“Loneliness isn’t the same as aloneness. You are lonely when you are living an unfulfilled life, as opposed to experiencing being alone, that teaches you peace and tranquility. My soul is full” - Cori Geiger, Senior Project Manager, currently driving around the USA in her van as a solo female traveler The pandemic left many unemployed, and pushed us to revert back into our consciousness to become more aware of what truly matters in our lives; what adds value. Being a remote-first company, AMP believes in enabling our employees to work with passion, but never to lose the inspirations that push them to be their individual best selves. Working remotely has allowed so many employees to achieve life-long goals of living in their dream cities, or spending time with family. For our very first employee spotlight, we’d like you all to meet Cori Geiger, who is taking full advantage of living life to her fullest, all while exceeding in her professional career here at AMP. When the pandemic hit, Cori Geiger, 29, was faced with a life-changing experience when she lost her job and had to move back in with her mother. Fast forward to October 2021, she built a van from scratch and has traveled to more than 25 states with her dogs, Ellie and Roo, and is crushing it as a full time senior project manager at AMP Agency. She has over 45,000 followers on social media glued to her travel diaries every day. We sat down with Cori and had the most wholesome conversation: Was the #vanlife ever a possibility for you? How did you come to the decision that this is how you want to live your life? C: It was never a thing. I worked in events for a while and got laid off after covid hit. Soon after, I had to move in with my mom at 29 years old, I honestly felt like a failure. I lost everything I built up to that point. The five months that followed were crucial to my psychological reset, I had been hustling my whole adult life and never paused to take a break- It was almost as if I had a clean slate and I saw it as an opportunity. This time gave me the brainspace I needed to slow down and really think about what I truly value in life. A big win for me was getting hired by AMP who just decided to go fully remote, it was like a wake up call. The idea really came from a Youtube series on tiny houses and living the minimalist life, so I was always intrigued by living small! And then when I discovered #vanlife it all clicked that this just made sense for my life. So, how did you start the project? Where did you start? Did you build the van yourself? C: It was definitely a process- I was trusting the process mostly. I bought the van in January 2021, and it took me over 8 months to fully build it. With my full-time job, I spent most of my time after work and on the weekends on the van. I had to use resources on the internet and extensive research to bring the van to life, so alongside all the building, I was learning so much about the whole process. Almost as if I was building my life back together from scratch, by myself. In September 2021 the van was complete and I hit the road on Labor Day weekend. Check out the final product in this Youtube video. Talk to us about the plan you had in mind- any maps or travel itineraries? C: I did have a plan for the east coast, and ended up driving faster to avoid the climate conditions that brutal winter weather New England is hit with every year. When living the van-life, you have a loose plan, butit’s very interchangeable and a lot of it is made up on the fly, going with the flow. Were you scared initially? C: Being a solo female traveler, I was scared for the first few months getting into the van. I had to get past the mental aspect of being afraid, and traveling and working full-time. There is real actual fear when you feel in danger, and then there is anxiety and worrying about the “what ifs” - those are very different and after time you learn to calm down the anxious fear. Just like anything, the more you practice the more comfortable you get. There’s a stigma around solo female travelers and how unsafe it is to be alone, but from my first hand experience, I feel very safe the majority of the time. About work… How did you get yourself focused, given you being on the road 24/7? C: At first it does feel like you’re on vacation, and I was definitely in vacation mode. But then it hits you.. This is your life and your home. So just like you would get settled in a new home, I also got settled in the van as my home and started creating daily routines that helped me stay focused and productive. Talk to us about your experience with strangers while on the road C: So funny story… once during traveling I got my van stuck (badly), and some strangers offered to help me. It took two whole hours out of their day and about 4-5 kind strangers stopped what they were doing to help me. Being on the road, I got out of the negative spin that “the world is a terrible space.” Energy is everything, your energy attracts the energy you give off. Being a solo-traveler, how do you treat loneliness? C: Well, loneliness and aloneness are two very separate things. Just because I am alone in a van doesn’t mean that I’m lonely. I feel super fulfilled every day, in my aloneness. I wake up everyday excited for the possibilities, and am proud of my life so I don’t ever have time to sit around and feel lonely because I am just so happy with each new day. That’s beautiful, how about your two little furry travel companions? C: Yes! I’ve had Ellie for two years, and just adopted Roo while I was still on the road. I sensed that Ellie might need a furry friend while on the road, and there came Roo. Now they are best buddies and I can tell Ellie is enjoying the road a lot more with her buddy and Roo is the absolute sweetest pup! What is one piece of advice you’d like to give to the one reading this? C: If you have a goal and it seems really hard and out of reach, take those baby steps, just take that one step forward, no matter how small or big. You have to trust your gut and follow it’s calling. This is my message to you: GO FOR IT! --- This brings our employee spotlight of the month to an end. We are amazed at the life that Cori has built for herself, all while excelling in her career as a senior project manager here at AMP Agency. Oftentimes we get to hear people doing all these cool things, but the stories behind those humans are what enable others to take risks and bring more value to their lives. While what Cori is doing has its fair share of struggles, the reward is nourishing her soul. She has taught us that with a set goal in mind, the willingness to learn and quite literally build your life back up with your bare hands, you have a chance of living your dream life too. Cori’s travel diaries and life inspire us daily. We are lucky to have her as an employee, but more importantly, we are lucky to have her as a human of AMP. Stay shining and stay growing, Cori. Be sure to follow her travel escapades on social media: Instagram: @cori.ontheroad TikTok: @cori.ontheroad Van Life Resources + Links: https://beacons.ai/coriontheroad

