
Stagwell to Host Content Studio, Floor Tours; Chairman and CEO Mark Penn Will Speak on the C Space Stage
NEW YORK and LAS VEGAS, Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, will attend CES 2023 hosted by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, taking place Jan. 5-8, 2023 in Las Vegas. Stagwell experts and client partners will discuss transforming marketing through impactful technology across a variety of activations at the annual consumer technology expo.
“Stagwell transforms marketing through impactful technology, driving measurable outcomes for our clients’ businesses and for society at large,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. “Whether we’re building an app that fuels billions in revenue or designing a first-of-its-kind sustainable NFT platform, we’re excited to return to CES to celebrate the impact of technology.”
- Content Studio: Stagwell is again producing exclusive interviews with senior brand executives, focused on the technologies they expect to spark the greatest transformation in advertising and marketing over the next five years. The 15-minute 1:1 sessions will take place in Stagwell’s onsite content studio in booth 60488, in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC).
- Floor Tours: Brand executives are invited to attend 60-minute tours spanning the North and Central Halls of the LVCC, hosted by technology experts from across Stagwell. Attendees will hear expert evaluations of the products and services unveiled at CES that will have the biggest impact on brands and marketing opportunities in the year to come, particularly regarding creative and media buying.
- Mark Penn @CES: Penn will participate in the CMO Insights C Space Program on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 2:50 p.m. He will join a panel on the impact of data and personalization, featuring brand leaders and technologists working at the intersection of technology and marketing to define the standards around consumer data.
If you are a brand executive interested in participating in a Content Studio interview or attending a floor tour, please email Ces2023@stagwellglobal.com for further information as space is limited.
If you’re a journalist interested in connecting with Mark Penn, Stagwell corporate leaders, or executives from Stagwell agencies in attendance, please email pr@stagwellglobal.com.
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
Media Contact
Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com
SOURCE Stagwell Inc.
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Celebrates GALE as part of AOY Shortlist
Stagwell – just 1% of the market – is 20% of the AOY list
Observatory Included on the Small AOY Shortlist
NEW YORK – Dec. 12, 2022 – Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, celebrates its strategic and creative agency Anomaly which has been named U.S. Agency of the Year by Adweek, the American trade publication covering the advertising, marketing, and media industries.
Adweek editors applauded Anomaly’s ‘monster’ year of new business wins, which included 16 accounts ranging from Dunkin’, Vans, and the ‘pitch of the year’: Bud Light U.S. Additionally, Adweek said “the agency’s Super Bowl spot for Meta Quest tugged on our heartstrings.”
Business agency GALE – which continued its trajectory of triple-digit growth in 2022 – was also shortlisted by Adweek as U.S. Agency of the Year, one of only 10 agencies recognized. GALE’s notable 2022 new business wins include H&R Block and Dropbox, and it was earlier named to Adweek’s list of Fastest Growing Agencies for 2022.
“Our challenger network – just 1% of the market – boasts 20% of Adweek’s prestigious list. We’re proud to celebrate Anomaly as Adweek’s 2022 Agency of the Year. Led by Carl Johnson, Karina Wilsher and great office leaders in New York and Los Angeles, Anomaly lodged a remarkable year of new business growth and creative innovation. I am also excited to see GALE shortlisted for Agency of the Year and proud of Brad Simms and the fast-growing team there,” said Mark Penn, chairman and CEO, Stagwell. “I also want to congratulate Brendan Shields-Shimizu and the Observatory team on their recognition on the Small Agency of the Year short list for continuing to innovate for clients in a variety of formats.”
“If you define and fully commit to what you believe; identify what must remain and must change, what you’re prepared to do, and more importantly not do, then you can make significant progress in a turbulent, unpredictable world. We do and we did,” noted Anomaly co-founder Carl Johnson.
Observatory, based in Los Angeles, was also included on the shortlist in the U.S. Small Agency of the Year category, recognized for selling a variety of work including an action figure of Martha Stewart, two docuseries, a podcast, a film, and a concert. It also received nods for developing 15 sports films for clients as well as creating a sequel to an iconic Chipotle ad.
