From what we’ve gathered over the last, oh, 15 months or so, it hasn’t been the smoothest ride for Atlanta’s Moxie Interactive. But rather than dwell on the seemingly constant supply of negative news about the agency (defections, cuts, etc.) dating back to late 2011 (you have our search engine for that), let’s try to just focus on the now for at least a minute. Moxie has announced that it’s rounded out what it’s dubbed its “dream team”–aka senior leadership team–with the hiring of 22squared alum Jane Matthews as SVP, new business, which we’ve been told is a new position at the agency.
In a statement, Moxie president Suzy Deering says, “Jane is the final piece of the puzzle for the senior team at Moxie. With the leadership team now in place, she will be instrumental in catapulting the Moxie brand in the marketplace sharing our data and insight driven approach and securing new brands and partners to collaborate with in the digital space.”
As for the rest of the pieces of the puzzle, they include the likes of CTO Matthew Fleischman and EVP, creative Anthony Reeves, who joined last fall, Sharon Boddie, SVP of strategy and media and John Rich, VP of digital strategy. As for Moxie’s latest hire, Matthews (pictured) joins after spending the last seven years at fellow Atlanta-based agency, 22squared, where she founded the agency’s new business practice.
Well, this is one of the more interesting items to start of the work week. Over the weekend, we received a letter that Huge analytics director Yosaif Cohain sent to his colleagues at the agency in which he announced his resignation. Why, well, read on verbatim and we’ll continue after.
“Friends –
Because of moral objections that I have with Huge working with Al Jazeera, I have resigned from my position at Huge, effective immediately. I simply cannot work for a company that works with them. Today is my last day.
I know some might think my decision is rash or extreme. You should know that I have thought about this at length for the past two weeks and am very confident in my decision. I won’t attempt to convince anyone about my opinions or beliefs – I will just hope that even if you disagree with them, you can respect my decision and my need to stay true to who I am and what I believe in. I’m leaving with a lot of sadness and disappointment in Huge, but also with my head held high.
I’m not sure what my next steps will be – I’m going to take a step back to evaluate a few things and will be updating my resume. If you have leads for me, I’d appreciate them.
Thank you all for your ongoing friendship and support – I will miss you guys. To those of you that have offered words of support and encouragement about my decision, I thank you in particular – this has not been easy for me.
All my best –
Yosaif”
Yes, Cohain has indeed resigned, but interestingly enough, sources tell us that at the time he quit, Huge was not actually working with the aforementioned broadcaster. We’re hearing that the agency’s D.C. office specifically was just one of several digital shops that Al Jazeera has recently been talking to as it transitions following its acquisition of Al Gore‘s Current TV, which perhaps was divisive enough to begin with. So, maybe there were other reasons at play for Cohain’s departure from Huge NY, who knows, but we’re staying neutral on his decision.
When pressed, Huge had “no comment” on the matter.
Floyd Hayes, former ECD at guerrilla-marketing agency Cunning is back with yetanotherattention-grabbing stunt that will (perhaps) net him upward of $1000 per day.
Hayes latest project, World’s Fastest Agency, serves as a pleasant reminder to all marketers that, yes, you can make any unsubstantiated claim you want, so long as no one else has made the claim before you. Hayes’ business model works thusly:
Send him $999 via PayPal.
Direct message your short creative brief to @fastestagency on Twitter
Receive a creative pitch within 24 hours via Twitter direct message
Consider whether or not steps 1-3 were a wise use of your time and money
On the website for his new agency, which he also proclaims to be “the world’s first 100% Twitter based ad agency,” Hayes has already a glowing review from Neil Davies (pitch judge and former partner at Naked Communications) who says, “Very fast, very good.” I mean, what else do you need to know?
Last week, a bevy of banana-filled images had us wondering whether this was an odd preview of the new agency formed by Tom O’Keefe and Nick Paul, who previously served as North American CD and chief global growth officer, respectively, at Draftfcb.