After Super Bowl 56, we polled AMPers to find out their top 10 ads. Their picks? The silliest, unexpected, and most star-studded spots the night had to offer. Check them out below. Coinbase - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zLsUhOCqyU What AMPers are saying: Incredibly simple, unexpected, and disruptive. The Coinbase QR code was simple. It got people to get up, pull out their phones, and it hit the corner of the screen as a cherry on top. Amazon Alexa, Mind Reader - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0UEAr8I9G8 What AMPers are saying: Hilarious, innovative, favorite celebrities featured. Uber Eats, Uber Don’t Eats - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri-rXPw5Cnk What AMPers are saying: Simple and silly. This spot had emotional attachment and humor! Plus, Jennifer Coolidge makes everything better. Toyota, The Joneses - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtQIz5pkwwg What AMPers are saying: Fun twist on a common phrase, funny and classic. Rocket Mortgage, Dream House - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukLeyxOA8uk What AMPers are saying: Nostalgic, but still very relatable. Planet Fitness, What’s gotten into Lindsay? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnoVFlMMdK8 What AMPers are saying: Amazing comeback for Lindsay and promotion for Planet Fitness. Squarespace, Sally Sells Seashells - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0rl8j5631Q What AMPers are saying: Alliteration at its best. Squarespace did a great job of showcasing benefits in a fun way. Pringles, Stuck - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP2up9N6H-g What AMPers are saying: So funny and self-aware. Michelob Ultra, Superior Bowl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rcw6GdCQC8 What AMPers are saying: Cinematic, loved the Serena Williams feature! Lays, Golden Memories - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KjatG0hqwE What AMPers are saying: Simple idea, hilarious execution. Data doesn’t lie, and neither do AMPers! See you next year.

Podcasts are a rapidly growing platform but still feel like a new frontier for advertisers. AMP Media Director Shoshana Przybylinski discussed her podcast ad-buying experience in Marketing Brew’s recent piece, ‘The host-read ad is still king, but podcast advertisers are experimenting with programmatic ads.’ “Shoshana Przybylinski, media director at AMP Agency, says she still buys a lot of podcast ads directly—with no tech involved—depending on the client. ‘It really depends…If [the client is] local, we’ll typically buy through a network or programmatically, just because we can’t waste any media dollars on something that’s going to run nationally,” Przybylinski said. “So that’s definitely when we would lean more towards the network buying. But sometimes you do want that host connection, and that’s when you would go to the show directly’.” Get up-to-date on the great podcast push by reading the full story here.

