De Blasio Administration Announces Formation of the Mayor's Creative Council

May 6, 2019

Today, the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships and Creative Communications unit announced the formation of The Mayor’s Creative Council. This diverse coalition of executives and creative leaders from private marketing, advertising and media companies will harness the talent and energy of New York City’s iconic “Madison Avenue” to help the City more effectively connect New Yorkers to information, resources and initiatives.

Members of the Council will provide pro-bono resources including strategic consultation, creative development, and production to bring selected initiatives from across City government to life. The group has already begun tackling two important projects related to public health. Andrew Essex, former CEO of Droga5 and the Tribeca Film Festival, and CEO and Co-Founder of Plan A, will chair the Council.

“The way we communicate with New Yorkers needs to be as vibrant and diverse as the people we serve. With the help of the Creative Council, we will be able reach New Yorkers more effectively, ensuring they know about the City’s most important programs and initiatives,” said Mayor de Blasio.

“This new partnership shows, once again, the amazing civic good will that exists across our iconic industries to help New York City and New Yorkers. In a City of 8.6 million people – having important information break through the noise is no small task, but with the help of these local experts, the best marketing and communications talent in the world, we’re thrilled to have a new set of tools to help to reach people in every neighborhood with information about vital City programs,” said Darren Bloch, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Partnerships.

“Mayor de Blasio’s Creative Communications unit has transformed the way City government communicates with New Yorkers. Now, some of the world’s brightest minds in advertising and marketing are helping to take our efforts to the next level,” said Jess Matthews, Chief Content Officer of the Mayor’s Creative Communications unit. “This first-of-its-kind partnership with top leaders in the creative industry will ensure that this administration's most critical messages – from services available to rights guaranteed – reach every single New Yorker, regardless of background.”

"Madison Avenue has long been the global epicenter of creative communications, but all that talent rarely gets a chance to give back. It only seemed natural to bring together a diverse collection of the industry's best and brightest to help the great city that gave us a name." Andrew Essex, CEO and Founder, Plan A and Chair of the Mayor’s Creative Council.

"As a native New Yorker, I know what it’s like to be frustrated about city government. This is my chance to do something about it. We apply our creative approach to consumers everyday. It’s exciting to now think of them as citizens instead. The power of creativity is tremendous and I applaud the city for this ambitious and visionary effort," said Alain Sylvain, CEO, Sylvain Labs.

“There’s a genius lurking in everyone,” said Brett Pulley, Executive Vice President, Director of Corporate Content & Senior Media Strategist, Weber Shandwick.

"I couldn't be more honored to join the Mayor's Creative Council for NYC. Helping the city I love better reach its citizens is a profound opportunity at a vital moment in history," said Michael Lebowitz, Founder and CEO, Big Spaceship.

“FCB is thrilled to join our industry colleagues in lending our talent and creative energy to New York City and the Council. I personally am so excited to see the Mayor’s office realizing the important value of creative thinking when it comes to solving problems and creating opportunities,” said Susan Credle, Chief Creative Officer of FCB. “We look forward to working with the City to communicate issues of vital importance to our fellow New Yorkers across the five boroughs.”

Founding members:

• Michael Bierut, Partner,  Pentagram
• Tenicka Boyd, Senior Advisor and Director, Color of Change
• Wendy Clark, Global CEO, DDB
• Errol Cockfield, Vice President of Communications, MSNBC
• Susan Credle, Global Chief Creative Officer, FCB
• Andrew Essex, CEO, Plan A
• Dan Gonda, Droga5
• Gerry Graf, Chief Creative Officer, Barton F. Graf
• Rei Inamoto, CEO, Inamoto & Co
• Michael Koziol, CEO, Huge
• Michael Lebowitz, CEO, Big Spaceship
• Erin McPherson, Chief Content Officer, Verizon
• Susie Nam, COO, Droga5
• Brett Pulley, Executive Vice President, Weber Shandwick
• David Sable, CEO, Y&R
• Alain Sylvain, CEO, Sylvain Labs
• Kwame  Taylor-Hayford, Co-Founder, Saturday Morning
• Natalie Troubh, Managing Director, Badger & Winters