Hapa’nings | September 28, 2026
Hapa Represents · Intel for our production partners
Who moved, what shot, who's pitching, and what's open in commercial production. Pulled from the trades, cut down to what matters, twice a week.
Roll002
DateMon · Sep 28
CoversSep 24–27
Who moved
3New work
14 spots with credits| Brand · spot | Agency | Director | Production co. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo · "Your Brand's Best Friend" (D'Arcy Carden) ↗ | Gus | WATTS | Stink US |
| Carvana · Shaq inside a car vending machine ↗ | — | Win Bates | — |
| Even Realities · smart glasses, privacy & consent ↗ | VIRTUE Worldwide | Ishana Night Shyamalan | — |
| Celine × Reebok · Paris footwork film ↗ | — | Dave Meyers | La Pac |
| Guide Dogs (UK) · real families, non-actors ↗ | Fold7 | Tom Green | Stink |
| Queens of the Stone Age · music video ↗ | — | Christopher Gruse & Tony Wolski | Hungry Man |
| Amica · Drake & Ann Michael Maye ↗ | Mother New York | — | — |
| King's Hawaiian · "Best Slider in Football" (Eli Manning) ↗ | Erich & Kallman | — | — |
| Tito's · 30th anniversary thank-you (4 spots) 🔒 ↗ | Arts & Letters Creative Co | — | — |
| Buffalo Bills · 50-yard pass across the border ↗ | Mosaic North America | — | — |
| Special Olympics Canada · "Joy Is Gold" ↗ | Grey Toronto | — | — |
| Teledyne FLIR Marine · all-thermal spot ↗ | Unruled Outdoor Agency | — | — |
| Dr. Martens · "With Bouncing Souls" (Chloë Sevigny) ↗ | — | — | — |
| Target · "Inside Out" red bag campaign ↗ | — | — | — |
Also out: OMODA "Bleu Désert" (Uncommon), Monzo business films, Deutsche Telekom anti-troll campaign.
Pharma pulse
3- Gabrielle Union is MM+M's Platinum Award winner for her menopause work with Bayer's Lynkuet. MM+M Awards are Oct 1.
- Ad Council "Out of Place" PSAs on early Alzheimer's warning signs, directed by Lalou & Joaquin.
- NYFHealth (New York Festivals Health) names its 2026 shortlist jury, from 19 countries.
Pitches & business
8- ProductionBest Buy pitches itself as a production company: a 70,000 sq ft studio in Minneapolis, a creator network, more CTV.
- McDonald's is building McDonald's Media Network, aiming at $1 billion in ad revenue.
- PitchGut keeps the Tim Hortons creative account after a competitive review.
- PitchDave & Buster's hires Gut as creative agency of record and Mediaplus for media.
- 24 Seven launches 24 Seven Agencies, rolling up Futureman, SketchDeck and Markacy.
- Jenny Lumpkin launches Modern Standard, a flexible network of vetted creative and production talent.
- Church Edit opens a New York office.
- Leap Year opens a Brooklyn studio for in-person and remote real-time edit sessions.
Signings
6- Patrick Fileti joins Tool's US roster. He is CICLOPE's 2026 Director of the Year, Asia Pacific.
- Matthew James Thompson joins Smoke&Oakum.
- Radheya Jang (Australia) signs with Blinkink worldwide.
- Kitalé Wilson signs with Boldly for Canada.
- Abel Rubinstein (UK) joins Park Village.
- YOUTH (Brazilian trio Eduardo Lubiazi, João Machado, Yuri Maranhão) joins Markenfilm Group.
Dates & deadlines
4- MM+M Awards 2026: Oct 1, 23rd year, new categories.
- D&AD 2026: four Black Pencils. Coinbase "Your Way Out" (Isle of Any) takes two. Uncommon, DENTSU INC and Isle of Any top the rankings.
- Cresta Awards 2026: winners out. Try (Norway) takes both Grand Prix for IKEA "Made for Life."
- shots Awards APAC 2026: shortlist announced.