business 9 Apr 2025
In a bold move that merges societal impact with enterprise strategy, Culture+ Group has unveiled CIEN+ Health, a dedicated strategic and creative consultancy. Rooted in over a decade of market-leading work in Cultural Intelligence®, CIEN+ Health introduces a new way of thinking: that inclusion and health equity are not just moral imperatives—but powerful levers for business growth.
This launch arrives at a time when health disparities persist despite record-high U.S. healthcare spending. CIEN+ Health aims to challenge the status quo with its proprietary framework, Impact Healthonomics™, which fuses data, behavioral science, and cultural insight to drive real-world change.
“The U.S. spends more on healthcare than any other nation, yet ranks last in outcomes among G7 countries.”
– Lili Gil Valletta, CEO & Co-founder, Culture+ Group
Gil Valletta, a former Johnson & Johnson executive, calls attention to the paradox at the heart of American healthcare. As chronic diseases rise in fast-growing communities like Hispanics and African Americans, the system’s failure to serve equitably is both a moral and economic crisis.
CIEN+ Health is designed to address this through evidence-based, empathetic, and inclusive solutions—turning underserved populations into engines of growth.
CIEN+ Health’s Impact Healthonomics™ is a transformational model that integrates:
Cultural Intelligence®
Behavioral science
Economic insights
This data-driven approach reframes health equity from a cost center into a growth driver. It enables organizations to design inclusive solutions that improve outcomes while unlocking new market opportunities.
Moving from CSR-focused equity to enterprise-wide inclusion strategies
Tapping into high-growth segments to drive market expansion
Aligning brand and mission with community impact using Cultural Intelligence®
Creating full-funnel, integrated marketing campaigns across media, content, and community channels
To support emerging players in the health and wellness sector, CIEN+ Health is launching the CIEN+ Health Launchpad™—a focused offering to help startups and disruptors gain traction with:
Strategic clarity
Purpose-led brand positioning
Enterprise alignment
This initiative aims to help VCs, mid-sized innovators, and breakout brands scale faster and smarter in today’s evolving health ecosystem.
“We’re reimagining how health, equity, and growth intersect,”
– Roberto Ramos, President, Culture+ Group
Raj Iyer, a seasoned strategist in healthcare commercialization, leads CIEN+ Health. With a philosophy that “most health systems are built on averages, yet people live at the edges,” Iyer brings a bold, outside-in approach to inclusion and innovation.
Under his leadership, CIEN+ Health operationalizes Cultural Intelligence® into every strategic layer—making inclusion core to business success, not just a compliance checkbox.
A proven, award-winning methodology that embeds inclusion into the DNA of organizations—from R&D to marketing—driving better business outcomes through mindset transformation.
CIEN+ Health advises C-suites with size-of-prize analysis, impact roadmaps, and inclusive strategy development. Here, equity becomes an enterprise-level driver of value.
Beyond representation, CIEN+ Health helps brands create meaningful connections with underserved communities, building long-term trust and relevance.
Through its proprietary platform, Human Dot Plus, CIEN+ Health merges AI and ethnographic research to uncover real-time behavioral insights—an approach that bridges tech and empathy.
Founded by former corporate leaders Enrique Arbelaez and Lili Gil Valletta, CIEN+ Health was designed to be the firm they once wished existed—one that blends data, culture, empathy, and strategy. Staffed by MDs, PhDs, and industry veterans, it offers a rare combination of subject matter depth and cultural fluency.
Backed by accolades from MM+M, PRWeek, and global health institutions, CIEN+ Health is poised to shape a new era of inclusive innovation in healthcare.
With the launch of CIEN+ Health, Culture+ Group is redefining how businesses approach health equity—not as a siloed initiative but as a strategic growth imperative. As demographics shift and societal expectations evolve, organizations that embrace Impact Healthonomics™ will not only serve better—they will lead smarter and grow stronger.
digital marketing 9 Apr 2025
Metric Marketing, a purpose-driven digital agency based in Michigan, has earned a coveted spot on Inc. Magazine’s 2025 Inc. Regionals: Midwest list—ranking No. 65 among the fastest-growing private companies across 12 Midwest states. Up 12 positions from the previous year, this achievement highlights not just growth, but growth with purpose.