Well, thankfully their new, Chicago-based shop is not called “Whiskey Bananas,” but in fact the more pro-sounding O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul (though the imagery of both spirit and fruit adorns the walls as you can see here). The Reinhard in the mix is Amazon alum Matt Reinhard, who takes on the role of founder/CCO at the new shop while O’Keefe serves as founder/CEO and Paul, founder/president. Today marks day one at OKRP, which you can find out more about here.
Agencies don’t just churn out ad campaigns these days, they incubate startups. And why not? When you have the resources you can afford put them to good use. In fact, it is your responsibility to do so.
You may have heard, Wieden+Kennedy got into the baby-company warming game a few years back with the launch of PIE, now run by Man about Tech Town and friend of AdPulp, Rick Turoczy. Some notable success stories have already emerged from PIE, namely Urban Airship and Simple.
Note: PIE is taking new applications from budding startups until April 15th.
Now we have word from Richmond — home of VCU Adcenter, Cabell Harris and The Martin Agency — that 80amps, a local incubator, is being backed by Martin.
Neil Patel, The Martin Agency’s Senior Vice President of Content Strategy and Development, says:
We’ve chosen to work with 80amps for two main reasons: first, it provides a path to innovation that allows us to continue to focus on our core business of creating world-class advertising; second, 80amps’ focus on consumer products and services is in perfect alignment with our core competency.”
A path to innovation that fuels world-class advertising. I think this addresses the “Why?” question some may have.
Media is a shifty business, and marketing with it. Martin and W+K already have deep expertise in print and broadcast, now they need to add digital to their core competencies, and the people who make digital are different beasts. Interestingly, Richmond and Portland are not cities loaded with VCs, so Martin and W+K are stepping up to fill a need.
Iain Tait, who works at Google Labs now, following the shortest stint ever as a W+K partner, highlighted the differences quite nicely a few years ago.
We need to borrow from the places where real innovation is occurring: the world of hack-days, collaboration, open-sourcing, ring-fenced R&D time and incubators. Clinging to outdated idea-farming methods just because they’re reliable and predictable is a surefire route to extinction.
For sure, Tait’s world of propeller heads on speed is not the agency world of old, where creative teams holed up for days on end scribbling ideas on a notepad. Marketing complexity is increasing rapidly and it is a struggle to keep up with the curve, much less ahead of it. Not only do agencies need to produce a ton of content today, they need the data-crunching capabilities to track what happens once it is released. This data, in ideal circumstances, is then used to help inform next steps.
Can you see why agencies want to cozy up to people practiced in lean and agile development?
Though he’s listed as VP, director of technology at Brooklyn-based, IPG-owned Huge, we have received word that Chris Magdelinskas was just one a of a few heads of technology at the agency, which we’ve learned has let him go. According to those in the know, Huge did make the decision to let the exec go as part of of a reorganization of the technology discipline at Huge into engineering and technology strategy teams.
Prior to joining Huge, where he spent a year, the New York-based Magdelinskas worked with the likes of CBS and UGO. We’re hearing that ex-Hugers have started a Facebook page, but feel free to leave a link.
You may recall that nearly six weeks ago, we reported on more Critical Mass cuts, which also saw higher-ups in the Omnicom-owned digital agency’s Chicago office calling it quits including GM, Joe Scartz. Well, we also mentioned a president and now phone calls and the fact that his name has been taken off the leadership site have confirmed that CM Chicago prez Neil Clemmons is no longer with the agency.
Clemmons has departed from CM after nearly 14 years and last served as president/chief strategist. During his career, Clemmons spent well over a decade at Apple and a few years at 3Com before joining Critical Mass.
Being a cold-blooded American (by acquisition, not by birth), I choose to deny the existence of ketchup brands outside of Heinz and Hunt’s. So when I hear that an international brand exists by the name of “Felix,” ostensibly named after the animated cat with a magic bag of tricks (or so I like to think), I pretend it only exists in the minds of silly foreigners who dream that they can compete with U.S. dominance over sweetened tomato flavorings.
