J.M. Smucker Launches a CRM Agency Review

Almost exactly one year after concluding a 29-brand review by consolidating all digital work with SapientRazorfish, food giant J.M. Smucker has launched a new review.

This one is more limited, applying only to the CRM portion of the business.

“We are conducting an RFP to identify a CRM partner to only a few select organizations,” a spokesperson confirmed today.

A SapientRazorfish representative deferred to the client for comment. According to two parties close to the review, the aforementioned organizations include both the incumbent and Omnicom’s RAPP. The latter agency declined to comment.

The review, according to the party who first alerted us, stems from changes in the organization following the Sapient Razorfish merger. While the original six-month review concerned web design, SEO, CRM and ecommerce work in addition to digital creative, SapientRazorfish has handled less of that work over time. The company has also gone through a series of leadership changes during the same period.

Creative and media for the brand remain with Grey and Carat.

According to Kantar Media, J.M. Smucker spent $86 million on paid media in 2015. It’s unclear how much of that spend went to digital.

Firehouse Agency Beats Out GSD&M, Loomis to Win Lennox and Dairy Queen Texas

Dallas-based indie agency Firehouse has been on a local roll recently, picking up a couple of big regional accounts over the last couple of months in Dairy Queen Texas and Lennox Residential, a top maker of HVAC systems.

The Lennox win, which broke this week, makes Firehouse the Richardson, TX-based company’s first AOR. Its campaigns had previously been handled by a variety of agencies including GSD&M on a per-project basis over the past 15 years. The finalists in this review were Firehouse and the Omnicom shop.

Moving forward, Firehouse will handle creative, media, social and content along with product rollouts and promotions for national retail accounts.

“Lennox is a premium, blue-chip brand that any agency would be lucky to work with. They’re sharp folks with high expectations and the fact that they saw the same in us speaks to a great partnership moving forward,” said Tripp Westbrook, who holds the dual role of ECD and CMO at the agency and recently moved from creative lead to strategist and head of new business.

For context, here’s a 2015 Lennox spot by GSD&M.

Last month, the agency also picked up Texas Dairy Queen, beating out area finalists including Loomis, Slingshot and Commerce House.

Texas includes more Dairy Queens than any other American state, and its Lone Star division operates as an independent business separate from the national chain. Over the past decade Texas Dairy Queen has handled its advertising efforts in-house after working with Loomis.

Barkley remains agency of record for the larger chain, which has spent around $75 million on U.S. paid media annually in recent years. Texas Dairy Queen’s budgets runs to an estimated $12-13 million.

Firehouse, which recently expanded into consulting work, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with a new logo and website.

[Image via Roadside Architecture, which has some truly impressive old school Dairy Queens.]

AB InBev Parts with Global Media VP After Sending Business to Vizeum

Just over a week after concluding the global review that sent most of its $2 billion-plus media planning and buying duties to Dentsu’s Vizeum, AB InBev has parted with one of the key players in that process.

Global VP of consumer connections Andy Meldrum will be leaving the company at the end of this month after 17 years in the beverage business.

“Andy … will be leaving at the end of October to pursue other personal and career opportunities,” said a spokesperson. “We wish him well in his future endeavors and thank him for his contribution to our company.”

The representative did not elaborate on the reasons for his departure or the aforementioned opportunities.

Meldrum was a member of the executive team leading the review, which officially launched in March and initially involved all of the “Big Six” holding groups including Havas. The biggest factor in Dentsu’s eventual win, one party told us, was price.

While Dentsu won the bulk of the work including agency of record duties for Europe, Africa and North America, MediaCom also retained some of its responsibilities in Central and South America, with Publicis retaining much of Asia and adding some more work in Columbia, Peru and Ecuador and Omnicom picking up Australia, India and Vietnam.

Meldrum was identified by a party involved in the review as one of the individuals present when the winners were announced earlier this month. He also recently transferred from London to New York. Before joining AB InBev last year in the global role, he spent more than four years with SABMiller, working as head of media and digital brand communications in Europe. He previously held similar positions at Australia’s Carlton & United Breweries of Foster’s fame as well as Diageo and P&G.

Today, AB InBev coincidentally celebrated its one-year anniversary as a “megabrewer” following the official announcement of the SABMiller merger.

Erich & Kallman and the Former ‘Most Interesting Man’ Will Help Promote Astral Tequilla

Davos Brands selected Erich & Kallman as agency of record for Astral Tequila, the tequila brand founded by Master Sommelier Richard Betts it acquired a controlling stake in earlier this year.

According to a press release, Erich & Kallman beat out a number of New York and Los Angeles agencies to become Astral Tequila’s first creative agency. The agency will be tasked with handling video, digital, print, social, and OOH components for the brand.

Erich & Kallman, as you may recall, is the independent San Francisco agency founded by W+K, Barton F. Graf and GS&P vet Eric Kallman and former CP+B president Steve Erich in May of 2016. Since its launch the agency has added Chick-fil-A and General Mills to its client roster.

“When you’re entering a crowded category with a new brand, it’s vital that you can cut through the noise with compelling creative. Creative that will get noticed and get people talking,” Astral Brands vice president, marketing Joen Choe said in a statement. “After a lengthy pitch process with some of the best agencies on both coasts, it was actually pretty easy to see that Erich & Kallman’s creative was head and shoulders above the rest.”

