• by Fern Siegel , 3 hours ago

The Social Lights has appointed Dave Bullen as vice president of creative. The 20-year ad vet most recently spent 16 years at Mono, the Minneapolis creative agency. His last role was group creative director.

As an art director, Bullen has worked with Google, Apple, Harley-Davidson, Alfa Romeo, Target and Sherwin-Williams. Before that, he held art direction roles at Olson and Carmichael Lynch, where he began his career.

The agency's new hire underscores how important social media has become to the creative ad landscape. Stephanie Schafer, president and chief growth officer at The Social Lights, said it demands the same brand rigor as any other component of a marketing plan.

“Dave's entire career has been built on getting to the truth of what makes a brand distinct and connecting people to brands in a way that breaks through the noise,” said Schafer. “It's easy to get swept up in trends and let an algorithm or an influencer speak for you rather than hold your own POV. Dave makes sure we’re helping our brands win in real-time without losing their long-term narrative and translating the principles of building great brands to the world of social.”

Bullen added: “Speed and meaning don’t have to be at odds. My creative mantra has always been be brave or be dead. The bravest thing a brand can do right now is slow down long enough to know exactly who it is in order to move forward.”

The Social Lights' creative roster includes work for Fruit Roll-Ups, Totino's Pizza Rolls, Chex Mix and Wheaties.