2022: THE YEAR OF THE PODCAST It's hard to find someone who isn't plugged into at least one podcast. And the numbers support that. Podcast listeners have been steadily climbing, increasing by around 20 million each year. And according to Statista, forecasters are projecting podcast listeners will surpass 160 million in 2023. This rise in podcast listening is a significant opportunity for advertisers to reach listeners through the voices they know and trust. So we decided to look within, probing AMPers to share their all-time favorite podcasts. If you're in need of fresh, easy listening material or simply want to dive into the world of podcasts, here's a lineup of AMP's top picks of 2022: The A-List Podcast: Origin stories about how some of your favorite ad campaigns came to life and how the people that made them got to making them. This American Life: A weekly podcast around the American experience. Each week they choose a theme and gather different stories around that theme. What AMPers are saying: Love the storytelling. Sometimes delightful, and sometimes devastating. They always tell diverse and unique stories, doing their due diligence to research and interview a range of memorable characters. The Experiment: A show about people navigating our country's contradictions. Hosted by the Atlantic. What AMPers are saying: Love their unbiased and bite-sized deep dives into different fascinating and relevant topics about our ever-evolving country Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness: Curious about everything under the sun? JVN chats with experts in their respective fields to create awareness about topics that we may not have ever thought of digging into. What AMPers are saying: Super open-minded and interesting topics from pop culture, animals, history, and events that have shaped the world as we know it. HBR Ideacast: A weekly podcast featuring the leading thinkers in business and management. What AMPers are saying: I like how it's a quick podcast that covers some innovative ideas that often challenge the norms in modern business. Hidden Brain: A conversation about life's hidden patterns. What AMPers are saying: I like the interesting psychological insights, plus they can be relevant to our work in marketing. The Huberman Lab: Stanford professor and neurobiologist Andrew Huberman discusses science and science-based tools for everyday life. What AMPers are saying: I like how they explain how different parts of the nervous system affect our bodies and everyday life and provide tips to improve things like sleep, skill learning, and more in a digestible format. In Search of Hope Podcast: Inspiring interviews with people from all walks of life that endured and overcame hardships. The host, Ugo, and the people he interviews shed light on specific topics that can bring insight and hope to people that need it during dark times. What AMPers are saying: I like hearing how others go through things and hold their heads up high. It's helpful when I think I'm alone in hardships, and it's very open-minded and explorative. Ugo's also a great orator and storyteller! LORE: Frightening history on some good ol' folklore. What AMPers are saying: All the spooks are great for long car rides. Constantly on the edge of my seat. National Park After Dark: Their tagline is "A podcast for the morbid outdoor enthusiast," but it's more than that. It's terrific storytelling about crazy things that have happened in National Parks, and it's also educational, with a lot of great historical and safety content. What AMPers are saying: Some of the episodes are pretty dark, but overall I've learned so much about nature, indigenous communities, animals, etc. It's such an interesting listen! The Secret Room: Interviews with guests about the deepest and darkest secrets they keep. Smartless: Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes interview surprise celebrities guests. Hilarity ensues. What AMPers are saying: The dynamic between the hosts is very entertaining, and they get great guests. Song Exploder: A podcast where musicians take apart their songs and, piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made. What AMPers are saying: Learning different musicians' creative processes and how they think and play is fascinating. Stuff You Should Know: Josh and Chuck, two writers from How Stuff Works, cover a different topic each episode. If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Niño, true crime, or Rosa Parks, then look no further. What AMPers are saying: You learn something new each episode, and the hosts have a knack for making complicated ideas easy to understand. Even the most random topics (history of the ballpoint pen) are interesting. The hosts have great chemistry and banter. Unlocking Us with Brené Brown: Brené Brown is a researcher and storyteller who's spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. While many things remain uncertain, one thing is for sure, we love Podcasts here at AMP. Stay tuned for more of what AMPers are listening to in the coming future.

