Stink Studios, the global creative studio under the umbrella of Stink, is introducing a new creative collective named Not For Hire (NFH).
This innovative collective is set to revolutionize the advertising industry by integrating unique and diverse voices from outside traditional advertising realms. The members of NFH include a dynamic mix of artists, photographers, fashion designers, gallerists, musicians, comedy writers, and makers, all brought together to collaborate with brands and create groundbreaking creative work.
Leadership and Vision
The leadership team of Not For Hire is composed of seasoned executives from Stink Studios, including Kunal Muzumdar as Managing Director, Michael Kushner as Executive Creative Director, and Isabella Tobiason as the Director of Not For Hire. This trio aims to blend their extensive industry knowledge with the fresh perspectives of the collective’s members to deliver innovative and impactful advertising solutions.
A Fresh Approach to Advertising
Not For Hire offers brands several key benefits:
- Access to Diverse Talent: Brands can leverage the creative prowess of a diverse group of individuals who bring new and unexpected perspectives to their business.
- Flexible Business Model: NFH’s structure allows for seamless integration into existing marketing plans, providing flexibility and ease of collaboration.
- Unique Creative Insights: The collective members, being outside the traditional advertising sphere, offer fresh and authentic ideas that break away from conventional ad formats.
Muzumdar emphasizes the distinctive advantage of working with NFH, stating, “The fact that these talented folks are not from the world of advertising, and are not ‘influencers’ in the traditional sense, is part of their superpower. They bring a tremendous amount of creative and cultural perspective to their work, they don’t think in ad formats, and now brands can see the power of these non-traditional partners in their work.”
Notable Members of the Collective
Currently, NFH comprises 20 members, each with a unique creative background. Some of the standout members include:
- Maya Man: An artist focused on contemporary identity culture on the internet. She explores themes of femininity, authenticity, and self-performance through her websites, generative series, and installations.
- Isabella Lalonde: Founder of the label Beepy Bella, Isabella’s whimsical jewelry and accessories have gained a cult following, with celebrity fans including Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish.
- Alex Sovoda: A creative director and filmmaker, Alex is known for his short film “Compounding Negativity,” which earned a Vimeo staff pick and screened at the NoBudge Festival in NYC.
- Lily Max: A London-based designer and head designer for the innovative eyewear brand A Better Feeling, Lily’s work includes collaborations with graffiti artist KATSU and custom pieces for music artists like Rosalia and J Balvin.
- Yuma Burgess: A London-based sculptor specializing in merging modern technology with archaic values, Yuma aims to introduce mystery into our computational world.
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Addressing Industry Challenges
Muzumdar and his team created NFH in response to what they see as a stagnating advertising industry. “So much of what we’re seeing in the industry looks the same, and that can make things easily forgettable,” Muzumdar notes.
“This is because so many of the agencies making the work (and the people in them) also look and think the same. But there is an incredible creative community doing amazing things in other parts of culture, and we’re excited to bring these two groups closer together. As we’ve always told our client partners, if you want work that’s different, you need to work differently. Not For Hire helps solve that problem.”
With its innovative approach and diverse talent pool, Not For Hire is poised to make a significant impact in the advertising world. The collective’s initial clients and projects will be announced in the coming months, promising a new wave of creative advertising that truly stands out.
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