Full-service influencer marketing agency The Social Standard announced that it appointed Abhish Desai as Creative Director, Steven Blutstein as Head of Performance Creative, Dan Castiglione as Account Manager and Zandra Drysdale as Inside Sales Executive, all joining the team in Los Angeles.
The announcement further signifies the company’s ongoing growth and efforts to boost creative capabilities and prioritize strong client partnerships.
Desai comes to The Social Standard as a law school graduate and accomplished content creator in his own right, with a combined social media following of over 500K. He is a photographer, videographer, editor, and creative director of his own fitness brand, The Desai Lifestyle. As creative director with The Social Standard he will work on the development of unique storytelling and experiences for clients through a cinematic lens. Having accomplished his first series called Verified where he explored the creator economy and how influencers like himself rose to fame, he is now working on producing a show called Extra Ordinary.
“It’s really great to have authentic influencers joining our team who can lead the direction for brand partners. It gives us incredible insight into what will work and what won’t,” said Jess Phillips, CEO, The Social Standard.
Joining the team from Hawke Media, where he previously served as Creative Producer, Blutstein is a marketing strategist and content creator with over ten years of experience directing brand growth for automotive, B2B, and eCommerce brands. During his work at Hawke, Blutstein led promotional campaigns with TikTok stars Josh Richards and Griffin Johnson, organized virtual events, such as eCommerce Week Los Angeles, and he served as a driving force in generating a multitude of new business leads. In his role at The Social Standard, Blutstein will bring his love of creative development and influencer marketing e to deliver carefully curated content married to data-driven success. He has recently connected his passion in emerging tech retail opportunities with his interest in the metaverse, where he is exploring virtual real estate. Further Blutstein spends his free time capturing his adventures through photography and videography which can be seen on Instagram and TikTok alongside his rescue dog, Zuko.
As Account Manager at The Social Standard, Castiglione will bring his experience with PR and media relations to assist brands lock in top-tier influencer talent and create campaigns. Castiglione’s background includes a decade spent in New York City as a publicist and creator, working with clients such as Adore Me, Yummie, Mott & Bow, TJMaxx, and Ralph Lauren. As an advocate for diversity and inclusion, Castiglione aims to bring companies to the present in the ever-changing environment around us. He is an active member of LGBTQ+ community, working with various organizations to advance acceptance and equality. Outside of the office he hosts a popular podcast called RAW&UNCUT where he goes further to promote inclusiveness and openness for all.
Drysdale joins The Social Standard team from TEDxOakland, where she was Marketing Director. As Inside Sales Executive with the agency, she will be tasked with brand and agency development across all facets.
“We are thrilled to be adding these four exceptionally skilled, creative and diverse individuals to The Social Standard. The past 12 months has been another year of explosive growth for influencer marketing, and we are excited to be growing our team with legitimate content creators that truly understand the industry from the inside,” Phillips continued.
About The Social Standard:
We are a full-service influencer marketing agency driven by setting the standard for the industry and then reaching even higher. Our team is obsessed with finding the right influencers for our partners. But we are way more than just matchmakers. We are strategists that develop effective campaigns to delight, inspire, entertain and hit business goals. From concept to seamless execution, we work with clients such as Adobe, FiatChrysler, L’Oreal, Motorola and others, positioning them as pioneers in innovative influencer marketing and helping talent thrive in the creator economy. For more, visit www.sostandard.com
