Pierce Thiot, Head of Creative for Brand and Entertainment at Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort, has died aged 40 following a pulmonary embolism at his home in Orem, Utah. His death is significant within advertising and entertainment because he helped develop some of Maximum Effort’s distinctive campaigns and had a notable career spanning Apple TV+, television marketing and major global brands.

Thiot joined Maximum Effort in 2022 after helping launch Apple TV+ and leading campaigns for series including The Morning Show and Servant. A two-time Emmy nominee, he worked on campaigns for Lay’s, Mint Mobile, DoorDash, L’Oréal and others, and contributed to National Geographic’s Underdogs; he is survived by his wife, Stacy, their children Adelaide and Jackson, and his long-time creative partner Kathleen Swanson.