THIS WAY TO MARS.
Here at R&R, you are not an ad person. You don’t write. You don’t design. You don’t art direct. You don’t administrate. You don’t strategize or plan or media anything. And you don’t check boxes.
YOU ARE A PROBLEM SOLVER. SOMETIMES OF IMPOSSIBLE, GOT-NO-TIME, NO-LIGHT-AT-THE-END-OF-THE-TUNNEL PROBLEMS. YOU FIND A WAY BY CORRALLING OUR DIVERSE, TALENTED, WEIRD, MASH OF INDIVIDUAL GREATNESS INTO A CHALLENGE-EVISCERATING JUGGERNAUT. Which means more opportunities to do work that transcends advertising. Work that accomplishes more and means more. Change-the-world work. It might be different than you’re used to. We have a belief in one another, in different viewpoints and in thinkers from wildly divergent backgrounds. That is what creates solutions no other agency can create.
So, welcome to Mars.
Fiercely Independent. Fully Integrated.
Our independence gives us the freedom to do what’s necessary to help our partners win. If you don’t see it below and need it, we’ll figure it.
Creative
Brand Strategy
Media & Publishing
Influencer/Creator Content
Public Relations
Community Relations
Reputation Management
Social Strategy
Comms and Connections Planning
Content Creation
Production & Activations
Government Affairs
Research & Data Science
Digital Development & Innovation
DIVERSITY. EQUITY. INCLUSION. BELONGING.
We take pride in celebrating the genuine connection of these words within our agency.
We believe diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are foundational, not only to business success, but also, more importantly, to the socioeconomic health and growth of the communities in which we work and live. Our core values of advocacy, impact and integrity drive our ongoing efforts to keep diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at the forefront of our actions. We approach every interaction with an open heart, open mind and open ears, whether with our employees, our clients, our suppliers and partners, or community members. We are committed to a culture of authenticity, equity and empathy that values the diversity of lived experience, perspective, talent, culture and all the beautiful pieces that make you, well, you! As part of this commitment, we actively support and encourage our team to embrace community and allyship through employee resource groups that not only foster a culture we can be proud of, but also inform our work with authentic perspectives to create outcomes for our clients we can be proud of as well.
Leadership
Our leaders are some of the top minds in their fields, guiding an organization built to create solutions like no other place.
PARTNER WITH US
Billy Vassiliadis
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CEOs’ first call; Brand Marketer of the Year recipient; presidential campaign adviser; and die-hard Chicago Cubs, Bears, Hawks and Bulls fan. Eclectic consumer of news, music and entertainment. Listens to Usher and Bocelli. Watches crime thrillers, World War II movies and, of course, all sports. It’s good to be adult ADD! Spontaneously creative and strategic, with the attention span of a 9-year-old. Loves research … the executive summary, strategic plans … in bullet points, and prefers one-pagers to essays. If you want a quick bottom line, call him!
A sleek race car with only overdrive, a supersonic jet without flaps or a high-powered machine with no off switch. Her entire existence is perpetual forward motion.
Prosecuted sex offenders in San Francisco; became the right hand to the governor; helped establish Nevada’s same sex marriage laws; advised and helped organize F1 in Vegas; and became president of an ad agency? Fierce advocate, passionate defender, unbridled dreamer and a true force of nature. Her opening salvo to our team every morning? She doesn’t simply embrace the future – she charges into it. “Look out, y’all … I’m on fire!” Her answer to almost every question: “Of course we can do it!”
A stand-up comic in LA’s top clubs to pay his way through school, and an aspiring actor who gets himself elected to the Nevada Legislature. Then becomes the youngest assembly floor leader, chosen by his peers. Becomes an expert in energy, and conceptualized the law banning coal in Nevada. Not enough? He’s a sought-after strategist and one of the premier lobbyists in the country. He’s a category expert in energy, infrastructure development and health care. Oh, and he’s been an adviser to presidential campaigns. Btw … he really is funny.
Strategic, focused and calm. Loves the serenity of camping and surfing on the Pacific Coast. This hyperactive team’s human stabilizer. The serene exterior belies a fierce competitor and an inspired entrepreneur. He co-founded a digital company cited by Fast Company as one of the fastest growing in the U.S. After joining R&R, Matt created V, a virtual, mixed and augmented reality shop that has secured top-tier relationships with Meta, Snapchat and TikTok, leading to work for Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Starbucks and the NFL. But, he did it all … calmly.
Listen closely! She’s soft-spoken, but her words are powerful. As R&R’s leader of client servicing, she turned the word Partners in our name from a noun to a verb. While our major airline client was being torched on 60 Minutes, and the team was in damage control mode, she was focused beyond the moment. The very next week, our client broke its all-time record for single-day and single-week bookings. She was a key leader in bringing the Las Vegas Raiders, and soon to be Las Vegas A’s, to the city. And she led all the branding efforts igniting Puerto Rico’s miraculous comeback from hurricanes and COVID-19. So, whatever you do … Listen!
