In a significant move, three former executives from creative agency Wieden+Kennedy responsible for crafting some of Nike’s most iconic campaigns have founded their own ad agency, Someplace.
Ryan O’Rourke, Alberto Ponte, and Dan Sheniak are embarking on a new chapter in their illustrious careers with the independent agency Someplace.
Former W+K creative directors O’Rourke and Ponte have become Someplace’s co-founders and chief creative officers, while former global media director Sheniak is its chief media officer.
Together, the award-winning industry stalwarts plan to harness their “advertising superpowers” to offer brands “game-changing creativity for the modern media world.”
This can already be seen through Someplace’s website design, strategically littered with vibrant visuals and wittily crafted words that show the founders' passion for advertising.
“We believe there is a unique place for every brand. A place in the world, a place in people’s minds, a place in people’s hearts, and a place in their lives. Once a brand finds its place, it thrives, it owns that space, and that space can’t be taken by others,” its website states.
“We get to that place, by telling your story in a way nobody else can because it is yours.”
Getting Someplace
For nearly two decades, O’Rourke and Ponte worked in tandem as global creative lead and global creative director, respectively, handling all Nike campaigns at W+K.
Before establishing “a very experienced startup,” Sheniak worked exclusively for the Nike account, leading communication and entertainment “from the Global Olympics + World Cup to Athlete Hero campaigns to Innovation & Technology launches to doing good for the world.”
The trio’s past works for Nike include “You Can’t Stop Sports,” “Dream Crazy,” and “The Black Mamba,” among many others.
“All three of us grew up fostering a deep love of storytelling, like any other person who gets into this industry,” Sheniak said in a statement.
“The difference for us is that we’re building an agency at the crosshairs of powerful creativity and media, putting the right creative in the right places. That precision at the core of our storytelling makes all the difference for our business and our clients.”
Positioned as a hub for creative freedom and collaboration, Someplace represents a departure from conventional agency models, emphasizing a more fluid and dynamic approach to client relationships and project execution.
“We believe it is still possible to create work that will cut through the clutter in this fragmented landscape, work that grows the business, and it also becomes part of pop culture,” the Someplace website reads.
“We are an extremely senior leadership team, combined with a team of young and diverse talent, and very strategic partnerships in place.”
As Someplace strives to expand its portfolio with brands seeking to establish distinctive identities, the team has already begun collaborating with a varied clientele, spanning sports, fashion, and technology.