About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
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Los Angeles Rams and ARound Introduce the Next Generation of Stadium Augmented Reality, Sponsored by SoFi
ARound Expands Stadium-Wide AR With Addition of In-Venue Broadcast Integration on SoFi Stadium’s Infinity Screen, In-Home Fan Experience; SoFi Signs on as First ARound Brand Sponsor
LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK – Dec. 5, 2022 – The Los Angeles Rams are introducing a new fan-focused technology experience at the stadium and at home. Debuting at yesterday’s game, fans at SoFi Stadium were the first to experience shared augmented reality (AR) in an NFL game with the launch of ARound, a next-generation fan engagement platform designed to enhance gameday fun with live, real-world AR experiences, sponsored by SoFi, digital personal finance company and SoFi Stadium naming rights partner. First launched in August with the Minnesota Twins, ARound expanded its platform to include in-venue broadcast integration as well as an at-home AR experience.
ARound, part of the Stagwell Marketing Cloud, uses 3D spatial computing to localize content to individual users throughout the venue, enabling SoFi Stadium’s 70,000 attendees to see the same real-time 3D effects and participate in the same shared experiences. Using the ARound Stadium app, fans point their smartphone at the field to open up a universe of AR effects, interacting with the physical venue and fellow fans in real time. ARound and the Rams have taken shared AR several steps further through new fan experiences custom to the Rams and to the NFL:
- Infinity Screen AR: Fans can view effects like “Rampede” and “Make Noise” come to life on the Rams’ state-of-the-art 70,000-sq. foot videoboard, The Infinity Screen, with AR experiences incorporated into the gameday production in real time, such as when a touchdown is scored or when the team takes the field.
- Players in 3D: Key player callouts including Aaron Donald, Bobby Wagner, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey, Matt Gay, and Matthew Stafford are featured through special effects, making their personalities larger than life.
- The Best Seat in the House, At-Home AR Experience: Fans can join the gameday festivities and contests through a life-size virtual stadium experience from their homes, mirroring what’s happening during the game at SoFi Stadium.
- SoFi: Official ARound Sponsor: Opening the door to this new, connected marketing medium, digital personal finance company and SoFi Stadium naming rights partner SoFi has signed on as ARound’s first platform partner with stadium-wide AR games, contests, effects, and a remote experience amplifying the energy and excitement of Rams gamedays and the SoFi brand.
“We are thrilled to team with ARound and SoFi to incorporate AR into gamedays at the Rams House in unprecedented ways,” said Marissa Daly, VP & GM, Los Angeles Rams Studios. “This experience is a continuation of the game-changing ways we’ve partnered with SoFi at SoFi Stadium and across Los Angeles to elevate the fan experience on gamedays and beyond.”
“Fans come to the stadium to feel closer to the game, to the players, and to other fans. We developed ARound to enhance those feelings through highly immersive and interactive AR experiences that complement the action on the field,” said Josh Beatty, founder and CEO, ARound. “And with products like Apple and Google AR Glasses already in development we’re excited to open up the living room to blended TV experiences we know are the future of broadcast entertainment.”
“At SoFi, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation to create seamless experiences for our members, all while fulfilling our mission of helping our members achieve financial independence,” said Lauren Stafford Webb, CMO, SoFi. “We are proud to sponsor ARound’s first-of-its-kind technology for Los Angeles Rams fans at the iconic SoFi Stadium to make their experience even more spectacular.”
Journalists interested in covering the Rams launch can access the press kit here.
About ARound
ARound is a first-of-its-kind stadium-level shared augmented reality platform and is part of the Stagwell Marketing Cloud, a proprietary suite of SaaS and DaaS solutions build for the modern marketer. ARound keeps audiences engaged by capturing their attention through immersive, interactive and shared experiences with fellow fans across the venue. Where other AR products offer isolating, singular experiences, ARound’s massive multi-user AR – which uses 3D spatial computing to localize content – redefines what it means to be part of a connected fan experience. It was the winner of Stagwell’s annual innovation competition which invests in new product ideas proposed by the network’s 13,000+ employees. ARound and the Stagwell Marketing Cloud are a part of Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network build to transform marketing.
About Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams – Los Angeles’ original professional sports team and Super Bowl LVI Champions – stand as one of the oldest franchises in the National Football League and since its founding in 1937, have garnered four World Championships and sent 30 of its members to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a professional sports team, the organization is committed to be a valuable civic partner and serving the greater Los Angeles area 365 days a year. The Rams play their home games at SoFi Stadium, which is located at Hollywood Park, a 298-acre sports and entertainment destination being developed by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke in Inglewood, CA.
About SoFi
SoFi helps people achieve financial independence to realize their ambitions. Our products for borrowing, saving, spending, investing and protecting give our over four million members fast access to tools to get their money right. SoFi membership comes with the key essentials for getting ahead, including career advisors and connection to a thriving community of ambitious people. SoFi is also the naming rights partner of SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams. For more information, visit SoFi.com or download our iOS and Android apps.
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Panchawati has joined the Content and Strategy leadership team and will be based in Singapore
NEW YORK and SINGAPORE, Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — National Research Group (NRG), recognized as an insights leader at the edge of technology, content, and culture, today announced that Sushma Panchawati, a veteran insights strategist and emerging markets specialist, has been appointed Senior Vice President, Content & Strategy. She will oversee the firm’s presence in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. NRG is part of Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing.
In her new role, Panchawati will work closely with both existing and new clients across the streaming, television, and theatrical landscapes, leading brand health, concept evaluation, messaging and positioning, content testing, and creative material testing.
“Now is a really exciting time to be working on the content landscape in Asia-Pacific given the discernible impact it has been having on the world at large for the last decade. I am very excited to help our clients take it to new heights by tapping into the rich multi-cultural tapestry here and to be part of NRG’s journey in the region,” said Panchawati.
Panchawati has more than 15 years of experience working in product and marketing strategy. Most recently, she was part of the founding team at Edvanza, a career advancement partner for young professionals. There, she led the design and delivery of the company’s MVP product proposition, as well as the foundational business and marketing strategy, driving growth in the UK, Africa, and India. Before that, Panchawati led the APAC region for The Sound, a brand strategy and product innovation agency. She has led strategy and research efforts across APAC, EU, Africa, and South America working with brands like Google, Pinterest, Netflix, Amazon, and Apple on their brand launch campaigns, marketing and product strategies, and innovation pipelines.
“With established markets maturing, Asia-Pacific is a region of particular importance for many of our entertainment clients. However, its diverse range of cultures and tastes means that success will depend on bespoke marketing strategies. Sushma’s deep expertise and unique perspective across the region will be invaluable to our clients as they navigate the opportunities ahead,” said Stephen Palmer, President, Content & Strategy.
Panchawati earned her undergraduate degree from Jawaharlal Nehru Technology University and a master of business administration from MICA in India. She is a regular speaker at global conferences like the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR), highlighting her experience working across a diverse set of markets and methodologies. She will be based in Singapore.
National Research Group is a leading global insights and strategy firm at the intersection of entertainment and technology. Rooted in four decades of industry expertise, the world’s leading marketers turn to us for insights into growth and strategy for any content, anywhere, on any device. Working at the confluence of content, culture and technology, NRG offers insights for bold storytellers everywhere. To learn more, please visit www.nationalresearchgroup.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
For NRG:
Mary Moczula
mary.moczula@nrgmr.com
For Stagwell:
Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com
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Maggie Malek, CEO of MMI Agency and Army Veteran, and Justin Lewis, Chairman of Constellation Network and Marine Corps Veteran, Publish Open Letters for Veterans Day
NEW YORK – Nov. 10, 2022 – Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, announced its support for VetsinTech (ViT), the leading national non-profit dedicated to supporting veterans through tech-based programs and opportunities in education, employment, and entrepreneurship. The partnership is led by Stagwell’s Maggie Malek, CEO of MMI Agency and Army veteran, and Justin Lewis, Constellation chairman and Marine Corps veteran.
MMI, Constellation and Stagwell are also supporting ViT’s 8th Annual Veterans Day Gala on Friday, Nov. 11, in San Francisco. The Gala is held each fall to fund educational scholarships for veterans and military spouses and to celebrate Veterans Day.
