Proving wrong the old Thomas Wolfe quote about how ‘you can never go home again,’ Hudson – the full-service creative boutique founded in 2013 by director Larry August, his late business partner, EP Audrey Pask, and Managing Director Kristin Redman – has reunited with acclaimed commercial director Anthony Garth.
The Detroit native joins a directorial roster that includes August, as well as directors Brett Warkentien, Peter Klein, Jacob Reed, Rachel Harms, Jako, and Cale Glendening.
August notes that Hudson’s relationship with Garth goes back to 2007 when he was a leading director at production company Avalon Films. In 2021 Avalon Films and Hudson Edit merged to form the current Hudson – a move that brought in Wiebke Engel as Executive Producer.
“We’ve been hoping to bring somebody like Anthony, but to actually have him here drives home the relevance of the production side of our studio,” August says. “Anthony is incredibly well-respected in the Midwest for his jaw-dropping car spots, but also around the globe for his incredible fashion and music video work. We see this as a huge step forward for our production arm that immediately puts us on every agency producer’s short-list for that challenging assignment that needs expertise in production and post.”
August adds, “The level of great work that Anthony has done over the years, some of that work in collaboration with the post artists here at Hudson, we feel like this begins a new chapter in the history of Hudson, and we’re all happy to get Anthony back in the family.”
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Balancing Imagery, Mood, and Storytelling
Garth was born in Detroit, but raised in California, and that balance between the gritty and the glitter can be found in Garth’s early music video work for then-emerging Detroit musicians like the White Stripes and Eminem.
That balance between striking imagery, mood, and story-telling led him to advertising, finding his niche in both the automotive and fashion worlds. His reel includes projects for Cole Haan, Harley Davidson, Chevrolet, Ford, Lincoln, Dassault, GM, Varvatos, and JEEP among others.
But from Garth’s perspective, automotive and fashion directing are similar in many respects in terms of their marketing approach.
“Just like fashion, automotive is a lifestyle brand, the marketing often is not just about the car driving down the road and you envisioning yourself driving that car,” Garth says. “It’s about living the lifestyle that the car signifies, in much the same fashion marketing does. Fashion, cars, music videos – it all comes full circle under ‘lifestyle.’”
Garth adds the exciting part for him is returning to a company he helped build.
“I was there helping get Hudson off the ground, working with Larry and Audrey in the beginning, and to see it grow into a respected company and force in the Midwest market is gratifying. They have built a polished, well-run machine, and I’m looking forward to adding to its well-earned reputation.”
Click here to view Anthony’s showreel. Reel 360 News wishes Anthony the best of luck at Hudson.
