Hasta La Creative!

MRM//McCann promoted Ariana Stolarz to the role of global chief strategy officer.

“Throughout Ariana’s U.S. and international agency career, she has developed smart brand strategies focused on understanding consumer behavior as it relates to the fast-evolving world of digital technology,” said Bill Kolb, president, diversified agencies, McCann Worldgroup. “In her expanded role, she will help MRM//McCann continue to integrate brand insights with data and technology in ways that help our clients generate innovative and business-building customer-relationship solutions.”

Stolartz joined MRM//McCann in October of 2013 and led the New York and Princeton strategy teams before being promoted to  global director of strategy two years later. Before joining the agency she spent nearly four years as managing director, experience strategy with mcgarrybowen, leading digital and social media strategy for the agency on all accounts. Prior to that she spent nearly six years with The Vidal Partnership as director of digital strategy, following over a year and a half as regional project manager, direct and digital for JWT Miami.

She appears to be the MRM//McCann organization’s first strategy leader on the global level. Her promotion follows a May executive shakeup that saw CEO Michael McLaren depart along with the agency’s head of client services; MRM//McCann has yet to name a new chief executive, though McCann Worldgroup president of diversified agencies Bill Kolb has been handling those responsibilities for the past four months. The move followed client Verizon’s earlier decision to consolidate its FiOS direct marketing business with independent agency Rauxa.

“No matter how complex the marketing landscape gets, we still need our best and brightest focused on finding strong human truths that help inspire the ideas we make, no matter the form,” said McCann Worldgroup global CSO Suzanne Powers. “Ariana’s got it all: From her experience in social sciences and all things digital to her strong strategic acumen and intuitive understanding of brands and people; she’s the perfect blend.”

We’ve received word that Joe Garcia, who’s been with Commonwealth for three years and has previously worked out of McCann Midwest, is no longer with the agency. Garcia served as president of Commonwealth, the IPG-owned, Chevy-focused, Detroit-based branch. Prior to his time at Commonwealth, Garcia spent over seven years at BBDO Detroit, where he last served as president. We’ll keep you posted if and when we hear more.

Update: And so the story goes, McCann has appointed Team Detroit alum Sharon Wacker as managing director, North America while promoting Kate MacNevin to executive director of global operations for Commonwealth. Bill Kolb, CEO of Commonwealth/McCann, says in a statement, Bill Kolb, chairman/CEO of Commonwealth//McCann, said, “We are excited to welcome Sharon. Her deep understanding of the North American auto marketplace makes her ideally suited to the task of building on our success with Chevrolet in North America Kate has an exceptionally effective record of helping to build and expand Chevy’s businesses and is a great judge of not only what builds a strong brand, but also what drives traffic into dealerships. In her expanded new global role she will be key to helping further develop the Chevrolet brand across the globe.”

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I don’t get Vine. I don’t get the appeal of six seconds worth of jump cuts and amateur shaky cam, when our mobile photography capabilities are so advanced. But, if Vine has any redeeming qualities, it’s unusual format does open the door for creative contests. Well, maybe more curious than creative, since how much can you really say with poor quality videos in six seconds? Nonetheless, MRM Worldwide just held its 2nd annual “I am MRM” contest where agency employees under 28 could produce a meaningful Vine and win a trip to Cannes.

The finalists, including winner Anna Chechetka, did get quite creative, incorporating text, art, sound effects, and stop-motion. You can watch all of the finalists’ videos here. My personal favorite, complete with fire-breathing dragon, comes from Yi Xiu Lim. It turns out that Chechetka, meanwhile, learned she had won in a personal call from MRM CEO, Bill Kolb. Before getting on the phone, Kolb — who was recently promoted to chairman/CEO of McCann Worldgroup’s GM account — looked at his secretary and in a grumbly old-man voice said, “What is this silly Vine business?” That last part is probably not true; I just made it up to project my Vine feelings on to someone else.

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