“Veteran leaders like Maggie and Justin bring invaluable experiences and skillsets to our business and we’re grateful to have their leadership,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. “We’re excited to partner with VetsinTech and open up new avenues to support veterans in building fruitful, rewarding careers within the technology ecosystem.”
Malek and Lewis have each published an open letter in recognition of Veterans Day to inspire veterans to think bigger about their futures and to encourage the creative technology community to hire veterans.
Malek, whose grandfather and uncle served in WWII and Vietnam, writes about the impact of their stories, and being fueled to be part of something bigger following a death in the family and the events of 9/11. After carving out her place as a top-performing female in the Army, she details her path of floating in and out of different jobs, maintaining internships while attending school, eventually leading to a place where she could blend her love for writing with her love of people: MMI Agency. A decade later, she became MMI’s CEO. Read Maggie’s full letter on LinkedIn here.
Lewis, who joined the Marine Corps as an insecure 17 yr. old, eventually spent six years in the Corps including being part of the force that rescued Captain Scott O’Grady from Bosnia (a story represented in the film “Behind Enemy Lines”). After bouncing around jobs, one day while delivering UPS packages he applied to a business developing websites using HTML, CSS and Javascript. After teaching himself dozens of programming languages, Lewis founded Instrument, now one of the leading digital innovation agencies. Read Justin’s full letter on LinkedIn here.
Inspired? Join Stagwell in our support for VetsinTech.
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About VetsInTech
Based in San Francisco, with more than 70,000 vets strong and 20 chapters across the country, VetsInTech is the leading national non-profit devoted 100% to springboarding veterans into tech careers. VetsinTech harnesses the national technology ecosystem to benefit veterans returning from active military duty who want to apply their exceptional training, skills, and experience to a new technology career. Comprising technology industry leaders and former service members, VetsinTech is the only non-profit supporting our veterans through tech-based programs and opportunities in education, employment, and entrepreneurship. For more information, interested parties can visit www.vetsintech.co.
About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
Stagwell’s fastest-growing network transforms for the convergence of creative, media, and commerce.

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PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Instrument and Hello Design, leading digital agencies within the Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) network, will join forces in January 2023. Hello Design will add its 30+ employees to operate as a full-service client team within the 400+ employed at Instrument— retaining its current clients but with the support of Instrument’s organizational structure and resources.
Hello Design uses design, strategy and technology to connect people to brands in meaningful ways. The agency’s work for clients like Sonos, Nike, Tillamook, and MoMA has won numerous awards, including Cannes Cyber Lion, Clio, One Show Pencil, and Webby Awards. Instrument, a top-performing digital agency within the Stagwell network, delivers end-to-end brand experience services from digital product innovation to brand marketing. Hello Design will add complementary content capabilities, such as directing films and producing content for Facebook’s Analog Research Lab, Din Tai Fung, and Herman Miller.
Hello Founder and former CEO, David Lai, will assume the position of Executive Creative Director at Instrument. He will continue to oversee creative on key accounts. Szu Ann Chen will lead key client partnerships as Executive Director and George Lee will take the role of Director, Content Production, further evolving Instrument’s innovation capabilities to build systems that deliver content at scale with measurable results.
“We have always respected Instrument’s ability to not only do great work, but to do it at scale with some of the world’s leading brands. We are excited for this next evolution, and what the future may hold,” said David Lai, Founder & CEO at Hello Design.
“Instrument builds connected brand ecosystems across brand, product, and marketing, elevating and unifying each and every user experience.” said Kara Place, CEO at Instrument. “Hello’s multi-disciplinary expertise strengthens this approach. Having been fans and collaborators for over a decade, we’re confident and delighted for them to join our team.”
In addition, while Instrument continues to operate as a virtual-first agency, Hello Design adds a physical Los Angeles, CA location and presence for hybrid work for LA-based employees and clients.
Stagwell previously held a minority interest in Hello Design. This move brings Hello Design fully into the Stagwell family. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Instrument is a digital agency with offices in Portland, Oregon and Brooklyn, New York. We are a dynamic group of creative technologists and storytellers that use the power of design and technology to co-create groundbreaking work with our clients. We connect brands like never before— helping organizations reimagine the most valuable pieces of their digital ecosystem. With deep talent in the areas of Strategy, Design, Development and Content Creation, we build modern experiences for ambitious brands.