For a moment, I will play along and buy into the fact that Felix is celebrating its 50th anniversary. To celebrate, Helsinki-based agency Hasan & Partners have (allegedly) commissioned pop artist Nathan Wyburn to create portraits of ketchup consumers using Felix in place of paint. As you can see in the above clip, Wyburn deftly exhibits his ability for turning a young woman’s photo into an accurate ketchup-y facsimile. (Minus the nose. Don’t know what happened to Wyburn there, but I guess once it got a little smudged, there was no turning back.)
For one week starting today, fans are asked to submit their photo on Felix Finland’s Facebook page with the opportunity for Wyburn to give them the ketchup treatment. Facebook fans can also watch Wyburn create do his thing in real time, praying that he doesn’t do to their nose what he did to the girl’s in the video.
In cased you missed the unveiling of SS+K’s Vine SXSWi search tool dubbed “SX6S,” the agency has rolled out the highlight reel above to give you a feel of the goings-on in Austin this past week. Thankfully, our sort-of ADD makes clips like this quite palatable. Here’s some context from SS+K head of production, John Swartz:
”We brought these vines together and edited as you might any montage, or even a music video. But as we did, we realized that the range of vines gave us incredible flexibility in telling the story of the festival. And rather than just play back the videos in sequence, we thought presenting them in a more visually engaging, even frenetic way, gave a better sense of the mania of the festival.
We thought each video was special in its own way, depicting something fun, funny, ugly, embarrassing, interesting, etc. We each had a favorite, and no one vine stood out as the best. Although I’m partial to the monkey.”
We didn’t make the cut in the vid, but Mr. Adrants himself, Steve Hall, did. If you have 100 seconds to kill, view above.
Looking for a new job but getting frustrated? Are you trying to figure out who you need to talk to? What does a company really mean when they say they “work hard and play hard?”
In this episode of “Score That Job,” career expert, author and mediabistro editor Vicki Salemi sat down with Lori Rubinson of Lippe Taylor, a New York agency with clients like IKEA and Elizabeth Arden that focuses on women through public relations, advertising and social marketing.
Well, this is news to us. It looks like these photos have been making the rounds on Instagram and Twitter the past few weeks, but tipsters say these images signify that Tom O’Keefe and Nick Paul have “open[ed] doors to WHISKEY BANANAS their new ad agency” based in Chicago. If you recall, O’Keefe, a 20-plus-year ad vet, left Draftfcb two months ago and it was rumored at the time that he was lured by fellow former DFCB exec Nick Paul to help start up and lead a new shop. O’Keefe had been with Draftfcb since 1990 during the FCB era and last served as executive creative director, North America. Paul, meanwhile, spent five years at said agency and last worked as EVP/global chief growth officer before leaving last spring.
O’Keefe has actually been tweeting out somewhat silly pics such as the ones below with #whiskeybananas for some time now, but we’ll see what’s up and fill in the blanks when we can.
We’ve received confirmation that Richard Black, who’s spent the last six-and-a-half years at the IPG-owned Momentum as an SVP and director of client services, has been bumped up to general manager of the agency’s New York office. From what we’ve been told, Black (pictured) replaces Laura Loughlin, who has transitioned to a similar role at Momentum Entertainment Group, which was launched back in June 2011. During his career, Black has worked on the account side at the likes of TracyLocke and Saatchi & Saatchi prior to joining Momentum, while Loughlin has spent well over a dozen years at the last agency.
In addition to the Black/Loughlin move, Momentum has promoted Tom Boccuzzi, who has spent the last five-plus years at said agency and has worked at the likes of Y&R and G2 in the past, has been promoted to the role of SVP, operations director NY working on the American Express business.
Two months after parting ways with Toronto-based Union, aka the agency formerly known as CP+B Toronto, Toys “R” Us Canada has found a new local agency to handle its creative AOR duties in Open. Founded by Zig alums Martin Beauvais and Christian Mathieu back in fall 2010, the Toronto-based Open will now handle creative campaigns across Canada in both English and French for both Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us beginning with a national radio effort.
