Hasta La Creative!

Protests are all the rage, but they rarely include anthropomorphic “furry” costumes. A recent incident in Austria was different.

Earlier this year, the country implemented a law called “Prohibition for the Covering of the Face,” colloquially known as the “burqa ban.”

If that sounds a bit weird, consider that Austrians came close to electing a far-right presidential candidate last year. The government later insisted on passing the ban even though it will only affect the estimated 0.03% percent of Austrian Muslim women who choose to cover their faces in public, or a grand total approximately 150 citizens.

Lots of Austrians were not too happy about it, and Vienna-based agency Warda Network decided to make a very public point about how ridiculous this law is … by dressing some dude up as a shark.

Here’s an image from the agency’s own Facebook page.

Why a shark? Turns out this was both a social statement and a stunt to help promote client McShark, which operates a chain of electronics retail stores.

A Warda spokesperson calls it “a simple but effective strategy to expose the absurdity of the new law while at the same time us[ing] the gained attention” to score media coverage for McShark.

“At the opening of the new McShark Store an employee was dressed up as a shark to dance on the street and animate pedestrians to enter the store,” the rep said.

Someone called the cops, and three officers quickly arrived to tell the man to remove his shark mask. He refused to do so and was subsequently fined.

According to Al-Jazeera, the Vienna police later issued a statement on Twitter indicating that they are tasked with enforcing the law that one James Anderson did indeed violate.

Nach Anfragen zur Amtshandlung vom 06.10.17 bzgl. einer Werbeveranstaltung unter Verwendung eines Kostüms wollen wir wie folgt informieren: pic.twitter.com/U6djkl4meN

— POLIZEI WIEN (@LPDWien) October 9, 2017

“Generally, it is allowed to wear disguises or covering for artistic, cultural or traditional events, as well as for professional practice,” the statement read. “This particular case is currently being examined within the framework of administrative penal proceedings.”

Creative director Jakob Kattner later told the Washington Post that the agency would not appeal the fine, acknowledging that Shark Man had violated the law and adding, “He was dressed as a stuffed animal and not as a terrorist.”

It’s not clear whether Anderson, who lives in Dublin, is a Warda employee … or whether the agency called police to ensure the success of its own stunt.

We also find it kind of amusing that reports about the incident can’t seem to decide whether Warda is a PR firm or a creative shop. It’s pretty clear what they’re good at, though.

[All pics via Warda Network]

Today IPG confirmed that it had divested itself from HackerAgency, which is now no longer part of the Interpublic network after 18 years.

The news first ran on Adweek.

According to one party who spoke to us, the decision came because the Seattle-based direct marketing company’s “core competency is not aligned” with IPG’s goals. It also follows the gradual loss of HackerAgency’s largest client, AT&T, over the course of several months.

CEO Spyro Kourtis provided the following statement:

“[I’m] confirming that while Hacker Group has had a great partnership with IPG and FCB over the years, we’re excited to bring the power of our re-established independence to our clients, driving business results through modern, innovative marketing solutions. Clients are increasingly demanding agile agency resources and talent that focus on performance and are willing to put skin in the game. We believe being an independent is the best way to do this, unburdened by the complexities of a holding company network.”

Regarding AT&T, he acknowledge that the changing relationship, partly caused by the DirecTV acquisition, damaged the agency:

“We’re proud of the partnership we have shared [with AT&T] and wish our clients the best of success. Having to say goodbye to friends and colleagues is never easy. We remain optimistic for the road ahead as we strike out independently and allow our data-driven heritage and CRM specialization to shine.”

Multiple current and former agency employees tell a slightly different story.

According to 5 different sources, the agency laid off around 50 percent of its staff in Seattle last week, including North American president Julie Rezick, formerly of Wunderman. One source says recent events came about due to a “failure to modernize.”

HackerAgency will now operate as an independent company. The three international FCB offices that merged with what was then called Hacker Group to form HackerAgency in 2014, however, will remain within the IPG network.

When dealing with airlines, customers too often feel like numbers, not people. Southwest and their time trusted partner, Austin agency GSD&M, take that idea and turn it on its head in this commercial, where the customers are the stars of the show. The spot also makes an incredible point—we connect with people’s stories, and by […]

The post Behind Every Southwest Seat Is A Person With A Story appeared first on Adpulp.

Earlier this week, Bain Capital Private Equity filed a tender with the Tokyo Stock Exchange to acquire the common shares of Japan’s third largest agency by market share, Asatsu-DK, for around $1.35 billion.

It soon became apparent the deal might see a few bumps in the road.

While the offer represents a 15-25 percent “premium over recent trading level,” according to Bain Capital, Bloomberg reported that holding company WPP, Asatsu-DK’s top shareholder, was “quick to object” to the offer as too low. The second-highest shareholder in the agency at around 17.3 percent, London-based Silchester International Investors LLP, also objected to the offer.

In a very bitchy press release that went live yesterday, Silchester claimed the “current offer price substantially undervalues” the agency and that it is “not convinced” that Asatsu-DK’s board members “have made significant or sufficient endeavours to find other buyers.”

“ADK’s Board seems to be unhappy with its shareholders and has looked for an owner they would prefer,” the release continues. “This is round the wrong way — when a Board loses the confidence of its shareholders, it is the Board that should resign.”

It goes on to claim that “ADK rushed through a sale of WPP shares” at a time when the holding company’s “valuation is depressed” and that “The sale was done without prior consultation and without shareholder approval.”

According to the press release, there is a “significant risk of litigation if ADK and WPP cannot successfully dissolve their 20 year partnership.”

