Jay Norman Leaves Spotify to Lead Detroit Agency Verse + Hook
- Justin “Jay” Norman has left his role as global director of creative strategy and global head of music marketing at Spotify to lead the Detroit-based agency Verse +...
- Verse + Hook operates across five distinct practice areas: strategy, brand and creative, production and content, experiential, and music and sync.
- Several leadership appointments accompany Norman's return to the agency he co-founded.
Justin “Jay” Norman has left his role as global director of creative strategy and global head of music marketing at Spotify to lead the Detroit-based agency Verse + Hook full time. Norman spent years at the streaming platform overseeing major global campaigns, artist relationships, and music marketing initiatives across dozens of countries. His departure brings renewed focus to Detroit’s emergence as a creative economy force.
Spotify Music Marketing Veteran Returns to Detroit
Five Core Pillars and the Soundry Sync Arm
Verse + Hook operates across five distinct practice areas: strategy, brand and creative, production and content, experiential, and music and sync. The agency’s sync licensing arm, Soundry, represents several musicians, including Billboard and Grammy-winning producers, positioning the consultancy with a direct pipeline between brand strategy and music creation.
Expanded Leadership Roster and Key Appointments
Several leadership appointments accompany Norman’s return to the agency he co-founded. Co-founder Miso Brown serves as head of brand amplification, Partner Tierra Filhiol takes on the role of head of cultural intelligence and strategy, and Kyle Bernhardt assumes the position of executive director and head of creative.
Additional team members include Chelsea V. Huguley managing client partnerships and business development as director, Apryl Gordy joining as director of people and operations, and Joe Zimmer serving as director of project management.
Award-Winning Industry Roots and Education
Before joining Spotify, Norman worked as a creative director and advertising executive on client accounts including Dodge, McDonald’s, JBL, Harman Kardon, Bertolli, Popsicle, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Suave, Tylenol, Listerine, and Zyrtec. That body of work earned recognition at Cannes Lions, the Effie Awards, and the Clio Awards, alongside jury seats at the Webbys, Shorty Awards, and ADDYs.
Norman is an active producer and songwriter who studied at the College for Creative Studies and completed executive education at the Kellogg School of Management. The agency notes that Norman has long championed his hometown as a seat of cultural richness rather than just a market to be studied.