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
Media Contact:
Brandon Dixon
pr@stagwellglobal.com
SOURCE Stagwell Inc.
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NRG Releases Whitepaper, “The Power of Brand Fandom: 5 Things to Know Right Now”
NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Research from Stagwell‘s (NASDAQ: STGW) National Research Group (NRG), a global insights leader at the intersection of technology, content, and culture, shows more people are fans of brands, products, and services in the same way they love sports and celebrities. NRG introduced its “Brand Fandom” research focus at Advertising Week, beginning a series that will unpack the journey to fandom across key categories and audiences. The research will explore the pathways for brands to successfully build and activate a fan community and understand the modern-day fan ecosystem.
NRG’s Brand Fandom showed up in a myriad of ways this month:
- Brand Fandom Whitepaper: In a new report, “The Power of Brand Fandom: 5 Things to Know Right Now,” research points to brand influence as being more significant than other commonly associated areas of interest: consumers are bigger fans of brands or products (57%) than of celebrities (54%), movies (52%), sports (48%) or online influencers/personalities (37%). Some other key themes from the paper include:
- Age is just a number: Brand fandom is strong across all ages, dispelling conventional assumptions that Gen Z and millennials have a fleeting sense of brand loyalty.
- Fans don’t exist in a vacuum: 54% “want everyone to know” they are a fan of a given brand or product.
- Brand fans are sold on potential, too. Over three-quarters (77%) say they will at least try different products the brand comes out with.
- MediaPost Op-Ed: In a contributed piece, Stagwell Global Chief Marketing Officer Ryan Linder and NRG EVP, Brand Strategy and Innovation Fotoulla Damaskos co-bylined an article, “Bigger Than Sports and Celebrity: The Power of Brand Fandom,” which explores what brands can expect of the consumers who they turn into fans: not just deep loyalty, but advocacy.
- Advertising Week New York: A panel at AWNY, which included NRG’s Damaskos and EVP, Head of Sports Marketing Jay Kaufman; Stagwell’s Linder; Christie’s SVP, Head of Marketing Neda Whitney; and McDonald’s Director, Communications Measurement & Insights Sarah Myles, introduced brand fandom on “Buzz and Devotion: The Fan Economy That Makes Niche Mainstream in Today’s Culture.”
“This first piece of research shows how brand fandom serves as a tool of self-expression, intricately linking brands to consumer identities. It should signal to brands that interactions with customers have to be dialogues, nurturing people’s experiences and engendering a sense of shared belonging,” said NRG EVP, Brand Strategy & Innovation Fotoulla Damaskos. “Our choices as consumers are on full display right now – we can wield power against the brands that fail us, or passionately champion those we believe in. Where these choices fall can mean the difference between having customers or having fans who bring commitment, advocacy and long-term brand growth.”
“The way I move about the world – how I approach the fast-paced work of brand marketing, to the even faster-paced world of fatherhood – I’ve done through the lens of authenticity and grit, qualities I adopted from my fandom for Harley-Davidson motorcycle culture,” said Stagwell EVP, CMO Ryan Linder. “My identity continues to be reinforced by a kaleidoscope of brands I’m personally invested in, proof that the influence of brands can manifest across so many aspects of our lives.”
Data used in this report comes from a study of 1,018 US consumers, ages 18 to 65, conducted in October 2022–representative of the national population in terms of age, gender and ethnicity.
National Research Group is a leading global insights and strategy firm at the intersection of entertainment and technology. Rooted in four decades of industry expertise, the world’s leading marketers turn to us for insights into growth and strategy for any content, anywhere, on any device. Working at the confluence of content, culture and technology, NRG offers insights for bold storytellers everywhere. To learn more, please visit www.nationalresearchgroup.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
Stagwell’s fastest-growing network transforms for the convergence of creative, media, and commerce.