Our very own Sascha Lock (VP, Media) was recently mentioned in a Tradedesk article about how digital audio and podcasts are creating great value for brands looking to advertise during the holiday season. He said “CPGs selling deodorant may want to target ‘running’ playlists, while witty wine brands pursue parenting podcasts.” Read the full article here.

Michael Mish, President of AMP Agency, recently chatted with Adweek about the importance of DE&I and the value in creating purposeful work. " First came a DEI board of advisors headed by parent company Advantage Solutions, and then the formation of employee resource groups (ERGs) for women, working parents and others for members of the Black, Latinx, Asian and LGBTQ+ communities. The agency also developed a training program to tackle unconscious bias across all levels." (Source: Adweek) Read the news: https://www.adweek.com/agencies/what-will-it-take-for-agencies-to-retain-diverse-talent/

AMP Agency, a division of Advantage Solutions, has named Michael Mish president. Mish, who joined AMP Agency in 2012, most recently served as SVP, general manager and previously as SVP of business development. As president, Mish is responsible for agency operations, strategy and growth, including strategic acquisitions. Under Mish’s leadership, the agency has experienced consistent year-over-year growth on a national and now global scale. “AMP’s growth is in large part attributable to Michael’s focus on shifting to strategic relationships and evolving AMP’s capabilities to meet the changing needs of clients,” said AMP Agency Founder Gary Colen. “Michael has specifically focused on the demand for top-tier, growth-focused digital media services, experience design, dynamic creative, data science and advanced analytics.” Mish serves on Advantage's DE&I board, which is supporting a multiyear diversity, equity and inclusion strategy that includes the establishment of employee resource groups, training programs, talent benchmarks and policy recommendations. Working with other senior executive leaders, Mish is focused on developing a positive culture and recruiting diverse talent to the company. “Improving DE&I within the marketing and advertising industry is nothing new,” Mish said. “As a Hispanic leader from humble beginnings, I recognize the need to create opportunities within and outside of our agency. “I want to be part of the change in the industry. At AMP, our core values are Openness, Empathy and Growth. Our leadership team is focused on developing an inclusive culture and recruiting multicultural talent. Not only is it the right thing to do, but diversity of thought and experience will drive breakthrough work for our clients, increase innovation and accelerate our momentum.” Last year, AMP established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and developed a pro-bono program, setting a goal of dedicating up to 10% of annual billable hours to support organizations led or owned by Black, Latinx, LGBTQIA+ people or people impacted by disabilities. “We decided our role in solving inequalities is to focus our intellectual capital on growing businesses that support these communities,” Mish said. “When Michael joined AMP, he immediately drove value for the agency and our clients and has always stood out as an innovative and strategic leader,” Colen said. “The larger vision for the agency has consistently been at the forefront of his contributions. I’ve always looked to Michael for opportunities to lead and guide the agency, given his proven marketing genius and passion for growing our clients’ brands with breakthrough work and for growing our people. In his new role as president, I know he will combine these areas of focus to continue to elevate our agency and our people for our clients.” Mish has had an amazing journey here at AMP! View this video to learn more: Congratulations, Mish! READ THE NEWS: https://www.adweek.com/agencyspy/amp-agency-elevates-michael-mish-to-president/173862/ https://www.lbbonline.com/news/amp-agency-names-michael-mish-as-president

This fall, AMP is kicking off its first ever DE&I challenge! We're playing bingo all month long and we invite you to join us. There’s gonna be bingo, there’s gonna be prizes, there’s gonna be education we can use to make our workplace and the world more equitable and inclusive. Get ready to celebrate diversity *and* simultaneously compete with your fellow AMPers for some awesome grand prizes. To play, screenshot the bingo card template in our Fall 2021 DE&I Challenge highlight on our Instagram page, and re-share it to your Instagram Story as you complete challenges. Tag us in pics of you completing challenges for a chance to be featured in our Highlight reel! For recommendations and resources, view our Instagram page and click the link in bio to view the resource list. LINKS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amp_agency/ Resource list: https://linktr.ee/ampagency We encourage our industry peers to join us in taking on the challenge!

