Jordan Murphy, VP, Group Media Director, Honored as One of Adweek’s 2020 Media All-Stars
Jordan Murphy, VP Group Media Director at Partners + Napier, has been honored as a 2020 Adweek Media All-Star, alongside 17 other standout industry leaders who are changing the game. Honorees were judged by the results they delivered for clients, their innovative use of media/content, and original approaches to problem-solving.
Jordan got his start as a media buyer at ZenithOptimedia in NYC, working on brands including L’Oreal, Darden Restaurants, FOX Films, Verizon and Reckitt Benckiser. From there, Jordan moved to media giant UM Worldwide, climbing the ranks to VP, Partner of Portfolio Management in UM’s ExxonMobil Americas group. He managed NASCAR, NBA and Formula 1 sponsorship deals to produce innovative media activations, and coordinated work across multiple markets to produce significant ROI for the brand.
But Jordan saw an opportunity to take what he’d learned at these larger media agencies to build a different kind of media offering at Partners + Napier. One that unites media and creative to produce audience-led ideas that deliver more impact.
After joining Partners + Napier in early 2018, Jordan swiftly collaborated with agency leadership to unite media, creative, account and strategy in a truly integrated agency offering. He spearheaded the creation of a new media team that encompasses paid, earned and owned channels — with traditional media, digital and social media, analytics, retail marketing and public relations all having a seat at the table.
What sets the media offering apart, however, are three advantageous features. Unlike big media shops, clients are given direct access to senior media leadership; the team’s audience-led approach focuses on business outcomes, integrating business planning capabilities; and media clients get flexibility and options, not pre-purchased inventory.
Media has since evolved to Partners + Napier’s highest growth area, with every campaign meeting or exceeding client objectives. Jordan’s team helped deliver 5X ROI for Instant Pot with its first national campaign, double-digit sales increases for Smashburger, and double unit sales per store per week for a challenger snack brand.
Gross media billings doubled in the last year, and the team’s work has earned media AOR relationships with clients like Smashburger and Conduent.
“There has to be a balance of data and instincts. A constant challenge is using data to inform, but also trusting your gut when making decisions,” said Jordan. “When you’re driven only by the numbers, you lose the opportunity to make people feel something. That’s why I love the collaboration we’ve created between media and creative.”