The Inc. Regionals spotlight companies that aren’t just scaling—they're reshaping the business landscape through innovation, intention, and values-based leadership.
Since its founding in 2014, Metric Marketing has stood out by rejecting the status quo of transactional marketing. Instead, the agency focuses on partnering with clients who share its commitment to authenticity, integrity, and impact.
“Authenticity isn't just our differentiator—it's our foundation,”
– Hannah McNaughton, Founder and CEO, Metric Marketing
McNaughton credits the agency’s growth to a culture that values meaningful work over empty metrics. For Metric, every strategy, every campaign, and every relationship is shaped by the belief that honest marketing delivers sustainable growth—for brands and communities alike.
Metric Marketing exclusively partners with brands that lead with purpose. This selective, values-aligned model ensures every engagement is built on trust, shared vision, and long-term impact.
Digital Strategy Development
Website Design & Development
SEO & Search Visibility Optimization
Content Marketing with Heart
What makes Metric truly unique is the balance of performance and principle—delivering measurable results while maintaining a human-centered, purpose-first approach.
The 2025 Inc. Regionals: Midwest list honors 139 companies across 12 states, from North Dakota to Kansas to Ohio. Together, these honorees generated nearly 8,000 new jobs and added $13.2 billion to the region’s economy between 2021 and 2023.
Metric Marketing’s move from No. 77 to No. 65 underscores its steady, values-led trajectory in a highly competitive landscape.
For Metric Marketing, this recognition isn’t a finish line—it’s fuel for the next chapter. The team remains focused on serving like-minded brands and deepening its mission to bring humanity back to marketing.
“This recognition is more than a milestone—it's momentum,” McNaughton shared.
“And as we continue to champion authenticity in marketing, business, and beyond, we know the best is yet to come.”
Metric Marketing’s rise in the 2025 Inc. Regionals: Midwest rankings is a testament to what happens when businesses put values at the center of strategy. In a world where marketing often chases attention, Metric continues to build with intention—creating lasting growth for clients who stand for something real.
marketing 9 Apr 2025
Jack Morton, the global brand experience agency, has announced a series of strategic leadership promotions across its U.S. operations. These include the elevation of John Howard to President, US, and Ashley Brantman to SVP, Head of Growth US and Co-Head of Jack 39, marking a pivotal shift in the agency’s continued push for innovation, operational excellence, and business growth.
These leadership moves build on the momentum set by the appointment of Patrick Bennett as Global Chief Creative Officer last year and reflect the agency’s commitment to strengthening talent and enhancing its U.S. presence.
John Howard steps into the role of President, US, overseeing all U.S. operations from Detroit and reporting directly to CEO Craig Millon. A 25-year veteran of the agency, Howard has shaped high-impact campaigns for major brands like General Motors and championed creative innovation across teams.
"My focus will be to enable greater talent-sharing across our offices... while providing greater growth opportunities for all of our people." – John Howard
Based in Chicago, Brantman will lead U.S. business development efforts and continue her co-leadership of Jack 39, Jack Morton’s sponsorship consultancy. With 15+ years of experience in sports and entertainment strategy, she has already driven major growth with clients such as Jim Beam and Southwest Airlines.
“Ashley has been a great partner for growth... she’s only scratched the surface,” said CEO Craig Millon.
Jack Morton is reinforcing its creative bench and client service strength with the following promotions and hires:
Mary Trybus and Rob Parker have been promoted to SVPs, Executive Creative Directors (Detroit), bringing decades of experience leading large-scale, culturally significant brand experiences.
Jeff Erin joins as SVP, Executive Creative Director for Jack Health (LA), bringing dynamic creative storytelling across industries including healthcare, sports, and tech.