PRESS RELEASE: AMP Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Boston with teams in New York, Seattle, Los Angeles and Austin, will combine its capabilities with SmallTalk, a digital experience agency acquired by AMP Agency earlier this year. Bringing expertise in strategy, product management, product design and product development to an array of high-profile brands, the combined group will be known as AMPXD™. AMP, the 200-plus-person agency named to Adweek’s inaugural Fastest Growing Agencies list in 2019 with clients that include Facebook, Sam Edelman and more, envisions a seamless transition to support its growing national client base, furthering its insightful and innovative approach. “As our clients’ business challenges become more and more complex, it’s crucial that we demonstrate our expertise across the entire customer experience,” said AMP Agency SVP, General Manager Michael Mish. “With SmallTalk’s proven expertise in the space, this combination expands and enhances our experience design offer.” SmallTalk, based in San Francisco, California with more than 40 employees, names VMware as one of its clients, among other noteworthy North American and global brands. Some of the agency’s best work is in digital product design and enterprise CMS Websites with a focus on ADA-compliant experiences. SmallTalk always aims to align itself with the client mindset and long-term goals. “Designing and engineering creative, complex digital experiences is our specialty and SmallTalk truly feels we fit neatly into AMP’s wheelhouse of work—it’s a complementary relationship that felt right from our earliest conversations,” said Robert Balmaseda, founder and managing director of SmallTalk Agency, who has managed and sold several successful agencies. “We pride ourselves on serving immediate client needs, while offering progressive and extended solutions that might not have been considered within a short-term goal.” Balmaseda has a deep understanding of technology and market trends having spent more than 10 years at SolutionSet/Epsilon helping organizations like California State Lottery, Chevron, Cisco, eBay, UPS and Wells Fargo create digital customer experiences. Prior to SolutionSet, Balmaseda held key management positions for various agencies, startups and consultancies, including Carat Interactive, iGeneration, HardCloud, USWeb/CKS and Digital Planet. “AMP will continue to invest in UX, design, technology and digital solutions that enable us to transform and build businesses,” Mish added. AMP Agency also recently hired Kiki Takakura-Merquise as vice president of digital transformation to elevate its business strategy offering to better serve clients navigating emerging technology and media and complex shifts in business. Learn more about the new San Francisco team here and explore our mobile & web services here. Check out the story on Adweek, Campaign US, Little Black Book and MediaPost.

Welcome to the AMPlifier – a spotlight on the latest and greatest industry updates. Whether you want to learn more about this week’s marketing trends, the newest updates to your favorite social media platforms, or simply what meme is currently taking the internet by storm, then read on. You never know what you might learn. TWITTER LAUNCHES 'TWITTER BLUE', ITS NEW, PAID SUBSCRIPTION OFFERING FOR ADD-ON TWEET FEATURES You've seen it in testing, and now it's here, with Twitter officially launching its new 'Twitter Blue' subscription service, which will enable users to pay a monthly fee to gain access to a range of additional tweet features and tools. INSTAGRAM ADDS NEW 'DROPS' PRODUCT SHOWCASE TO HELP BOOST ECOMMERCE ACTIVITY Instagram has launched a new product showcase option today called 'Drops', which will highlight the latest product launches from brands you've engaged with, or may be interested in, at the top of the Shop tab in the app. FACEBOOK OPENS UP MESSENGER API FOR INSTAGRAM, PROVIDING NEW CUSTOMER SERVICE POTENTIAL Facebook announced an expansion of its Messenger API for Instagram, which will enable businesses to feed their Instagram Direct messages into their existing CRM platform, streamlining management and response. TWITTER CONTINUES WORK ON ITS NEW SPACES TAB, ADDS EDITING OPTIONS FOR SCHEDULED SPACES As Clubhouse downloads continue to slow, Twitter continues to add new elements to boost the use of its own audio Spaces option, which will soon include a new, dedicated Spaces tab in the middle of the bottom function bar to improve Spaces discovery. That’s a wrap on this week’s feed. Stay tuned to see what happens next.