Silchester also encourages any other prospective buyers of the agency to come forward, adding that it will “consider any higher offer…on its merits.”

Expect more back-and-forth to come.

“We have lost our way. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.” -Charlie Chaplin Minneapolis agency, Colle McVoy, tapped one of film history’s most famous speeches (from Charlie Chaplin’s 1940 film The Great Dictator) to help win the hearts and minds of the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board. But will the commercial […]

The post Make This Life Free And Beautiful With A Vacation to Jackson Hole appeared first on Adpulp.

Happy RIP Hugh Hefner Day to all our friends in Chicago. In case you missed it, Huge is in the fast food business!

At some point in recent weeks, the IPG network won McDonald’s latest agency review, picking up global digital user experience work. The best part about this story for “traditional” agency folks lamenting the viability of their professions (or the lack thereof) is that this is the second time in less than two months that Accenture Interactive has lost a McDonald’s pitch.

According to our sources, Huge beat out the mega-firm’s design division Fjord in the last leg of the review, almost exactly four weeks after Publicis.Sapient won a “digital innovation” (read: IT) review.

The IPG shop’s Windy City office will—for the time being, at least—share an address with FCB: 875 North Michigan Avenue.

We’re not quite sure where the job listings are, but we figure you Chicago agency folks can ask around. And who doesn’t want to “get paid for giving a shit” about burgers and fries and apple pies?

[Image via]

Austin, Texas and outlaws go together like Waylon and Willie. Also, like South By and crowds. Or BBQ and mouths. But I digress… Let’s look at some new beer commercials… The old-timey quality of these spots is different enough to be interesting. What I really like is the copy. Back in the ’70s there were […]

The post From Shiner Bock To A Good Story appeared first on Adpulp.

Minnesota is different. For once, many of the people have Canadian-like accents and they ALL love hockey. When your state is endowed with 10,000 lakes and eight months of winter, it makes sense. Like this new commercial from ICF Olson makes sense. The Minneapolis agency partnered with NHL team, the Minnesota Wild, to create a […]

The post Minnesota Wild Fans Claim Their Ice appeared first on Adpulp.

McCann has won what could be a significant victory in its legal back-and-forth with the government over the very lucrative U.S. Army contract.

Earlier this week, the Government Accountability Office issued an official judgment on McCann’s complaint about its earlier elimination from the review for an account that could concern up to $4 billion in spending over a decade.* By marking the bid protest “sustained,” the GAO effectively ruled in favor of McCann, which argued that it was unfairly eliminated due to technicalities.

This is the second piece of good news for McCann in less than a month. In August, the Army extended its contract with the agency for a third time, adding 12 months to the relationship six months after McCann was officially disqualified.

The initial decision to eliminate McCann appears to have stemmed from different readings of documents by the Army’s marketing and PR division and its Contracting Officer. The primary complaint noted by the Officer purportedly concerned the agency’s inability to confirm its status as a certified contractor, despite the fact that it has been the Army’s agency of record for more than a decade.

Now, the matter will presumably return to contracting court as the status of the larger review remains in limbo.

We have reached out to spokespeople for both McCann and the U.S. Army but have yet to receive a reply from either.

*As noted by one very friendly tipster, a clients’ spending totals are not the same as an agency’s fee totals. We know this! But as you are also aware, spending estimates are the only publicly available numbers for any given account. If you would like to share exactly what portion of that money will go to whichever agency ends up handling the business, please feel free to do so.

Today in digital agency acquisitions, Havas New York is expanding its digital capabilities with the acquisition of the New York digital agency The 88.

The 88 has grown from a team of three to around 50 employees. It has worked with clients including Coca-Cola, adidas, L’Oreal, Mars, Bacardi and Bloomingdale’s and personalities such as A$AP Rocky, Alexander Wang, Casey Neistat, Jeremy Scott and Phillip Lim.

The agency will be rebranded Annex 88 as part of Havas’ Annex cultural network and The 88 founder and chief creative officer Harry Bernstein (pictured, left) will serve as a chief creative officer of Havas New York.

Bernstein founded The 88 in February of 2010, following a year with Rockstar Games’ marketing department. Prior to that he spent five years as a creative director with Berlin Cameron, working with clients including Coca-Cola, vitaminwater, Lincoln, Ford, Heineken and Belvedere. He began his career as an art director with Ogilvy & Mather New York, where he worked with clients including IBM, Sprite and Kodak.

“My vision has always been to change advertising forever, even before advertising realized it needed to be changed,” Bernstein said in a statement. “But at this pivotal moment when the modern CMO is beginning to question traditional means, there’s no better time than now to join forces with Havas. I’m excited to combine my understanding of contemporary culture and innovation with Havas’ capabilities to help our clients break the traditions of their categories as the CCO of Havas New York.”

“Havas New York is a creative agency breaking tradition to build brands of the future, which is why it is imperative to have someone like Harry at the creative helm,” Havas New York CEO Laura Maness said in a statement. “As a partner to the modern CMO, we offer a valuable mix of capabilities that aren’t what you’d expect to find in a creative agency, such as experience design, cognitive, data and technology. With Harry leading the way, we’re poised to create the most relevant, unconventional model while rapidly scaling our growth platforms in New York.”

“I love advertising, but the entire vocabulary of our business has changed. We have an opportunity to be at the forefront of this change and offer clients modern capabilities that drive real results. Harry is the perfect person to help Havas New York stay ahead of the game by disrupting the status quo,”added Havas Creative U.S. chairman and chief creative officer Jason Peterson. “As a thought leader and true innovator, his storytelling embraces the modern language of advertising and will take our offering to the next level.”