As Director of Media at Vice Media Group, a comScore-leading media publisher, Josh Weaver led a team of ten media strategists, who planned, activated, and reported out on display, video, and social campaigns – as well as award-winning branded content and interactive experiences – for an extensive client roster of major multinational brands, as well as medium-sized businesses.
That’s VICE’s north star. As Director of Media, Josh Weaver brought that ethos to life—leading a ten-person team across New York, L.A., and Toronto to translate youth culture into strategy, and strategy into award-winning campaigns.
Josh led the media strategy and execution for The Fifth Sense, a Chanel-branded content program created by i-D Magazine and VICE, which highlighted the intersection of female creativity and the evocative power of fragrance. Through a series of short films and multimedia pieces, the campaign celebrated how scent, particularly Chanel N°5, could inspire and fuel artistic expression across various creative disciplines. This year-long initiative increased Chanel’s purchase intent share among female millennials by 23%. It garnered industry recognition, winning the Digiday Europe Award for both Best Use of Multimedia and Best Brand Partnership.
Josh helped increase brand purchase intent for the iconic label by 23 percent among its target demographic.
Josh also led the media strategy and execution for Dear Future, a collaborative campaign between Motherboard (VICE), CNET, and Microsoft. This series highlighted groundbreaking technological innovations and the individuals using technology to address significant global challenges like climate change, poverty, and social inequity.
The campaign was designed to show how science fiction-like advances, such as brain-controlled computers, nuclear fusion, and DIY off-grid energy systems, are already shaping today's future. Through a combination of written articles and documentary videos, the campaign provided a glimpse into a future filled with technological possibilities.
The Dear Future campaign was widely praised for its innovative storytelling and ability to inspire hope for technology's potential to create a better world. In 2018, it won a Webby Award for Science & Education, recognizing its impact on educating the public about how technology could address critical global issues.
In addition to client-facing strategy and campaign execution, Josh played a pivotal role in shaping VICE's internal operations and team culture. They directly managed a North American team of ten strategists across New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto—mentoring emerging leaders, refining workflows, and scaling best practices across regional teams. Their leadership emphasized creative ambition and operational rigor, ensuring each activation was delivered with clarity, efficiency, and cultural fluency.
Josh also led high-stakes planning around media investments for a slate of blue-chip brands, partnering with stakeholders to optimize spend and align distribution strategies with each brand’s unique voice and goals. Their stewardship covered everything from RFP conversion to post-sale campaign refinement, driving measurable outcomes and earning repeat business across sectors.
Internally, Josh was a force for innovation and process improvement. They initiated cross-functional efforts to streamline internal systems, participated in key department and commercial org task forces, and helped evolve VICE’s overarching value proposition around brand and media executions. Whether navigating evolving consumer segmentation frameworks or refining VICE’s positioning at the intersection of content and commerce, Josh served as both a systems thinker and a brand advocate.
Joshua Weaver, Director of Media, @VICE on how diversity and inclusion can still be represented while being #brand safe at #NewFrontsWest pic.twitter.com/NidZU1Zl2i
— IAB (@iab) October 10, 2018
They were frequently tapped to represent VICE at industry events as a thought leader and voice of strategic authority. Josh was known for articulating VICE’s POV on media strategy, generational insight, and channel integration to senior clients and internal stakeholders alike, including members of the C-suite. When internal or client-facing challenges arose, Josh became a trusted problem-solver and escalation point, helping the team overcome friction with confidence and cohesion.
“Honest, authentic storytelling necessitates an openness for inclusion and a hunger to discover and document the lives of those less visible in our world,” Weaver said. “Today’s youth represent a diversified clash of cultures, identities, and ways of life. Vice, as the voice of today’s new generations, has an obligation to represent and embody these generations and their every form.”
Rachel Yang
