2024’s Talent Unmasked, the Ad Industry’s Early Talent to Know

Happy New Year! Talent Unmasked is finally upon us. Today, we get the pleasure of showing off 20 individuals who are newer to the industry and have shown great talent. Last year, we made a form for people to recognize individuals coming into this industry who have been working hard and trying to make a name for themself. We picked 20 of the best people who submitted, got to know them a bit, and gave them a special shoutout for the crazy things they’ve been doing to keep the ad and marketing worlds going around. Here are the people you should keep an eye on in the coming years in no particular order:

Chase Campbell: Strategist/Planner

Chase Campbell currently is a Cultural Insights Analyst. Even with his short time in the advertising industry, he has wowed people with his creativity and made an impact in the industry. Colleagues have spoken about being inspired by his outlook and approach to creative work. He has had awards and recognitions such as the George Beach Trailblazer Scholarship award by the Philly ad club, American Advertising Federation(AAF) Most Promising Multicultural Student alumnus, and much more. With his work on campaigns like Walmart’s HBCU Black and Unlimited Tour, it’s no wonder why even Naomi Osaka has asked him for some help. You can check out his portfolio at https://www.chasemori.com/ 

Maxwell Williams: Producer

Maxwell is a young shining chicagoan, especially in the world of producing. His work with podcast production has helped shape Havas Chicago’s cultural tapestry in the short time he has worked with them. He epitomizes professionalism and confidence in order to ensure the seamless execution of his work in a creative environment. His contributions alone on the “Breaking and Entering Podcast” has shown he is able to excel in the industry. THis visionary is constantly pushing boundaries and making the environment around him a better place. You can check him out at https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellwilliamspro/ 

Nikhil Rajagopalan: Copywriter

Nikhil’s creative copywriter mind and determination has gotten him some recognition he deserves, like with him winning the second ever crowbar award, awarded for coming up with the best advertising idea and campaign for a quarterly creative brief. This special copywriter’s journey into the ad world is just beginning. His knowledge and goals are international, from living in India, to moving to Canada, he’s seen all sorts of advertisements and knows his way around a good tagline. Check out his crowbar awards episode to learn even more about this up and coming copywriter! Or even better yet, check out his work at https://nikhilrajagopalan.com/

Katie Standish: Strategist/Planner

Katie is a current Indiana University Student who is one of brightest young minds coming out of the state. Her hard work and passion for the industry shows in her affiliations. She was elected the Co-President for the IU Ad club and has even helped start Appetite Ad Agency, a student-run Advertising service that’s goal is to help local businesses and help other aspiring advertisers grow. Alongside this, she gets extra points from us for hosting an advertising podcast where they discuss everything advertising. Her peers have described her as hardworking, smart, and a true planner. You can check out her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestandish/ 

Aidan Whitney: Producer

Aidan is a graduate from Indiana University where he studied Creative Advertising and Film. He has left an indelible mark on those who have met him and shows his curiosity and desire to always grow and learn through the many projects he has done. His work with the “Breaking and Entering Podcast” team has been instrumental through the efficient video production work and ability to generate ideas that bring a refreshing and dynamic view. His strong work ethic has led to opportunities that have granted him more insight on both his skills and the industry as a whole. Keep an eye on him because his work and positive attitude are sure to bring big things. You can check out Aidan’s portfolio at https://aidanwhitneyportfolio.com/

Demetrius Wallace: Account Manager

Demetrius is a bright young individual who has shown that he is ahead of time in terms of knowledge. This Portland native got his start in advertising through working on promotions for music festivals in college in order to snag some free tickets for him and his friends. This job has led him to the agency world and working with brands like Clash of Clans, EA, Budweiser, HP, and more. His work on Clash of Clans contributed to a multitude of awards at events like Cannes Lions. If you haven’t seen the Clash of Clans work, Check it out at https://www.wk.com/work/clash-of-clans-clash-from-the-past/

Hans Kuzanga: Art Direction

Hans is currently attending the University of Illinois, where he is studying advertising. His creative work has led him to work on creative campaigns for the local film festival Ebert Fest, which was created by the acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert. Hans took this chance and ran with it. His education has helped him create a portfolio of creative work, and his dedication to the advertising world shows that you should keep an eye on him. You can check out his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuzanga/ 

Urja Dwivedi: Art Direction

Urja sticks out in the field as an individual who is up for the task when it comes to creative challenges. Urja’s unique way of thinking helped them to come up with fantastic campaigns like their Hinge Socials campaign or SCRABBLE International campaign, which has helped them win some ADDY and SCADDY awards. She is considered a team leader and someone who’s inclusive. She spends much of their free time helping out the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community with creative work. With an M.F.A. under Urja’s belt, she has been doing great work for companies around the world. You can check out Urja’s portfolio at https://urjadwivedii.cargo.site/

Nidhi Shah: Art Director

Nidhi’s very creative mind shows in her bright and optimistic work. Her founding of Cards for a Cause, a pandemic themed deck of cards who’s profits provided 10,000 plus meals for underprivileged families in India, shows just how different she thinks. This thinking has won her pleasantly of awards and publications in brands like VICE, Homegrown, and more! Nidhi was recently selected to be 1 of the 30 emerging creatives worldwide to attend a New Blood Academy by &AD in London. To add to that, this art director can write as well and has one of the best portfolio’s I have seen recently! You can check her portfolio out at https://whoisnidhi.com/ 

