Pierre Jouffray & Derek Szynal
Global Executive Creative Directors, Wieden+Kennedy Portland
Good medicine: Jouffray and Szynal gathered over a century’s worth of archival footage for “Never Over,” their Eli Lilly spot celebrating tenacity in both science and sport that opened the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. They also worked on powerful, personal campaigns for the drugmaker that centered on Alzheimer’s disease and obesity. Consumers responded favorably, giving the pharmaceutical giant its highest-ever brand trust metrics in 2025.
Get outdoors: The duo won the Yeti account and put together a new campaign for Travel Oregon, playing on the Beaver State’s “OR” abbreviation to show off its many contrasts.
Tara Lawall
Chief Creative Officer, Rethink New York
Gold medal: ADWEEK’s 2025 Independent Agency of the Year grew its U.S. business by 50% thanks in part to Tara Lawall’s leadership. She helmed a ‘70s-style soft-core cinema campaign featuring Walton Goggins for the launch of Doritos Golden Sriracha Chips, complete with an adult phone line and a burlesque venue for the premiere.
Real-time play: During the Super Bowl, Lawall and her team dominated chatter with 50 reactive ads for Kraft Mac & Cheese’s new “Best Thing Ever” platform, voiced by John Mulaney.
O brother: She sent the internet spiraling by positioning the Hooters and Duolingo mascot owls as long-lost brothers to drum up attention for the language app.
