Droga5’s Kingsbery joins American Haiku as exodus to indies continues
There’s a veritable exodus of senior creatives and creative agency managers from network agencies, hardly surprising as all you hear from most of the network owners is praise for the wonders of AI and tech. With the hasty addition of “creative still matters of course, it’s what we do.”
It might seem sensible to look elsewhere if you’re a member of these endangered species.
Two refugees from Accenture-owned Droga5 have set up Isle of Any in NYC with the New York Times, no less, as its founding client. On this side of the Atlantic Kate Stanners is leaving Saatchi & Saatchi for PR firm Edelman. Now former D5 New York MD Jessica Kingsbery is joining indie newbie American Haiku as its first CEO, reporting to founder and CCO Thom Glover.
American Haiku is Ad Age’s 2025 Newcomer Agency of the Year. Clients include JP Morgan Chase, Yahoo and New Balance.
Kingsbery (above) says: “American Haiku is primed for growth, with an incredibly talented team and creative energy that’s undeniable. I’m thrilled to be a part of this next chapter, helping to shape the culture, elevate the work and unlock new possibilities for our clients.”
Founder Glover says: “Jessica is the kind of leader who brings people together around a shared vision – and then turns that vision into real business results that move the needle for some of today’s top brands. She leads with clarity, focus and purpose, and I couldn’t imagine a better partner to shape what’s next for American Haiku.”
Indie agencies have a big opportunity as some clients at least tire of their media and tech-obsessed network big brothers. They need support from big clients though: Amazon and Uber are two such who have backed smaller indies.
