Chemistry Promotes Christy Bates, Ashley Friedrich Hampton and Courtney Saul to EVP Leadership Roles

Independent full-service advertising agency, Chemistry, announced that it has promoted three remarkable 'Chemists' to executive vice president positions: Christy Bates, EVP, client partnerships; Ashley Friedrich Hampton, EVP, client partnerships; Courtney Saul, EVP, partnerships and experiments. Ashley and Christy will co-lead integrated AOR client relationships, while Courtney will lead unique projects and project client relationships while also championing new ways to “experiment” across Chemistry.

“Ashley, Courtney, and Christy keep Chemistry on the rails… except when they intentionally lead us off the rails into exciting and unchartered territory,” said Taylor Guglielmo, Chemistry’s Chief Growth Officer. “They are a passionate, resilient, and unstoppable trifecta who ground Chemistry in our core values while expanding our client portfolio. We are thrilled to announce and celebrate their promotions to Executive Vice President.”

Christy Bates has over 17 years of experience in the advertising industry, working with clients including Verizon, Disney Parks and Resorts, ABC Entertainment, and Five Guys. Christy has been instrumental in leading the launch of Chemistry’s New York City office. “Christy is a master of incremental growth and a chameleon leader, seamlessly adapting to her circumstances - bringing the calm in one moment and the energy in the next,” explained Guglielmo. 

Ashley Friedrich Hampton is a creative and strategic leader with over 12 years of experience in both agencies and client organizations. Before Chemistry, Ashley worked as the manager of brand advertising at Buffalo Wild Wings, leading integrated advertising programs for brand, sports, and in-bar experiences. Since joining the agency, she has been instrumental in expanding client scopes, including CG Insurance, UPS Capital, and Atlanta United, to double their size. Guglielmo says: “Ashley is a master of organic growth and the quickest draw in town, diagnosing a client’s problems and building the infrastructure to solve them. She has a gift for growing and nurturing young talent and is building the next generation of leaders.” 

Courtney Saul is a seasoned account leader with over 15 years of experience in the agency world. At Chemistry, Courtney has helped to create a mock boyband to promote Netflix’s reality romance shows; led a covid-prevention campaign featured on CNN, NPR, and NBC; and assisted Snoop Dogg in launching his first line of pet wear. “Courtney is a master of experimentation, always bringing the unexpected and pushing for better than great. She’s that rare account person who could have just as easily been a creative or a strategist, so rather than putting her into a box, we decided to lean into her hybrid strengths,” Guglielmo explained. Before Chemistry, Courtney led work for several national clients, including Coca-Cola, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Netflix.

“Chemistry is elated to recognize the invaluable and purpose-driven contributions from Ashley, Courtney, and Christy with these well-deserved promotions,” notes Tim Smith, president of Chemistry. “Individually — and together — they continue to be incredible stewards of innovation whose efforts undeniably have streamlined office operations and spurred unprecedented agency growth. We can only imagine what milestones and goals they will achieve in 2023 – and beyond.”