Souad Saied returns as SVP, Client Experience (San Francisco) after global roles at McCann Sydney and HERO Sydney, adding depth in integrated marketing strategy and client leadership.
Erica Fram has been promoted to SVP, General Manager (East Coast), with a focus on operational oversight, growth strategy, and client success across major U.S. markets.
CEO Craig Millon emphasized the strategic importance of these moves:
“We are laser-focused on growth this year... The dynamos we've elevated and added to the agency will play a key role in the future and how we manifest culture.”
This leadership wave is designed to further integrate creative talent, client solutions, and strategic growth across the agency’s U.S. footprint—driving long-term value for clients and stakeholders.
With a new wave of leadership guiding its U.S. strategy, Jack Morton is reinforcing its reputation as a bold, culture-driven agency prepared to lead the next era of brand experience. The promotions of John Howard, Ashley Brantman, and other seasoned professionals reflect a sharpened focus on innovation, inclusion, and operational agility—ensuring Jack Morton remains at the forefront of experience marketing.
marketing 9 Apr 2025
Popsycle, a full-service, data-driven marketing agency known for its creative services and media buying solutions, has officially rebranded as TARA Media. This new identity aligns the agency with its parent company, TARA Group, and its sister companies Statara and TargetSmart. The rebrand reflects the agency’s continued expansion, with a remarkable 240% growth over the past six months, fueled by increased demand for its proprietary media platform and data-driven digital campaign solutions.
Founded in 2017 by Jeff Kaplan, the agency has operated under the Popsycle name until now. Since joining TARA Group in 2022, the agency has delivered full-service media and creative support across the holding company’s portfolio. The rebranding to TARA Media creates a unified identity and emphasizes its collaborative, integrated role within the group.
“The new TARA Media brand identity strengthens the foundation on which we can help our clients navigate today’s complex advertising ecosystem for maximum reach and impact.”
– Jeffrey Kaplan, CEO, TARA Media
The shift to TARA Media comes at a time of significant momentum. The agency’s growth has been driven by an expanding client base and increased adoption of its all-in-one proprietary media buying platform, enabling seamless programmatic execution for digital advertising.
240% growth in six months, attributed to programmatic ad execution and new client wins
Strong alignment with Statara and TargetSmart, enabling data-informed, multi-channel campaign strategies
Scalable proprietary platform for CTV, OTT, video, display, audio, and native media
As TARA Media, the agency continues to deliver a broad spectrum of digital marketing services designed to drive real outcomes. These services include:
Campaign Strategy & Planning
Creative Design, Video, and Animation
Identity Resolution and Audience Targeting
Attribution and Performance Measurement
Programmatic Media Buying across CTV, OTT, video, display, audio, and native formats
Managed Services for direct mail, DOOH, social media, and email marketing
Data-driven Ad Tech Integration tailored for agencies, nonprofits, and brands of all sizes
TARA Media’s blend of technology, creativity, and analytics positions it as a high-impact agency capable of executing at scale across industries and verticals.
The transformation from Popsycle to TARA Media marks more than a name change—it represents a strategic evolution for a rapidly growing agency. By integrating deeper with TARA Group and expanding its service portfolio, TARA Media is uniquely positioned to help clients meet the challenges of today’s fragmented advertising landscape with smart, scalable, and data-driven marketing solutions.
With an ambitious growth trajectory and a passion for delivering meaningful impact, TARA Media is set to redefine what modern full-service marketing can look like.
customer engagement 9 Apr 2025
Bond Brand Loyalty, a leading global customer engagement and brand experience agency, has named Morana Bakula as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. This appointment marks a pivotal moment for the company, with Bakula becoming the first female executive to hold the dual roles of President and CEO. She succeeds Bob Macdonald, who transitions to Founder & Chairman of the Board, continuing to provide strategic guidance as Bond charts its next phase of expansion.
