AV Squad, a go-to creative advertising agency for Hollywood, has become fully owned by its employees.
Behind memorable campaigns for films like “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Anora,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Super Mario Bros.,” the 20-year-old shop becomes a rare show business case that is 100% held by workers.
Founded in a pool house by Seth Gaven and Chad Miller, AV Squad said the decision reinforces the agency’s “employee-first ethos” and helps the company remain an independent, creatively driven force.
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“We’ve always believed that the heart and soul of this company isn’t just in its name or reputation but in the people who have made it what it is,” added Miller. “This move ensures that our agency remains independent, our leadership and its values stay intact, and that all the employees will have a direct stake in its continued success. As for my partners and I, we’re not going anywhere. If anything, we’re more committed than ever.”
AV Squad’s diverse client portfolio serves a range from A24 to Marvel, contributing to memorable campaigns for franchises like “The Fast and the Furious,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Creed,” “John Wick,” “House of the Dragon,” “Spider-Man” and, most recently, Ryan Coogler’s summer hit “Sinners.”
Miller, Brent Buckman and Tommy Malatesta will continue to lead AV Squad, which has earned the Clio for Entertainment Agency of the Year for two consecutive years.
“Many of us have devoted ourselves and our careers to this community. We’re in it together, pushing each other daily, yet each individual you work with is more talented, good-hearted, and dedicated than the last. I am truly thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to their continued success on a more profound level,” Malatesta concluded.
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