David Yankelewitz - Founder and Creative Director - Public Display of Affection (PDA) episode artwork

EPISODE · May 19, 2026 · 13 MIN

David Yankelewitz - Founder and Creative Director - Public Display of Affection (PDA)

from The Ad Podcast · host Dylan Conroy

David Yankelewitz is a prominent figure in the advertising and creative world, currently serving as the Founder and Creative Director of Public Display of Affection (PDA), a creative studio based in Brooklyn, New York. His career is defined by high-impact, viral marketing campaigns that often blend pop culture with innovative brand experiences.Public Display of Affection (2021–Present): Founded this studio with the philosophy that "the more love you give, the more you receive," focusing on brand activations, apps, and art. R/GA (2020–2021): As Executive Creative Director, he led the Verizon account, notably building a 5G Super Bowl stadium in Fortnite and producing a weekly livestream series featuring stars like Billie Eilish and Alicia Keys. Ogilvy & Mather (2015–2017): Served as Group Creative Director, where he built the agency's Content Group and led projects for brands like IBM, Coke Zero, and NASCAR. 360i (2011–2015): Spent four years as Group Creative Director, winning the agency’s first Cannes Lions for work with brands such as Oreo, Oscar Mayer, and Ben & Jerry’s. Yankelewitz is well-known for "internet-breaking" campaigns, including:#MAMMING: A viral photo-sharing campaign to raise breast cancer awareness. Say It With Bacon: A luxury gift service for Oscar Mayer that packaged bacon like fine jewelry. Oreo "Nomsters": A series of bite-sized horror films for Halloween that reimagined cookies as candy-hybrid monsters. He began his career as a business reporter for The Jerusalem Post and an editor for the University of Pennsylvania’s humor magazine, 34th Street. His creative approach often involves "The 5 Love Languages" framework, where he advocates for brands to move beyond "Words of Affirmation" (traditional ads) toward "Physical Touch" and "Acts of Service" (meaningful brand actions).

David Yankelewitz is a prominent figure in the advertising and creative world, currently serving as the Founder and Creative Director of Public Display of Affection (PDA), a creative studio based in Brooklyn, New York. His career is defined by high-impact, viral marketing campaigns that often blend pop culture with innovative brand experiences.Public Display of Affection (2021–Present): Founded this studio with the philosophy that "the more love you give, the more you receive," focusing on brand activations, apps, and art. R/GA (2020–2021): As Executive Creative Director, he led the Verizon account, notably building a 5G Super Bowl stadium in Fortnite and producing a weekly livestream series featuring stars like Billie Eilish and Alicia Keys. Ogilvy & Mather (2015–2017): Served as Group Creative Director, where he built the agency's Content Group and led projects for brands like IBM, Coke Zero, and NASCAR. 360i (2011–2015): Spent four years as Group Creative Director, winning the agency’s first Cannes Lions for work with brands such as Oreo, Oscar Mayer, and Ben & Jerry’s. Yankelewitz is well-known for "internet-breaking" campaigns, including:#MAMMING: A viral photo-sharing campaign to raise breast cancer awareness. Say It With Bacon: A luxury gift service for Oscar Mayer that packaged bacon like fine jewelry. Oreo "Nomsters": A series of bite-sized horror films for Halloween that reimagined cookies as candy-hybrid monsters. He began his career as a business reporter for The Jerusalem Post and an editor for the University of Pennsylvania’s humor magazine, 34th Street. His creative approach often involves "The 5 Love Languages" framework, where he advocates for brands to move beyond "Words of Affirmation" (traditional ads) toward "Physical Touch" and "Acts of Service" (meaningful brand actions).

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David Yankelewitz - Founder and Creative Director - Public Display of Affection (PDA)

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David Yankelewitz is a prominent figure in the advertising and creative world, currently serving as the Founder and Creative Director of Public Display of Affection (PDA), a creative studio based in Brooklyn, New York. His career is defined by...

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