Bakula joined Bond in 2012 as a Customer Experience Strategist, steadily rising through leadership roles thanks to her impactful contributions across sectors such as financial services, retail, automotive, and pharmaceuticals. Her appointment as President in 2023 was a natural progression, having already shaped Bond’s strategic priorities and reinforced its client-first approach.
Led major client transformations across industries
Named one of Loyalty Magazine’s Top 30 Under 40 (2022)
Served on the Board of Directors at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care
Held prior roles at State Farm, Fifth P Solutions, and KPMG
Bakula steps into the CEO role at a time of accelerated momentum for Bond. The agency has seen substantial growth, driven in part by a strategic investment from Mountaingate Capital in 2023 and the expansion of its leadership team in 2024.
“Morana’s vision, expertise, and leadership will be instrumental in driving continued growth for our company,”
– Bob Macdonald, Founder & Chairman, Bond Brand Loyalty
Her leadership is poised to deepen Bond’s mission of creating enduring relationships that fuel business growth, leveraging data, technology, and strategic advisory to reimagine how brands connect with customers and employees alike.
Morana Bakula’s appointment also represents a cultural milestone. As a first-generation immigrant and working mother, she embodies the modern, multifaceted leadership that reflects the evolving needs of both the marketing industry and society at large.
“I'm honored to lead this incredibly talented team of experts as we continue to push the boundaries of customer experience, deliver meaningful value to clients, and build the future of loyalty together.”
– Morana Bakula, President & CEO, Bond Brand Loyalty
With Bakula at the helm, Bond will continue expanding its full spectrum of loyalty-focused services, including:
Strategic Advisory and Brand Experience Design
Digital Marketing and Personalization
Loyalty Program Management
Customer and Employee Engagement Platforms
Advanced Analytics and Technology Solutions
The company’s focus remains on turning known connections into lasting loyalty, a vision now being led by one of the most dynamic leaders in the industry.
Bond Brand Loyalty’s appointment of Morana Bakula as CEO is more than a change in leadership—it’s a bold step forward in the company’s mission to transform customer experience and loyalty through innovation, empathy, and strategic execution. With her leadership, Bond is well-positioned to deliver greater value to clients and deepen its impact across industries worldwide.
advertising 9 Apr 2025
Adam Woods, CEO of Choozle, has been named a 2025 Colorado Titan 100, marking his second consecutive year receiving the prestigious honor. The Titan 100 program, presented by Titan CEO and Wipfli LLP, celebrates the most accomplished CEOs and C-level executives in Colorado—leaders who are reshaping their industries through visionary leadership, innovation, and purpose-driven growth.
Woods’ recognition as a Titan 100 comes at a pivotal time for Choozle. Under his guidance, the company has undergone significant transformation, evolving from a self-service DSP to a leading omnichannel digital advertising partner known for combining cutting-edge technology with high-touch service.
“Being named a Titan for the second year in a row is a deep honor, especially during a period of transformative change at Choozle,”
– Adam Woods, CEO, Choozle
Since joining Choozle in 2019 as Chief Technology Officer, Woods has consistently championed innovation. His promotion to CEO in 2021 ushered in a new era, focused on:
Expanding managed services capabilities
Launching AI-driven performance tools
Deepening partnerships with data and media platforms
Enhancing transparency and results for agencies and brands
Choozle’s growth and reputation in programmatic, paid search, and social advertising are a direct reflection of Woods’ forward-thinking strategy. His leadership has helped redefine what it means to be a modern media partner, making Choozle a trusted ally in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.
The company’s unique value proposition lies in blending technology, transparency, and service—an approach that empowers marketers to maximize performance across every digital channel.
“Our team is redefining what it means to be a modern media partner… This recognition is a reflection of the bold, inventive work happening every day across our organization.”
– Adam Woods
The Titan 100 program honors executives across diverse sectors who exhibit outstanding leadership, innovation, and impact. The 2025 honorees collectively generate over $35 billion in annual revenue and employ more than 59,000 people in Colorado.
