VML’s Jared Kozel Leaves Agency to Launch Super Nice

Jared Kozel, a chief creative officer at VML Atlanta, has left the agency to launch his own. This freshly launched, US-based indie shop is called Super Nice, which stands for more than a name – it is reportedly a philosophy that drives everything that Jared and the founding team does. 

“Super Nice has a double meaning,” says Jared, speaking with LBB. On one hand, it’s about the power of, well, being nice—about fostering trust, leading with empathy and creating spaces where bold ideas thrive. On the other hand, he adds, it’s an expression of craft and execution. “When something is done with incredible skill and creativity, you can’t help but say, ‘That’s super nice!’ Our name is a mission to deliver work that’s not just good—but so good it impresses, inspires, and is impossible to ignore.”

The starting point for Super Nice came from a belief within Jared similar to that of other legacy agency leaders who have set up their shops: that advertising could be done differently. "That there's a better way to do what we love," he says. "A way to combine fun with bold creativity while staying connected to what really matters: the people and the work." Jared says that he has always felt the best ideas come from environments where teams are excited, inspired, and free to experiment. The vision for Super Nice grew from that belief. "A place where we could chase big ideas without overthinking or unnecessary barriers. It’s about building an agency where the process is as enjoyable as the results are big."

What's more, Jared, whose was behind Lenovo’s recent global ‘You’ campaign, felt that the "immense" virtues of niceness in advertising can sometimes be forgotten within the intensity of its environment. “[Being nice] builds trust, fosters collaboration, and creates an environment where creativity thrives. When clients feel valued and teams feel supported, amazing things happen,” says Jared. “That said, niceness can sometimes be forgotten in the high-pressure, fast-paced world of advertising. Deadlines and competition can make it easy to focus on results at the expense of relationships. But we believe that nice and bold can coexist—and that the best work happens when they do.”

Based in Atlanta and Los Angeles, Super Nice was founded with two long-time colleagues of Jared; Barry Sonders, co-founder and chief content officer, and MJ Speakman, senior partner and head of strategy. “I’ve worked with Barry as an executive producer for over a decade,” says Jared, “and he’s always been the person who can deliver on ideas, timelines, and budgets that seem impossible. MJ has been a strategist and writer I’ve worked with just as long, and her ability to build brands, uncover incredible insights, and think audience-first has always stood out to me. 

Jared adds that the three of them have collaborated on countless award-winning projects and, over time, it became clear they share the same values. “Knowing the power of positivity, fearlessness, and loyalty. When the idea for Super Nice came up, it was obvious we had to do this together—it just felt right,” he says.

The launch of Super Nice follows the well-known trend of new indie shops launching in the US in recent years, many of which are thriving and experiencing healthy growth. Jared believes this trend is something that clients are craving—something “fresh, flexible and more connected,” he says. 

“We’re part of this wave because we believe smaller, independent agencies are uniquely positioned to deliver bold ideas without the baggage of big structures. At Super Nice, we see this as a chance to reimagine what an agency can be: faster, more collaborative, and driven by the kind of energy that comes from truly loving what we do.”

As a new agency, Super Nice’s main goal is to quickly build a reputation that lives up to its tagline: ‘a fun place to do big things’. To Jared, Barry and MJ, that means growing the team with “talented, like-minded people”, partnering with new clients who share their vision, and delivering work that’s “not just bold but unforgettable” too.

“It’s about proving what’s possible when creativity, positivity, and a little fun lead the way.”