Peter Lucas: Creative Strategist

Peter Lucas is being recognized as a creative strategist who is using social media to relentlessly push the boundaries of culture-forward advertising. His creative thinking has led him to create a social media account called @PitchesbyPeter where he makes and “pitches” viral ideas to social media algorithms, finding which ideas find traction and which ones fail to rise to the top. Peter’s lens that he views advertising through is “Could this be a campaign or larger moment for a brand?” and his metrics help back up that yes, the ideas can. You can check his current work on a microsoft campaign or learn more about him on his portfolio at https://www.petermlucas.com/ 

Erica Johnson: Strategist/Planner

Erica is someone who’s always full steam ahead. She’s a strategist who understands the ever changing industry and is always keeping up with it through her many different projects. Erica founded a news site that brings comedy, entertainment, culture, and social justice to a forefront. Alongside this she uses her artistic abilities to create photographs and stories that leave her readers inspired and laughing. Her ability to bring activism into the light of so many people helps show she knows how to capture an audience and has led her to work with many great clients already. You can find her portfolio at http://tinyurl.com/yftt3dcj

Hayden Rajkumar: Copywriter

Hayden is a young wordsmith who uses his powers to help businesses big and small. He graduated from Indiana University amidst the pandemic and used his free time to broaden his knowledge on the advertising industry. This led him to opportunities that let him work with brands like Toyota, SiriusXM, Little Debbie, and more. To add a cherry on top, he was able to work in an agency setting and work with these clients without even needing to go to ad school!  His unique time in the industry has led to him having a fun portfolio which you can check out here https://www.hayden-rajkumar.com/ 

Todd Konrad: Copywriter

Todd is a copywriter who’s transitioning to advertising after starting his career in indie film. During the pandemic, while bunkered down at home, Todd put himself through his own DIY ad boot camp, where he vastly expanded his knowledge and skills in the industry. His creative mind, professional demeanor, and thirst for knowledge has led him to working on many fun projects while continuing to be a lifelong learner. His journey has definitely been interesting and is one to keep an eye on. I’d check out his Chef Boyardee campaign, as it shows just how creative his mind can be. You can check out his portfolio at  https://www.toddkonrad.com/

Sydney Nathan: Strategist/Planner

Sydney is a SoCal based digital marketing specialist who’s got an eye for design and strategy. She’s able to tell a brand's story and guide it to the right people. Currently, she’s helping out the nationwide dessert franchise Beard Papas, through planning, strategizing, and creating content for them. Her past work has included helping out nonprofits and the LGBTQIA+ community audiences through social media. You can check out her content and learn more about her on her portfolio at http://www.sydneynathan.com/ 

Mason Joiner: Art Director

Mason has been a creative individual from a young age. Her passion for creating and selling brought her to the advertising world where she has used her talents to help out many brands and win many awards like the Graphis New Talent award or multiple different ADDY awards. These awards help show her ability to design and stay in touch with audiences at a young age. Her time working at Droga5 has led her to work on campaigns for foundations like HT40, which saw over 2,000 attendees while she worked on the campaign. You can learn more and check out her awesome work at https://www.mason-joiner.com/

Christopher Salomon: Art Director

Christopher is a young art director who hails from Miami. He’s been touted by colleagues as someone who is resilient, dedicated, and always willing to help others. An example of his dedication to making sure everyone succeeds is him helping others build up their portfolio. His creativity oozes in his work and while he may currently just be a Jr. Art Director, there are definitely bigger plans in Christopher’s future that you need to look out for. His portfolio shows outstanding work, especially with his Office Max/Office Depot work, and you can check it out at https://christophersalomon.com/ 

Christopher Rodriguez: Art Director

Christopher is an art director who shows he has the chops to make memorable campaigns. His work is vast and has helped many companies worldwide. He is currently in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has worked on a great campaign for Dallas Pets Alive called Petrans. This campaign has helped many senior dogs get adopted by highlighting them as heroes and in my book that is a great reason for this talented individual to get unmasked. Check out his Behance at https://www.behance.net/christopherrodper

Hailey Joseph: Designer

Hailey is a recent graduate from Syracuse who is putting her creative skills to the test on the East Coast. Her hard work and dedication to the industry are apparent in the work she has produced and her ability to always want to learn. Currently working as a Junior Graphic Designer, She is well on her way to achieving her aspiration of becoming an art director. From working on experiential ads to digital campaigns, her work has found its way on Ads of the World.  Her portfolio shows she has the talent and is just waiting for the right time to strike with another success story from someone taking a non-portfolio school route. You can check out her portfolio at https://haileyjoseph.com/

Sammy Mezrah: Designer

Sammy is a former student from Indiana University where she specialized in creative advertising and minored in apparel Merchandising. Her creativity shows that her brain has been wired for this industry. With her quick thinking, ability to come up with fun ideas, designs that go outside of the box, and mastery of Adobe’s creative suite, she has grown an impressive portfolio. One of her ideas even landed her a spot of B&E’s crowbar award shortlist. Her creativity pours both in and out of her work, where she enjoys documenting her travels and fantastic food finds. You can check out her portfolio at sammymezrah.com 

Aleyna Prehn: Art Director

Alyena is a rising star in the creative industry who has helped the likes of Havas Chicago. Her commitment to her craft is exemplified by her need to go the extra mile, whether it's getting the details just right or thinking of that one extra idea that might be the golden ticket. With an artistic eye like hers that started from watching Studio Ghibli films, it's no wonder why the team at Havas has nothing but things to say about her. Her standard of quality can be shown through the top of the line work on her portfolio at https://aleynaprehn.com/