“Colorado's Titan 100 are redefining business with vision and purpose… These trailblazing leaders inspire transformation across industries,”
– Jaime Zawmon, President, Titan CEO
The 2025 Titan 100 Awards Celebration will be held on June 5, 2025, at Magness Arena in Denver, gathering 100 top executives for an evening that showcases the vibrant spirit and excellence of Colorado’s business community.
Adam Woods’ continued recognition as a Colorado Titan 100 underscores his transformational leadership at Choozle and his role in shaping the future of digital advertising. As the company expands its capabilities and continues to empower marketers with data-driven solutions, Woods’ vision and strategic acumen remain central to Choozle’s momentum and success.
advertising 9 Apr 2025
As the advertising world adapts to the end of third-party cookies and increasing restrictions on personal data tracking, Ogury, a pioneer in privacy-first ad tech, has launched a revolutionary client-facing platform—Ogury One. The platform puts the company’s proprietary Personified Advertising technology directly into the hands of brands and agencies, enabling them to target personas, not individuals, at massive scale across the open internet.
In an industry marked by diminishing addressability, Ogury One offers a much-needed path forward—combining privacy compliance, AI-driven intelligence, and direct audience control in a single, intuitive solution.
Traditional targeting mechanisms are facing obsolescence. Ogury’s Personified Advertising offers a transformative alternative by moving away from one-to-one tracking and embracing anonymized personas—groups categorized by shared interests, behaviors, and intentions.
Zero-party data foundation: Sourced through opt-in surveys at scale
Billions of enriching data points: Including contextual, semantic, bid request, and campaign delivery signals
AI optimization: Ensures persona relevance and improves performance
Works with or without IDs: Maintaining addressability despite cookie deprecation
Unlike contextual-only solutions or identity-based alternatives, Ogury’s approach provides superior targeting accuracy without compromising user privacy.
Ogury One is more than just a platform—it’s a full-service, self-serve and API-compatible ecosystem designed to simplify and supercharge digital advertising workflows.
AI-powered Persona Builder: Converts campaign briefs or keyword inputs into precise persona recommendations
Custom & Turnkey Personas: Combine pre-built personas or build custom groups using detailed insights
View survey answers, interests, demographics, devices, preferred sites, and active time frames
Audience Matching: Extend campaign reach by mapping advertiser data to Ogury’s persona database
Use Ogury One’s dashboard or integrate with preferred DSPs and campaign management tools
Minimal technical setup required, allowing teams to act quickly and at scale
Real-time performance tracking and in-depth analytics
Integration capabilities with clients’ existing business intelligence (BI) tools for seamless insights
With Ogury One, advertisers gain access to 2.5 billion unique monthly devices across 49 countries, spanning both mobile and desktop inventory.
The advertising industry is currently at a crossroads:
Third-party cookies are being phased out
Signal loss due to privacy regulations and browser policies is growing
Consumer trust is declining due to concerns over data misuse
In this climate, brands and agencies need solutions that don’t just comply with regulations but outperform legacy targeting methods. Ogury’s Personified Advertising and its activation through Ogury One meet this moment head-on.
“Ogury One is a ground-breaking user-friendly tool that simplifies campaign management while delivering unprecedented on-target performance and scale for brands and agencies,”
— Stephane Dupayage, Chief Product Officer at Ogury
Ogury’s launch of this platform represents a critical milestone in its broader mission: to deliver privacy-safe, high-performance advertising solutions for the open internet. With Ogury One, clients gain full control, transparency, and power over how campaigns are planned, launched, and measured.
Whether through a self-serve dashboard or integrated API, Ogury One transforms how marketers operate in a complex digital landscape—offering a clear competitive edge.