From what we’ve been told by sources familiar with the matter, the agency was awarded the Toys/Babies “R” Us biz without a bidding process. In a statement, Liz MacDonald, VP, marketing and store planning, Toys“R”Us Canada, says, “We were impressed by the creativity that Martin and Christian had infused into their previous work with our two brands. Their retail experience and passion produce true-to-life campaigns that resonate well with our customers, so we’re excited to get started.”
Along with said new client, Open works with others including Old Milwaukee and Canadian real estate network, ComFree.
More dispatches from the ether as we wind down our quick trip to Austin. After spending just 10 months in L.A. at 72andSunny, where he served as ACD/copywriter on efforts for Samsung including last year’s LeBron James–heads-to-get-his-ring spot and the “Unicorn Apocalypse” saga, Patrick Maravilla has headed up north to join up with San Francisco-based Evolution Bureau as creative director. Regarding the new hire, EVB ECD Steve Babcock, who himself has recently joined the shop from CP+B, says, “Patrick is one of those naturally talented guys. From stand-up comedy to screenplays to solving brands’ complex marketing problems, his skill set across all mediums, combined with his big heart and personality, make us extremely fortunate to have him.”
Maravilla is no stranger to to CP+B either as he spent four years at the agency serving as an ACD, working with clients including Coke Zero and Burger King. During his career, the self-proclaimed “stand-up comedy instructor” has held a similar position at AKQA SF, where he helped lead creative on Xbox and “Your Interview with the President” YouTube effort.
In case you missed it here in Austin this weekend, you may have caught SS+K’s unveiling of its new Vine search tool, dubbed “SX6S,” which lets you plug into all #sxsw tagged Vines from Twitter during the festivities and for specific #sxsw related vines via hashtag. Yes, barbecque lovers need not waste time with other silly apps when this one will fill you in. If you have a minute, watch the teaser above and look for the New York-based SS+K’s full highlight reel after the event closes.
SEATTLE—I am in Seattle to discover where the brand transformers work. And how they work different to achieve better results. Jim Haven, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Creature, is my willing and hospitable guide.
Haven and Co-founder Matt Peterson started Creature in 2002 and have since seen the agency grow to 50 people in Seattle and 20 in London. Creature is a well known shop in creative circles, having done outstanding work for Pacifico Beer, Nike, Starbucks and many others over the years.
At this time, Creature is preparing to debut its first work for Fort Worth-based clothing brand, Dickies.
For every client we want “irrefutable ideas, something that’s never been done,” Haven says. He admits it is a “North Star goal” and that they don’t always get there. Naturally, lofty goals require strategic thinking and the ability to execute, which is why Haven is excited to show me the agency’s home for “living briefs.”
In the basement of their refurbished Capitol Hill industrial chic offices, a fifty foot long wall where the agency’s strategists work out client problems is dominant. “It’s our secret weapon,” Haven proudly states. “Nothing is sacred. We solve problems visually and challenge things in real time.”
The strategic mapping done on this wall helps lead Creature’s creatives to better understand and solve “The Beautiful Problem,” and move from obstacle to opportunity.
“There’s a leap of faith that every client takes,” Haven explains. “Great creative requires clients to make that (leap).” The wall helps clients understand the our process more thoroughly and exposes them to “waterfall moments along the way,” so in the end recommended solutions aren’t a surprise, but a natural outcome of the system.
Back upstairs in the partners’ shared loft office, I ask Haven what makes one agency “creative,” while others, even those with talent in the ranks, flounder. “Hard work, luck and naiveté — those are the things that it takes.”
“In some ways, you have to believe in this kind of dream and pretend long enough for it to become real,” Haven suggests. “Matt and I talk about this. The laws of physics apply to life. You end up in the direction that you’re looking. So you want to always make sure that you’re looking in the right direction. Your mind and body will follow any doubts you have. That’s why I say, ‘instead of confidence, naiveté,’ because if you analyze what you’re up against — all the obstacles that get in the way of good work — you probably wouldn’t get up and do this.”
