, then great but we are just doing our jobs, she was doing her job," he added. During her time on Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, AJ gave an insight into her previous relationships. TV presenter AJ does not have any children. She said: "I've been cheated on by three ex-boyfriends. "One of them was sleeping with my best friends." 4 AJ has been quietly making trips back and forth to New York to spend time with Peter Credit: Getty
The Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu's mystery fiance revealed after she kept his identity secret despite romantic proposal
BIG Brother presenter AJ Odudu's mystery fiance has been revealed as an American art director living in New York. The TV presenter, 37, officially launched her relationship publicly last month in the most spectacular of ways. 4 4 4 AJ introduced her hunky man at the same time she announced they were engaged to be married. It has now been revealed that her fiance is Peter Gibson, who is originally from Idaho but currently living in the Big Apple. But the pair are planning to settle down in the UK, according to the Mail. Peter reportedly works for brand agency Wieden + Kennedy, who also have offices in London and Mexico. The pair are currently together in Seattle as they prepare for their nuptials. It is understood that AJ has been quietly making trips back and forth to New York to spend time with her partner. A source told the publication: "He's [Peter's] now planning a move to the UK so that he and AJ can live together and properly set themselves up for the future. "With many strings to his bow as an art director and creator, it made more sense for Pete to relocate, especially given AJ's career has taken off to new heights in the UK." The Sun has reached out to AJ's rep for comment. AJ was flooded with messages of congratulations from her famous pals after revealing her engagement. Fears for AJ Odudu and Will Best as CBB fans spot 'tension' in mistake-filled show - did you? Taking to Instagram, she wrote: "Hiya love," followed by a heart, ring and puppy eyes emoji. The presenter star did not reveal the name of her man, but she shared a string of loved-up snaps in which they embraced and kissed inside a photo booth. Another snap saw AJ proudly show off her sparkler while wearing a gorgeous feathered dress. Her partner - who had not previously been known by fans - looked suave in a cream suit, layered above a black tank top. The Strictly star's post attracted heaps of comments from her celeb friends, with Alexandra Burke writing: "Awww congrats babe! I love this for you!" Jourdan Dunn added: "Congratulations!!!" while Johannes Radebe said: "Awww congrats," and Anita Rani chimed in with: "congratulations." Joe Baggs, Henry Southan and Yinrun Huang also sent their love. Up until now, AJ had been believed to be single. In December 2021, there were rumours when she was on Strictly that she was dating her dance partner Kai Widdrington. When quizzed on Strictly: It Takes Two, the duo laughed and appeared awkward, before Kai explained: "If people react like this then it means we are doing something right, because that is the way the dance should be danced." He went on to say they wanted to do the "passionate, fiery and intimate" dance justice. "If people want to think that, then great but we are just doing our jobs, she was doing her job," he added. During her time on Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, AJ gave an insight into her previous relationships. TV presenter AJ does not have any children. She said: "I've been cheated on by three ex-boyfriends. "One of them was sleeping with my best friends." 4
Business Insider
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Malia Obama's Nike ad echoes my short film. It's part of a bigger problem.
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Natalie Jasmine Harris, a 27-year-old filmmaker. It has been edited for length and clarity. Reps for Malia Obama, Nike, the ad agency Wieden+Kennedy, and the production company Iconoclast didn't respond to requests for comment. Earlier this month, at the Denver airport on the way home from a TV directing mentorship program, I was scrolling on Instagram when Malia Obama's Nike ad with the basketball star A'ja Wilson appeared on my feed. At first, I was confused, wondering whether it was real. It featured two people playing pat-a-cake in a way that echoed an early scene from my 14-minute short film " Grace," which is a Black Southern Gothic short about a girl who's being baptized and questioning her feelings for her best friend. I'd met Malia at Sundance in 2024, when "Grace" and her short film " The Heart" were both in competition. We saw each other at the director's brunch and a couple other events. Initially, I was disappointed and hurt — not just for myself but for my entire team. I sent the commercial to friends who had the same reaction I did. One put together a shot-by-shot photo comparison. Since posting about the issue online, there have been a lot of people who don't understand my disappointment. They're like, "You didn't invent pat-a-cake." And that's very true. But it's not about the game, it's about the cinematic tools used to depict it. My cinematographer, Tehillah De Castro, noted a lot of similarities from a technical perspective, from the camera angles to the shots to the framing composition and the color palette. Over time, I've moved through that initial shock into a deeper frustration around how instances like this are very common — and need to change. It speaks to a larger issue of brands not supporting independent artists and opting for folks who already have name recognition, which doesn't breed innovative films or original storytelling. If they wanted these shots that were similar to my shots, why not hire me to direct? The route that used to work for the Spike Lees and Steven Spielbergs of the world feels less viable today. If we're continuously overlooked, how is the next generation of filmmakers going to exist? Despite early success, being a young director has been a struggle I knew I wanted to be a director from a young age. I started making documentaries in high school about social justice during the Black Lives Matter movement. A lot of my work centers joy in coming-of-age experiences, black women, and queer stories — things that are personal to me. Despite graduating from New York University in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, I've had a lot of success so far. My thesis film, " Pure," ended up getting bought by HBO shortly after I graduated, and it won the DGA Student Film Award. I also won a contest to direct a commercial for Hyundai and did a commercial for Verizon. In addition to going to Sundance in 2024, "Grace" is also a Vimeo Staff Pick and will be on Criterion in June. Still, being a young director has been a struggle. Festivals are great, but they don't pay the bills. I've taken on other full-time and freelance jobs. Right now, I'm working on my first feature, which I've spent the last several years writing and pitching. But I've often run into roadblocks with production companies and financiers saying, in so many words, that no one wants to be the first person to bet on me — coupled with the fact that I'm young and don't have an established name. I would like there to be some acknowledgment I haven't heard from Malia Obama or Nike since speaking out, but I would like for there to be some acknowledgment. I was initially hesitant to speak out, since it involves a former president's daughter and a beloved brand like Nike. Criticizing something involving the WNBA was also hard because it means a lot to me personally, and it already gets such a lack of a spotlight. But I've poured too much into my work to just sit by and watch. Sometimes it can feel like filmmaking is something that's supposed to be a hobby for the wealthy rather than something that can actually be a career. But I don't want to give up. I have a beautiful community of friends and family and colleagues fighting the same fight, and there's hope in that. I still have a lot of stories I want to tell. And I want to be a name someday, too.