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Insights Series Launches with Deep Dive into Nigeria in Partnership with Stagwell Affiliate Partner SBI Media
NEW YORK and LAGOS, Nigeria, Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — National Research Group (NRG), a global insights leader at the intersection of technology, content and culture, launched its “Capstone Series,” a first-of-its-kind exploration into the culture, content and technology driving leading-edge global growth markets. NRG is part of Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing. In partnership with SBI Media, a Lagos, Nigeria-based media agency and part of Stagwell’s Global Affiliate Network, NRG kicked off the series with “Exploring Nigeria,” a future-leaning view into the technology, culture and entertainment trends shaping the Nigerian landscape.
“Our Capstone Series is a research undertaking combining a global viewpoint with on-the-ground perspective and expertise at a level of depth we’ve not seen before in emerging markets,” said NRG Chief Strategy Officer Chris Rethore. “The proof of that is in our inaugural study, which has given us a nuanced, layered understanding of Nigeria’s shifting cultural landscape – showing us what makes Nigerians tick, how their identity impacts their consumption behaviors, and what can be done to better serve these passionate consumers. We hope that media, entertainment and tech companies find value and actionable intelligence in this and future studies to help shape decision-making in vanguard markets over the next few years.”
“This study would not have been possible without the partnerships we have built through Stagwell’s Global Affiliate Network, now numbering nearly 80 partners across APAC, EMEA, LATAM, and North America,” said Stagwell Chief Strategy Officer Anas Ghazi. “Partners like SBI Media accelerate our global research, survey, and insights capabilities at Stagwell, adding authentic understanding of local markets around the world.”
“We are delighted to collaborate with the innovative team at NRG on this landmark project — the first of its kind in the Nigerian and sub-Saharan African market,” said SBI Media Group CEO Rotimi Bankole. “We are convinced that the findings in the NRG Capstone Series will provide brands, artists, creatives, and the larger stakeholders in the entertainment and content industry uncharted insights to decipher, discover and leverage engagement opportunities in the market.”
Exploring Nigeria
Anchored by a robust survey of 5,000 in-market consumers with added expert viewpoints of academics, industry insiders and in-person consumer interviews, “Exploring Nigeria” provides broad understanding into the cultural pillars that drive the country and its people. The research dives into 10 key topic areas exploring consumer habits and attitudes in Nigeria today, including the criticality of mobile, the rollout of 5G, the creator economy, content consumption, streaming services, audio and gaming as growth verticals, the power of social media, the future of money, and more.
Key takeaways include:
- Mobile is the gateway to connectivity. Mobility is table stakes when it comes to streaming, with 78% noting it’s very important that streaming services work well on mobile. Over half (55%) of all movie/TV consumption is on smartphones, while viewership on laptops, smart TVs, tablets and desktop devices is less frequent. Smartphones are also the overwhelming method for gaming (83%).
- 5G will “transform my country for the better,” say 81% of Nigerian consumers. With internet connection quality viewed as the biggest tech problem in the market, nearly 70% are aware of the pending 5G rollout, with the primary benefit seen to be enhanced speed (74%).
- YouTube leads as the top streaming service with 82% of respondents using it weekly, and 40% of these who use it multiple times per day. Only a daily basis, 64% use it the most often over other services such as Netflix (46%), Prime Video (25%), and AREWA24 (44%), the Hausa-language channel. Of the top five daily activities in general, 66% said they watch a short-form online video.
- Nigerians want Nigerian content to positively reflect their culture and values. Of the top five features that make film or TV feel most authentic, 60% indicated the characters should demonstrate Nigerian values (e.g., family/community work ethic, integrity) and should portray a positive image of Nigeria to the outside world (52%).
- …But Hollywood is still the dominant entertainment source. U.S. content owns the largest share of film viewing (75% of Nigerian consumers have watched Hollywood films in the past 6 months), while American TV is a close second behind Nigerian-produced TV (61% vs. 68%). English-language content from other non-US markets also has appeal. Where other countries have flourished with local content, streamers can heavily feature English-dominant titles from their global catalogs – 80% say they most enjoy watching content in English.
- Audio is ready for a shake-up. Due to limited internet connectivity, music streaming has yet to really take off in Nigeria – only 49% stream music through a streaming service. Nigerian consumers are more likely to depend on downloading and backpacking content.