A jack-of-all-trades and a master of all. When determining the right seat on the bus, she just started driving the bus. An entire agency skill set rolled up into one very determined leader. She has overseen critical projects like the launch of the Las Vegas Raiders and the inaugural F1 race on the Vegas Strip. She can scope, launch and manage any client. Her work ethic is as unparalleled as her talents are diverse. The old lament that there aren’t enough hours in a day – for Michelle, there aren’t enough days in an hour. While leading agency operations, she spearheaded an effort to support women and people of color-owned businesses that work with R&R. The result? We were awarded the Rising Star Corporate Award and the Trailblazer of the Year Award by the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council. If that’s not enough, she can take on the room, drinking tequila shots in a Mexican cantina. Yes, there are witnesses. For much of the spring, she flies to the East Coast every weekend to watch her playoff-caliber daughter’s college softball team. But woe to the airline that doesn’t have Wi-Fi so she can work.
Matt is dope, his most uttered accolade. You’d think someone of his background, managing director at OMD; responsible for $350 million in ad spend; or leading accounts like Hilton, Oakley and Activision, would be more of a traditional account guy. Or the leader of the lucrative and highly awarded Taco Bell account, and successfully leading the Pandora Music and Mattel pitches would be a “suit.” Instead, underneath his always slightly and ever present baseball cap, lies the brain of an atypical thinker and innovator. It takes an unconventional mind to propose that Las Vegas sponsor the entire WNBA Aces team. A city supporting these woefully underpaid athletes? In just one weekend, there were 2.4 billion impressions and a favorable response through the roof. Yup, it was dope.
A throwback and a futurist. Nostalgic and cutting edge. An expert in history and pop culture. A collector of shoes (hundreds), wine, books and memorabilia (junk). Brilliant creative writer, from slapstick to heart-tugging, tear-jerking prose. He has an innate ability to find, as he calls it, “the thing.” This enigmatic bundle led the legendary Las Vegas “What happens here, stays here.” brand creative. He wrote many of the award-winning executions and stayed true to the essence of “adult freedom.” He’s created for athletes such as Andre Agassi, and entertainers like Carrie Underwood. Call him for recommendations for the best new documentary; a new restaurant review; shoe trends; a moderately priced, but robust Cab; or better yet, if you’re looking for “the thing” for your brand.
We were smitten with Richard immediately … he’s British, therefore sounds smart. And, of course, he is smart. He led Connections Planning for Wieden+Kennedy in Amsterdam, developing strategies for brands such as Heineken, Nike, EA Sports and Booking.com. Jumped across the pond joining Media Arts Lab as group strategy director. His collaborative and inclusive brand strategy approach led to remarkable work for the iPhone, Mac, iPad and the Apple TV launch. He not only has tremendous insight into cultural trends, consumer behavior and emotional connectivity, but he also distills it all into actionable plans. And, it sounds brilliant when he presents it because … he’s British.
Poking around in people’s minds pleases Justin. A lot. And this soothsayer has an uncanny record of predicting the future for our clients’ success. With his own mind tuned to analytics, strategic planning and research, Justin forecasts trends in travel, tourism and hospitality, ensuring we’re always ahead of the curve. Before bringing his prophetic insights to R&R Partners, Justin honed his skills in the turbulent world of political campaigns. His foresight guided three election cycles to victory, including Barack Obama’s pivotal 2008 and 2012 presidential wins, and Senator Harry Reid’s legendary 2010 reelection. Now, Justin gazes into the future for our clients, guiding their strategic planning with a vision that’s as clear as it is accurate. From the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to Anheuser-Busch, Norwegian Cruise Line and the Las Vegas Raiders, his predictions have been eerily on the money. So, we let him poke.
A human guard rail, an ultimate realist, yes, even a contrarian. Favorite question begins with “Did you consider?” That’s why she’s a master in crisis communication and reputation management. Catherine’s commitment to accuracy and verifiable truth ensures that a brand can contain damage and rebuild trust. Her objective professional approach is matched by her compassion and empathy, a balance that is required when protecting a business. She has been in the eye of many storms, leading real-time communication in the immediate aftermath of the 1 October mass shootings in Vegas. Managed COVID-19 outreach before and after, including shutdowns, testing, masking, vaxxing and reopening. She uses her incredible skill set across the brand development spectrum, from special events like Formula 1, to grand openings and new product introductions and brand launches.
The current crisis she can’t solve is very personal. As part Argentinian and a huge soccer fan, she’s struggling to figure out Messi’s retirement.
Empathetic, energetic, assertive, enthusiastic, powerful, Zen-like, inclusive, fierce, passionate, judicious, confident, reserved, hip, inquisitive, maternal, irreverent, determined, open-minded, sensitive, determined, resolute, emphatic, understated, contemporary, nostalgic, focused, absorbing, discipline, innovative, sensitive, tolerant, strict, flexible, empowering, understanding, aspirational, realistic.
Just a sample of the characteristics of the person R&R would trust to take care of our people.
She can relate, accommodate, comfort and connect with the strange, diverse and assorted minds in her charge.
Trust us, Mya has the professional bona fides, but most importantly, she gets us!