Hungry Man kept its sharp cultural focus with award-winning talent in 2023

With a headcount of 40 full-time employees, California-based Hungry Man—which also has offices in New York, London, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro—blossomed in 2023, adding top directors to its roster and crafting grade-A work for some of the world’s largest agencies and advertisers. The company again demonstrated its connection to the cultural zeitgeist with work that ranged from pop culture-focused—teaming with GSD&M to cast John Travolta in a “Saturday Night Fever” spoof for Capital One, for example—to the moving and emotional, such as producing the documentary “The Right to Race” about South Sudanese long-distance runner Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu’s moving life story. Hungry Man family tree. Credit: Hungry Man (Click image enlarge) See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Agency A-List winners here For Apple, Hungry Man joined forces with Apple Marcom and Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi to create the brand’s fairy tale “Lost Voice” campaign. Released on Dec. 3, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the touching film spotlights Apple’s Personal Voice technology, which can aid the millions of people worldwide who grapple with medical conditions that threaten their ability to speak. The company also worked with agency 72andSunny and the NFL to craft its 2023 Super Bowl spot, “Run With It,” promoting flag football. Directed by Hungry Man Co-Founder Bryan Buckley, the spot stars Diana Flores, quarterback of the Mexico women's national flag football team, in an epic chase leading from Arizona’s State Farm Stadium (site of the ’23 Super Bowl) to her mother’s home—all without having her flags snatched. Ad Age A-List and Creativity Gala Buy your ticket to the in-person event Click here Not only was the commercial well-received, ranking second on USA Today’s Super Bowl Ad Meter, but it also served as a key jumping-off point in the NFL's successful efforts to get flag football recognized as an Olympic sport. And for Jameson Irish Whiskey, Buckley worked with Ogilvy and Irish actor Cillian Murphy—doing voiceovers—to develop the brand’s “Must Be a Jameson” campaign, seizing on the spirit of adventure with a series of spots that feature characters who boldly embrace unexpected plot twists. Over the past year, the company has also brought new faces into the fold, including Emmy-winning director Lucia Aniello, who led the charge on Apple’s “Fuzzy Feelings” film last year—ranked No. 8 on Ad Age’s list of the 40 best ads from 2023. It has also welcomed Iqbal Ahmed and LJ Johnson to the team via the Commercial Directors Diversity Program. Other notable Hungry Man spots last year included Hanna Batista’s “The Cost of Gold” for the Yanomami Tribe of the Amazon rainforest, as well as Wayne McClammy’s “Saving Sawyer” and “Joy Ride” spots for Amazon. See all of Ad Age’s 2024 Agency A-List winners here

Hungry Man kept its sharp cultural focus with award-winning talent in 2023

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