- Big Tech = big influence. Tech companies including social media companies have a “great deal” of impact on Nigerian culture (64%), second only to religious institutions (73%).
- Finance-related technology that can directly benefit Nigerians fuels their desire to succeed professionally, to learn and grow, and to make money. More than half of respondents indicated they are aware and knowledgeable about cryptocurrency (90%), mobile wallets (85%), artificial intelligence (78%), 5G (76%), blockchain (71%), virtual reality (65%), and NFTs (59%).
NRG’s planned upcoming Capstone Series reports include Indonesia (Q4 2022), Argentina (Q1 2023) and Turkey (Q2 2023).
Study Methodology
NRG conducted an online survey from June 19, 2022 to July 4, 2022 among a nationally representative sample of 5,000 internet-enabled Nigerian consumers aged 16-64. Quantitative fieldwork was enhanced by integrating expert interviews with in-market academic and business leaders as well as in-depth, virtual interviews with Nigerian consumers.
About National Research Group
National Research Group is a leading global insights and strategy firm at the intersection of entertainment and technology. Rooted in four decades of industry expertise, the world’s leading marketers turn to us for insights into growth and strategy for any content, anywhere, on any device. Working at the confluence of content, culture and technology, NRG offers insights for bold storytellers everywhere. To learn more, please visit www.nationalresearchgroup.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About SBI Media
With the vision to become Africa’s most global agency, SBI Media Group is Nigeria’s largest independent media agency (RECMA 2021) built on the culture of bravery, thought leadership and innovation. As a member of the Stagwell Global affiliate network, we are in partnership with a diverse clientele of telecoms, technology, aviation, automobile, telecoms, eCommerce, FMCGs financial services and allied industry. Our fast rising presence cuts across six economic cities including Accra Ghana, Johannesburg South Africa, Nairobi Kenya, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and recently our London office serving Europe and the Asia Pacific. We are headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and financial capital with over 100 media professionals in digital transformation, creative and content, media strategy, research, planning and exchange.
About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
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Epicenter Experience is Stagwell Marketing Cloud’s 3rd Acquisition in 2022, Adding Mobile and Location Data to its Evolving Data and Insights Stack

NEW YORK and BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, has acquired Epicenter Experience (Epicenter), an enterprise software company that leverages mobile and location data to map and sequence complex consumer behavior patterns. Epicenter will become part of the Stagwell Marketing Cloud (SMC), a proprietary suite of software-as-a-service (SaaS) and data-as-a-service (DaaS) products built for in-house marketing teams.
“We have strong momentum building around the Stagwell Marketing Cloud’s insights and analytics capabilities, and we’re excited to add Epicenter’s location-focused platform as another supplement to our data stack,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. “With this AI-powered technology, we can deliver more comprehensive data intelligence to brands, helping them more effectively drive customer acquisition and retention goals.”
“With The People Platform we’ve built a tool that provides contextual awareness and behavioral understanding on a granular level, providing our clients with a connective tissue that they’ve come to view as a ‘currency service.’ We look forward to enhancing the SMC with this technology that can be applied within any industry,” said Epicenter Experience CEO and Co-founder Paul Krasinski. “Through these direct-from-consumer learnings we empower our customers across retail, healthcare, consumer goods, sports, entertainment and more to create more valuable, more personalized connections to their audiences at scale.”
SMC has been actively investing in emerging technologies and data-focused platforms as part of its strategy to serve in-house teams with transformative marketing technology capabilities. This is the SMC’s third acquisition in the second half of 2022, following Apollo Program in July and Maru Group in October. Epicenter will continue to be led by its current leadership team including Co-founders CEO Paul Krasinski and CFO Lynne Lipinsky.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
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Code and Theory Named ANA B2B Agency of the Year After Transforming the World’s Leading Brands

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NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Code and Theory, a digital-first creative agency within Stagwell, announced today the formation of the industry’s first holistic Inclusive Design and Marketing Strategy (ID&M) discipline. In a crowded agency landscape where brands must choose either campaign-focused DEI or social impact marketing agencies, Code and Theory’s ID&M applies inclusivity to a digital-first strategy and uses intersectionality to unlock transformational value for brands. Code and Theory’s ID&M discipline is the first of its kind from Stagwell.
