Carmichael Lynch Names Brynna Aylward Chief Creative Officer to Lead Next Era of Integrated Growth

Carmichael Lynch announced today the appointment of Brynna Aylward as chief creative officer (CCO), marking a bold new chapter for the storied integrated agency. The adam&eveDDB and GUT Toronto veteran joins at a pivotal point of momentum for the agency as it continues to transform how brands connect with culture and drive business growth.

In her new role, Aylward will steer the agency’s creative vision, ensuring brands connect seamlessly with audiences at every touchpoint. By bridging Carmichael Lynch’s core disciplines, she will build on a legacy of work that is as impactful as it is creatively celebrated. Aylward’s arrival amplifies a powerhouse team and flagship client roster that includes Subaru, Comcast’s Xfinity and Butterball, just to name a few. Beyond the work, Aylward is tasked with fostering a culture of high-level craft and attracting top-tier talent to the Minneapolis-based agency, ensuring Carmichael Lynch remains at the forefront of the industry’s creative evolution.

“At a time when many agencies specialize in either traditional brand storytelling or emerging channels like social and experiential, Carmichael Lynch is uniquely positioned to deliver both – combining iconic brand-building with fully integrated capabilities across insights-driven creative, media, social and PR,” Aylward said. “I am excited to join this team and continue pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve for our clients.”

Aylward joins a seasoned leadership team led by CEO Stacy Janicki, who stepped into the role in January after more than a decade with the agency. After a thoughtful and thorough search for the next CCO, Janicki said Aylward quickly stood out for her combination of creative excellence, collaborative leadership style and forward-looking vision for integrated brand building.

“Some hires fill a role. Others define what’s next. Brynna’s record of award-winning work, building standout teams and growing creative talent makes her the right leader for this moment in our agency’s story,” Janicki said. “She will be instrumental as we write our next chapter.”

Aylward, who is currently based in New York, joins the agency from adam&eveDDB, where she had served since 2024 as the agency’s first chief creative officer in the U.S., working closely with clients like Kroger, Nathan’s Famous, JetBlue, Disney and Lipton, among others.

Previously, she was the executive creative director and creative lead at GUT Toronto, where she worked on Tim Hortons, GoodLife Fitness, Gund, Mitsubishi and Microsoft. Throughout her distinguished career, Aylward has received more than 75 international awards from Cannes, D&AD, the One Show, Clio and Effie, has received numerous accolades, including being named as one of the One Show and 3% Movement’s Next Creative Leaders in 2019, and ranked as the No. 10 executive creative director in the U.S. by the One Show in 2022. Aylward will relocate to Minneapolis this spring.

Source: Carmichael Lynch

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