One obstacle Haven points to is the mindset of some big Seattle-based clients. He references Jeff Bezos’ famous quote, “Advertising is the price you pay for having an unremarkable product or service,” and suggests that the focus of many big clients Seattle is squarely on building a better product. Personally, I see Creature doing the same thing, and when you end up making a better product, the marketing it wears tends to fit like a bespoke suit.
Interestingly, Creature does some storefront marketing like crosstown hot shop Wexley School for Girls, which helps give both shops greater presence in the market. Peterson says, “We want to contribute to the neighborhood. We’re closer to the street, not up in some building.”
This is what advertising needs more of, in my opinion — practical idealists working side-by-side with other merchants. It’s the necessary feet-on-the-ground piece that helps make the lofty ideas come true. Think about it, an agency up in a corporate tower is physically on the client’s page, and the ideas generated therein often reflect this. But an agency that is part of the fabric of the community, it is tapped in to what people are thinking and doing.
You can say it’s been an even-steven sort of 2013 for Philly-based Red Tettemer + Partners, which abruptly lost the Maaco business earlier this year but has now gained a new client in Rekya, the Icelandic vodka brand developed by William Grant & Sons. From what we’ve been told, there was a review, but the other participants have not been disclosed as of yet. Anyhow, RT+P will now handle global creative duties for Reyka, which in the past has worked with shops such as Brooklyn-based Dead As We Kn0w It, though we’re hearing there wasn’t an incumbent in this specific review cycle.
In a statement, Gemma Adams, global brand manager for Reyka, which is also involved in music-themed efforts like this, says, “Our goal is to bring our inventive spirit and great tasting Reyka Vodka to people around the world. We are working with RT+P on creative strategies and activations that will highlight the unique Icelandic spirit of the brand. We’re excited that RT+P have the right chemistry to work with WG&S & the talent to ignite this inventive brand around the world.”
First RT+P efforts for Reyka will launch across trade and consumer touch points this spring. Along with its new vodka client, the agency also works with the likes of Under Armour, Planet Fitness, Right Guard and Century 21.
What better way to kick off the day than some news involving beer. Amsterdam Worldwide, the agency that spun off broke away from StrawberryFrog in 2008 and works with clients including Asics, has been tapped to lead the Warsteiner account and create a global campaign for the 260-year-old German brewer. We’ve been told that AW beat out up to eight other agencies in the pitch and won out as AOR because of its “noted international experience” as the Warsteiner folks look to grow the brand outside of Europe.
In a statement regarding the decision, Jordi Queralt, marketing director at Warsteiner, says, “The team at Amsterdam Worldwide has demonstrated its world class strategic and creative capabilities and knowledge of this industry. The agency showed great insight during the brief, and we look forward to building a success story for Warsteiner together.”
You’ll have to wait a while, though, to see what Amsterdam Worldwide–led by ECD Richard Gorodecky and strategy director Uli Kurtenbach–comes up with as the first campaign won’t break in the U.S. until the first half of 2014. The agency succeeds Kolle Rebbe on the Warsteiner account. Budget is undisclosed.
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From what we’ve gathered over the last, oh, 15 months or so, it hasn’t been the smoothest ride for Atlanta’s Moxie Interactive. But rather than dwell on the seemingly constant supply of negative news about the agency (defections, cuts, etc.) dating back to late 2011 (you have our search engine for that), let’s try to just focus on the now for at least a minute. Moxie has announced that it’s rounded out what it’s dubbed its “dream team”–aka senior leadership team–with the hiring of 22squared alum Jane Matthews as SVP, new business, which we’ve been told is a new position at the agency.
Well, this is one of the more interesting items to start of the work week. Over the weekend, we received a letter that Huge analytics director 
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More dispatches from the ether as we wind down our quick trip to Austin. After spending just 10 months in L.A. at 72andSunny, where he served as ACD/copywriter on efforts for Samsung including last year’s 