Kirstyn Nimmo, an award-winning social impact strategist behind the White House-recognized #IAmAMan campaign for criminal punishment reform, the Nestlé Purina partnership that opened NYC’s first pet-friendly domestic violence shelters, and launched the Anthem Award Winning Yahoo Allyship Pledge to provide education about the Black experience in America and more, will serve as Group Director.
Nimmo’s 14 years of social impact expertise will be applied to existing Code and Theory work streams across the agency, enhancing an already strong set of digital-first deliverables. She is tasked with building a diverse team of creatives, strategists and technologists to ensure every agency output is inclusive at its core; helping brands resonate with today’s diverse consumers, and increase retention among employees. To date, the agency has delivered breakthrough results while amassing an impressive body of inclusive work with The Washington Commanders, Con Edison, Adidas, National Council on Aging, and Johnson & Johnson, to name a few.
Diverse consumers are transforming the U.S. mainstream; representing the most dynamic and fastest-growing segment of the U.S. consumer economy and a multi-trillion dollar opportunity for brands. For Code and Theory, the demand has never been greater as clients are actively seeking insight and expertise in this space.
“Over a decade ago, it was exciting to witness the industry recognizing the importance of diversity and multicultural marketing, but modern consumers are demanding more than that,” explains Nimmo. “The pandemic and recent racial justice movements led to collective and individual changes in identity, agency, and accountability. Those events paved the way for an expanded focus on inclusion, where brands can honor consumers’ intersectional identities. Brands have the chance to evolve and accurately reflect our culture’s complexities and we’re proud to answer that call.”
“ID&M’s purpose is to approach Inclusivity the same way we have approached Digital Transformation for decades, which is to connect the dots for consumers and brands at every touchpoint,” says Dan Gardner, Founder and Executive Chairman, Code and Theory, “I am beyond thrilled to have Kirstyn join Code and Theory. Brands that want to tap into this massive market opportunity and realize a strong ROI – a return-on-inclusion – will benefit from her expertise on how to authentically embrace inclusion as a strategy and not a tactic across all areas of their business, including marketing and communications.”
The establishment of the discpline aligns with the agency’s commitment to being an anti-racist company. In 2021, Code and Theory hired its first Chief Diversity Officer, Renée Miller, and has since developed its 5% Shifts framework, which compels the agency to continuously revisit progress against all of their DEI commitments, and helps clients make real shifts which result in measurable change.
“At Code and Theory we knew that an ongoing commitment to growing a racially and ethnically diverse staff, wide-ranging in age and identities, would continuously expand our ability to bring our clients cutting edge, intersectional thinking that transforms business and impacts across our clients services, platforms and campaign ecosystems. By putting inclusion at the core of our agency, it’s become a clear focus in our work, birthing this new ID&M discipline.” added Renée Miller, Chief Diversity Officer, Code and Theory.
As part of the effort to drive brand evolution, the ID&M discipline created Words Up, an industry writing guide intended to bring inclusive discourse and collaboration surrounding language. Nimmo adds, “As marketers and builders grounded in digital spaces, we help clients reach people all over the world, and it’s critical that language resonates in the right ways, in the right places. When brands use inclusive language, they invite communities in, grow their audiences and create brand love with consumers they may have failed to recognize in the past.” Additionally, Nimmo and the ID&M team created a Linkedin Group and Discord channel for creative and brand professionals to further collaborate, share resources and knowledge in real time.
To learn more about Code and Theory’s Inclusive Marketing and Design discipline, please visit here.
To learn more about Code and Theory’s DEI framework visit here.
To access the first edition of Words Up, please visit here.
Click here to request access to the ID&M Linkedin Group and Discord Channel here.
About Code and Theory
Born in 2001, Code and Theory is a digital-first creative agency that sits at the center of creativity and technology. With a global client roster of Fortune 100s and start-ups alike, we crave the hardest problems to solve and create end-to-end solutions that flex to meet the needs of today’s ever-changing digital landscape.
About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com
Media Contact
For Code and Theory
Natalie Black
press@codeandtheory.com
For Stagwell
Brandon Dixon
pr@stagwellglobal.com
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