Brandcenter alumni were recognized in Adweek’s 2026 Creative 100, an annual list celebrating creatives, marketers, and agency leaders shaping the future of the industry.
The recognition spans multiple categories, highlighting alumni making an impact across advertising, social, brand storytelling, and culturally driven creative work.
Among those recognized were Derek Szynal (Copywriting, 2008) and creative partner Pierre Jouffray, Global Executive Creative Directors at Wieden+Kennedy Portland. The duo was featured in Adweek’s “Agency Leaders Reclaiming the Narrative” category, which recognized creative leaders using unexpected storytelling to reshape how audiences think about brands and cultural conversations. Adweek credited their work for Eli Lilly, including “Never Over,” which opened the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, along with personal campaigns centered on obesity and Alzheimer’s disease, with helping the pharmaceutical company achieve its highest-ever brand trust metrics in 2025.
Recent graduates Nithya Charles (Art Direction, 2025) and Henry Coffey (Copywriting, 2025), now Creatives at Mischief @ No Fixed Address, were recognized in the “Rising Agency Talent: Social Natives with Big Ideas” category. Adweek highlighted their early success including awards earned while students at Brandcenter in addition to the viral Capri Sun Solstice Pouch campaign, the result of their first brief at Mother.
Cara Hanson (Copywriting, 2020), alongside creative partner Chris Luu at Wieden+Kennedy New York, made the Rising Agency Talent list with work for Ford, including a stunt to bring America’s longest off-road trail to street view on Google maps and the launch of the Ford Maverick.
Additionally, Alec Plourde (Art Direction, 2020), Associate Creative Director, and partner Matias Cachiquis at GUT Miami were featured for culturally resonant campaigns for brands including Doritos, Cheetos, Jet-Puffed, and Popeyes that raked in $16 million in earned media.
Congrats to all of the alumni recognized!