Gifted Youth Adds Josh Morse as New York Executive Producer

Gifted Youth strengthens its US bicoastal foothold, making sweeping changes to its New York office with the addition of award-winning advertising veteran Josh Morse as its executive producer and partnering with Barrie Isaacson Management as its East Coast sales team. Morse, with expertise in both agency perspective and production logistics, has struck a unique and advantageous balance, making him particularly qualified to further advance the company’s capabilities in the East.

A Queens-native (and current resident), Josh Morse has always been passionate about the art of making films. While studying film at Cornell University, he worked as a PA on film sets and it was his post-graduation job at a camera rental house that gained him entré to the advertising world, where he traded camera equipment for the opportunity to interview at J. Walter Thompson NY. From there, Morse moved to Cliff Freeman & Partners, an agency renowned for their comedic ads, followed by TBWA\CHIAT\DAY, where he cultivated an impressive portfolio including successful campaigns for Absolut and Jameson.

In 2012, Morse joined Barton F. Graf and was instrumental in helping the then-young agency build its production unit. Working across all disciplines - film, video, print, art-buying, digital, experiential - Morse became Head of Integrated Production, forging a name with campaigns for clients like Keep A Child Alive, Bulleit Bourbon, Axe, Jameson Whiskey, Kayak and gaming giant Supercell. Under his direction, the Barton F. Graf’s Super Bowl spot for Supercell’s Clash of Clans went viral, amassing nearly 73 million YouTube views to date. Morse’s work has won virtually every industry award, including numerous Cannes Lions, Facebook Global, and D&AD awards. In 2015, Morse was named one of the 27 Young Influentials by AdWeek, alongside top agency CEOs, brand directors, and celebrity powerhouses such as Mindy Kaling and Jessica Alba.

Morse has always been drawn to comedy, saying, “When advertising takes itself too seriously, it can feel silly and a bit insincere. Comedic advertising, to me, has always felt more authentic. I’m excited to bring my experience with agencies, as well as the worlds of digital and experiential media, to expand Gifted Youth’s offerings into new and exciting avenues. And also make people laugh at the same time.”

On joining Managing Director Dal Wolf’s team, Morse says, “I’m aligned with the culture here, which is absolutely key to making the best work possible. Their team, they have an insanely high quality of creative standards. The Gifted Youth roster and the reach they have - that goes well beyond the advertising world into all facets of entertainment - sealed the deal.”