This Creative Duo Always Finds a Way

“We believe a lot in what we do. But we also spend a lot of time on what we believe in.” 

Julian Cohen and Rushil Nadkarni, associate creative directors at The Martin Agency in Richmond, Virginia, started their journeys off in different corners of the world. But despite both becoming creatives via different routes, it’s their creative partnership over the last eight months that’s taken them from ‘creatives by name, to creatives by nature’. 

“The best thing one can do is to surround themselves with people who are relentless optimists and problem solvers,” says Rushil. “Having found a little bit of that in each other helps us stay motivated.” Rushil grew up in Mumbai and pursued graphic design and visual arts at first, before moving Stateside to study advertising.

Julian, on the other hand, grew up in New Jersey before subsequently moving over 15 times around the US and in France, before starting his career initially in production at Hungry Man. These different pathways and cultural differences is something that Julian believes makes their partnership so strong. “It allows us to have a perspective that not many others do. I mean, that’s like three continents in two people,” he says.

“Rushil’s background in graphic design gives him unbelievable craft when it comes to visual storytelling. He’s constantly innovating the way he approaches our work, and is always looking at new technologies he can use to improve his artistry.”

Just as Rushil started working at The Martin Agency in 2016, Julian had recently made the jump to creative as a copywriter for Y&R in New York, before making his way through McCann NY and Johannes Leonardo, and eventually joining his soon-to-be creative partner in December 2023. In a turn of events that still makes Rushil blush, Julian shares how, during the recruitment process, he was accidentally copied into the email thread discussing his portfolio – luckily, everything was positive, he joined, and they all still laugh about it today.

“Julian's years in production make brainstorming a lot easier,” says Rushil. “He has a good gauge of what we can pull off with a certain budget. He also has a great network of producers, directors and editors, and he always says, ‘You're only as good as the people you know' – which there is definitely truth to.”

Their differing backgrounds aside, the pair describe themselves as “a very visual copywriter… and a pretty wordsmithy art director” – both simply ‘creatives’, and both deep lovers of craft. Together, they enjoy the process of searching for talent with that same passion. “It’s really important to be able to do work that you love with people you love,” adds Rushil. “It’s what separates our industry from many others.”

The duo share an interest in work that resonates with human truths – authentic, insight-driven work with a North Star rooted in universal experiences, not fleeting trends. For them, an idea doesn’t even start without real human insights, and thanks to Rushil living in Richmond while Julian lives in New York, they get to draw from two completely different environments.  

“We strive to make work that stands the test of time even 10 years from now,” says Rushil. “And the journey of mining those human insights together may take more hours,  but it’s the most fulfilling part of our process, not just for us, but even for our clients.”

“When working with clients, the key is to understand that they’re also human beings, just like us creatives.” adds Julian. “Listening is number one. You have to understand what they want, and why they want it. Once you’re there, you can find a way to infuse creativity into their business problems. Because every problem has a creative solution, you just need to find it.”

He continues, “We also put a strong emphasis on our collaboration with strategists. We often like to tripod and brainstorm with them early on in the process - the real insight machines are the strategists after all.”

The pair says that the idea is ultimately their ‘boss’ and that honest conversations keep their partnership – and the work – at its best. “We both look at creative disagreement as a good thing,” says Rushil. “It only helps push the work further and to a better place. We never get to a spot where we can’t see where the other is coming from and that’s vital.”

“We usually leave it up to rock paper scissors and go with whoever wins,” jokes Julian.

One of the most ambitious ideas the duo has worked on recently was a campaign for Google Chrome that’s also a music video for Colombian rapper and singer Maluma. The video features Chrome products and was designed to highlight Chrome’s partnership with McLaren F1 at the Miami Grand Prix, which presented a unique opportunity.

“This project was the ride of a lifetime,” says Julian. “We came up with the idea to create a song with a famous artist using the engine sounds of the race car as the beat, and to make its music video interactive using Google Chrome technology.”

As well as hearing the sounds of the F1 McLaren mixed into the track, viewers could win prizes by finding clues in the film and answering trivia questions. However, the project had one last unexpected turn.

“Our superstar’s daughter was born two weeks before our shoot in Miami, so we needed to pivot… How do you shoot a music video that’s supposed to highlight Miami for an artist that can’t come to Miami because of the birth of their newborn? We leaned into it,” says Rushil.

“We turned the whole music video into a story – Maluma couldn’t make the shoot because of the birth of his newborn, so his driver stars in it instead. The result was a dynamic piece of branded entertainment using some of the best visual effects imaginable.”

Even away from the world of F1, the industry’s rhythm of constant pitching and rejection can make creatives feel like they’re moving at 200 miles per hour. This is why both Rushil and Julian try to keep active outside of the office, keeping their minds sharp and feeling the endorphin rush of a pickleball session or football match. “Sporting philosophy aside, pickleball is an insanely fun sport where I’ve made a ton of friends,” says Rushil. “There’s a lot of us from Martin who became besties over our weekend sessions despite how competitive it’s gotten amongst us. We show up at least twice a week to go at it. Sometimes even with our CCO. It’s crazy!”

A religious Arsenal fan, Julian picked up football on the streets of France, and continued during college when he returned to the US. “It’s been a consistent part of my life since I was seven,” he says. “After a stressful day at work, the best thing for me is to get on the pitch and play. That’s the only place where I can forget everything.”

These sporting passions refuel their creative motivations, recently focusing on campaigns and self-initiated projects that defy traditional beginnings. They’re channelling this inspiration into purpose-driven initiatives, including work around firearm safety regulations. “We’re surrounded by a talented and influential network and our goal is to get people motivated by attracting the right collaborators and paving the way for more endeavours,” says Rushil.

Reflecting on this supportive network at The Martin Agency, Julian describes how his introduction to the agency summarises the culture there, and the productive bond it has forged between him and his creative partner in just eight months.

“When I was hired, it was to lead an account that we parted ways with shortly after I began. So I found myself at a new agency, with a new partner, and an account in transition. It was a bit challenging to begin a new creative partnership with some basic hurdles to jump through before even getting started. But, spoiler alert, we did. This difficult circumstance early on in our partnership forced us to come together, be honest and truthful with each other, and ultimately brought us closer together as a team. Lesson learned – there’s always a way.”