Uncommon, “the creative studio building brands that people in the real world actually wish existed”, has opened in New York. The studio has already worked across projects for some of America’s most renowned and creatively ambitious brands including Nike Jordan, Pinterest, H&M and most recently the new brand identity and global launch for EA SPORTS FC. Uncommon’s roster also includes famous brands such as British Airways, ITV, WWF, B&Q, International Olympics Committee and Formula E.
Uncommon has hired Sam Shepherd as its CCO of its first US studio. Sam will be based in New York alongside a growing team to bolster its offering Stateside. Sam will report directly into Uncommon’s co-founder Nils Leonard working alongside Lucy Jameson and Natalie Graeme to help the studio continue to grow its presence in the US.
Uncommon’s unwavering focus on creativity has made an impact within the industry. It was named Creative Agency of the Year last year for the second year running in the UK, Ad Age’s International AOTY, and was the only British studio listed as one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Companies in Advertising globally. It won its first Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Lions for its British Airways campaign.
Uncommon also created Get Britain Talking, the UK’s most recognised mental health initiative with ITV, a globally infamous free suit hire initiative for H&M — The One Second Suit, to help young men find work, and redefined what the Nike Jordan brand means today launching during the 23’ NBA All-Star Weekend through the eyes of an aspiring female baller.
In 2022, it produced its first feature documentary, This Much I Know To Be True, with renowned director, Andrew Dominik, for Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, that premiered at Berlinale and SXSW, was The Guardian’s Film of the Week and was listed in NME’s top films of the year. Its second feature, In Camera, is in the running for Best First Feature at the upcoming annual BFI London Film Festival.
Though the Studio was set up with a clear point of view and purpose, it also wanted to explore a new business model. Rather than just working for clients, if the studio saw a concept that deserved to exist, it would back it. So far the studio has launched the world’s first fully compostable coffee capsule, Halo Coffee, a sexual wellness brand, SEX BRAND, launching with the UK’s most sustainable condom, and most recently Communion, a new money saving app on a mission to unlock the freedom associated with the act of saving.
Uncommon also invested in the purpose-driven accelerator, Unrest, to support diverse and sustainable businesses. Since its launch two years ago, it has helped 47 startups, raising £7.2M with a total valuation of £110M.
New CCO, Shepherd is named the most awarded executive creative director in the world by D&AD, The One Club for Creativity, and The Clios. Sam is a two-time D&AD Black Pencil recipient, Emmy-nominee, and 12-time Grand Prix winner, over his career Sam has partnered with some of the world’s most innovative companies to build their brands and launch industry first ideas. He moves fluidly across every medium, pioneering a new creative approach that blends strategy, technology, and data to solve client’s toughest challenges.
Shepherd was behind The Lost Class for Change The Ref and its impressive collection of awards while he was EVP,global executive creative director at Leo Burnett, which he left to join Uncommon.
He stated, “True creativity is not for the faint of heart. After meeting Nils, Natalie and Lucy you immediately understand why they were able to build the best shop in the world — they lack the fear gene. We share the same audacious spirit to go out and build the brands that people in the real world wish existed. The opportunity to tackle the briefs of our life-time for the best creative shop in the world is not something you turn down. I couldn’t be more excited and humbled to help build the next chapter of Uncommon Creative Studio in NYC.”
Nils Leonard, co-founder at Uncommon, added, “Sam is such a rare talent. There is a depth, a mischief, a spirit of heist and a magic trick to Sam’s best thinking. He is at home making additive, important work and has a radar for emotion, fame and the new. We built Uncommon to answer the most influential and important briefs of our time, Sam is the leader to make the most of this incredible opportunity we have in the US.”