With Ogury One, Ogury is redefining digital advertising by combining AI, zero-party data, and anonymized personas into a seamless, privacy-first platform. Brands and agencies now have direct access to scalable, effective advertising tools that protect user privacy without sacrificing performance. This launch solidifies Ogury’s leadership in the privacy-first ad tech movement and sets a new standard for what advertisers should expect in the cookieless era.
digital marketing 9 Apr 2025
User-generated content (UGC) has become a cornerstone of modern digital marketing, influencing purchasing decisions and strengthening brand trust. Recognizing its growing impact, PowerReviews, a leader in ratings, reviews, and UGC solutions, has launched the PowerReviews Partner Program. This initiative is designed to extend the value and reach of UGC by collaborating with technology providers, agencies, and strategic partners—enabling them to unlock new revenue opportunities while delivering enhanced value to their end customers.
With the first informational webinar beginning on April 9, PowerReviews aims to create a collaborative ecosystem that makes UGC more powerful, more accessible, and more integrated across marketing channels.
At its core, the PowerReviews Partner Program is incentive-based. Partners receive compensation for new business referrals, helping them monetize their networks while reinforcing the value of trusted technology partnerships.
The program is open to:
Technology providers (MarTech, eCommerce, CRM, etc.)
Marketing and digital agencies
Consulting firms
Strategic alliances aligned with PowerReviews' UGC-first philosophy
By leveraging these partnerships, PowerReviews can more effectively deliver turnkey UGC solutions that scale across industries and platforms.
PowerReviews partners will be equipped with access to its full suite of technologies, designed to turn everyday consumer engagement into high-impact content and insights.
Ratings & Reviews: Capture customer sentiment at scale
UGC Display and Syndication: Distribute content across retailer and brand networks
Social Curation: Leverage social posts and photos for marketing
Product Sampling: Generate reviews through real-world testing
Analytics Tools: Understand performance and drive optimization
Partners will be able to offer these solutions to their clients, positioning themselves as full-stack providers of commerce-driving customer content.
In addition to product access, PowerReviews has built a supportive partner infrastructure to ensure mutual success. Key benefits include:
Co-branded webinars and content: Engage mutual audiences with thought leadership
Blog collaborations and case studies: Showcase joint success stories
Sales training: Equip partner teams with knowledge to pitch and position UGC offerings
Onboarding assistance
Ongoing technical and sales support
Custom materials and toolkits
This end-to-end enablement helps partners quickly become effective resellers or integrators, whether they’re referring clients or embedding UGC into their broader solutions.
To kickstart the initiative, Caddle, a leading Canadian consumer rewards app, has signed on as a referral partner. Known for generating hundreds of thousands of reviews for major brands across Canada, Caddle is a natural fit.
"We are excited to refer and collaborate with 1WorldSync's PowerReviews to harness their world-class syndication platform," said Ransom Hawley, CEO of Caddle. "This partnership will drive significant value for both companies, helping brands collect and amplify authentic consumer feedback more effectively than ever."
This collaboration illustrates the potential synergy between data-rich consumer platforms like Caddle and the syndication and review tools offered by PowerReviews.
In today’s commerce landscape, UGC is more than a trend—it's a key differentiator. PowerReviews' Partner Program comes at a time when:
Consumers are increasingly relying on authentic, peer-generated content
Brands are seeking cost-effective ways to build trust and boost conversions
Agencies and tech firms are looking to add value and stickiness to their client relationships
The ability to offer UGC solutions at scale—with the backing of PowerReviews’ tech and expertise—can dramatically enhance partner portfolios and client outcomes.
"We are thrilled to launch the PowerReviews Partner Program as a key part of our strategy to expand the influence of user-generated content," said Brandon Kiffer, President UGC Solutions at PowerReviews. "It also provides our partners an additional revenue stream and the opportunity to deliver deeper value to their clients."
With the launch of the PowerReviews Partner Program, the company is reinforcing its leadership in the UGC space while empowering its partner ecosystem to drive value, engagement, and revenue. By blending world-class UGC technology with strategic collaboration, the program is poised to reshape how businesses of all sizes capture and leverage the voice of the customer.
Agencies, tech providers, and consulting firms now have the opportunity to plug into this ecosystem—offering trusted, scalable UGC solutions with the full support and backing of a market leader.
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