Starting small: Both creatives started out in smaller markets before coming to New York, and credit that experience with sharpening their strategic thinking to punch above their weight.
Zack Browne & Alfonso Ruiz
Creative Directors, Johannes Leonardo
Updating an icon: When Adidas’ cultural relevance began to slide, Zack Browne and Alfonso Ruiz helped the sportswear brand reclaim a dominant voice across sports and lifestyle. Anthony Edwards’ AE 1 shoe launched with an unapologetic, social-first narrative called “Believe That,” which along with its sequels has won Cannes Lions and generated 433 million impressions to date. The duo are also behind the star-studded reintroduction of Adidas’ Superstar with Samuel L. Jackson.
On tour: When Oasis reunited for a 2025 summer tour, Browne and Ruiz spurned traditional endorsement deals for their client Adidas. Instead, they created a wide-ranging merchandise line and a cinematic promotional film that became the only campaign to feature the Gallagher brothers together, and became part of the opening visual for all 41 sold-out arena stops.
