Known hires former TikTok and Apple executive as first global ECD

Known has hired Todd Triplett as its first global executive creative director.

Triplett takes on the role after most recently serving as an executive creative director at Mighty Dream, an agency backed by Pharrell Williams and Edelman. Prior to that, he served as the co-lead of TikTok’s Creative Lab. He also held lead creative roles at Apple's Beats by Dre, Ikea, Remy Martin and several agencies such as Havas, Deutsch NY and Superfly.

The need for the newly created role comes as the agency has experienced substantial growth since its launch in 2020. Last year the agency picked up 30 new clients, including AMC Networks and Sesame Workshop, and was named Ad Age’s Data and Insights Agency of the Year this year.

The agency has gotten off to a strong start in 2023 as well. Since January, Known has picked up 13 new clients includingUbisoft, Build-A-Bear, Graduate Hotels and the National Women’s Soccer League. The agency has also grown from 170 employees since its launch to over 400 employees currently.

The agency plans to continue to expand into Europe, Latin America and Asia, said Ross Martin, president of Known, who added that the shop is conducting research in about 85 countries. 

Known has been able to manage its U.S.-based global clients with “just mostly a concentration of talent in the United States, but increasingly we need to expand our physical footprint more globally over the next year or two,” Martin said.

As part of his role, Triplett will lead all consumer brand creative, according to Mark Feldstein, president of Known Studios, which is the agency’s creative and production department. Triplett will also have creative input in other aspects of Known’s business, including Known Originals, which is the agency’s newly launched entertainment studio dedicated to creating original IP.

In the past, Known has helped launch original shows and documentaries such as “Jeen-Yuhs,” a Netflix original documentary about the life of Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.

The agency also appointed Jordan Schultz, who previously held lead social roles at Warner Bros. Discovery and CNN, as its head of social. Aya Baeshean was promoted to head of design for the entire agency after previously serving as design lead for consumer brand clients. Both are newly created roles. Baeshean previously served as a head of design at DDB. Earlier this year, Known appointed Kasha Cacy as its first chief media officer.