“Astral is a fantastic product in a growing category,” added Erich. “We’re thrilled about the opportunity to launch a product created by Master Sommelier Richard Betts, using the talents of Jonathan Goldsmith to promote its introduction.”

Back in June, Astral Tequila released a brief ad featuring Jonathan Goldsmith referencing his old “The Most Interesting Man in the World” character for Dos Equis.

Popchips Selects 18 Feet & Rising as Lead Creative Agency for First Global Campaign

Popchips has selected independent London-based creative agency 18 Feet & Rising as lead creative agency for its first global campaign.

The appointment marks the first time the brand has tasked a single agency with handling creative for both the U.K. and U.S. markets. 18 Feet & Rising will be responsible for brand and creative development across both regions.

The agency’s first campaign for Popchips will launch in January of 2018 and roll out across the U.S. next summer.

“We believe that the long-term strategic vision combined with the  with the creative energy at 18 Feet & Rising will really capture the hearts of consumers in our two largest markets,” popchips CMO Marc Seguin said in a statement.

“This is the first time 18 Feet & Rising will be working on an account both sides of the Atlantic. We are delighted to be partnering with popchips, true crisp revolutionaries, who are as excited about creating bold and powerful work as we are,” added 18 Feet & Rising executive creative director Anna Carpen.

Define Drivers: Keys To A New Caddy; A Bespoke Chocolate Egg; Dinner at La Banane

Cadillac Canada has partnered with renowned Toronto chocolate maker Brandon Olsen on a direct mail campaign that puts a decadent twist on the standard test drive invitation. Working with its lead agency Red Lion, the automaker tucked away keys to new Cadillac CT6s inside the hugely popular “Ziggy Stardust Disco Egg” from Olsen’s trendy Toronto […]

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The Bronx Zoo Names DiMassimo Goldstein as Agency of Record

The Bronx Zoo has appointed DiMassimo Goldstein as its agency of record, tasking the New York-based independent agency with driving attendance and spreading the brand message for the largest metropolitan zoo in the country.

The assignment follows an extensive review which pitted DiMassimo Goldstein against five other agencies.

When Deutsch took over for Young & Rubicam as agency of record back in 2007, Adweek reported that Bronx Zoo parent organization Wildlife Conservation Society spent under $500,000 on measured media in each of the previous two years.

“Working with The Bronx Zoo is not only the dream of a lifetime,” said DiMassimo Goldstein founder and CEO Mark DiMassimo, “but it also represents an opportunity to inspire people to enjoy extraordinary experiences that bring them closer to the wonders of the natural world. Win Win!”

NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights Selects SK+G as Agency of Record

NHL expansion team the Vegas Golden Knights has selected Las Vegas-based SK+G as its agency of record.

“We are beyond excited at the opportunity to work with the Vegas Golden Knights,” SK+G managing director John Schadler said in a statement. “We feel honored to be a part of launching the city’s first major league sports team.”

“We are excited to partner with SK+G during our inaugural NHL season,” added Vegas Golden Knights chief marketing officer Brian Killingsworth. “We were impressed with their passion and creativity. It was also important that we work with a home-grown agency that’s ‘Vegas Born’ just like the Golden Knights. As a member of the Las Vegas community, we want to support local businesses.”

The Vegas Golden Knights will make their debut during the upcoming 2017-2018 NHL Season as part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Owned by a Black Knight Sports & Entertainment consortium led by Bill Foley, the team will play its home games at the T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas strip.

The team will join an SK+G client roster that includes MGM Resorts, Planet Hollywood, Cirque de Soleil, Wolfgang Puck and Waldorf Astoria.

Minnesota Twins Name Carmichael Lynch as Agency of Record

As the Minnesota Twins celebrate a 16-0 blowout of the San Diego Padres attempt to lock in the second AL Wild Card spot, Minnesota agency Carmichael Lynch has a win of its own to announce.

The MLB team named the Minneapolis as its new agency or record, following a review, ending a 13-year relationship with fellow Twin Cities shop Periscope.

When Periscope was first named AOR back in September of 2004, the account was valued at an estimated $1 million per year. It’s unclear if the business still approaches that estimation, as the Twins organization has taken more of its advertising work in-house in recent years.

Carmichael Lynch will be tasked with handling creative, brand strategy, media planning and buying for the Twins, with the assignment encompassing TV, radio, experiential, website, digital display and collateral design.

“The Minnesota Twins are thrilled to be in partnership with Carmichael Lynch as we collectively work to grow our brand and develop deeper connections with our fans and community,” Twins president and CEO Dave St. Peter said in a statement. “All of us with the Twins are excited to be working with the talented and experienced Carmichael Lynch team and look forward to the creation of great work that engages Twins Territory.”

“As our hometown team, helping tell the Twins’ story and rallying their fans means a lot to us as an agency,” added Carmichael Lynch CEO Marcus Fischer. “This is an exciting opportunity to bring a cohesive idea and strategy to life across all disciplines and build on the team’s momentum. We’re looking forward to the work ahead.”

The assignment is effective immediately and Carmichael Lynch’s first work for the Twins is expected to launch at the start of the 2018 MLB season.

We Hear: Martin Sorrell Assembling One of His Famous Teams to Save the Papa John’s Business

In case you missed it (you almost certainly didn’t), Papa John’s has launched a creative agency review with extra toppings—its first since 2014, when Grey won the business away from Zimmerman.

AdAge broke the news yesterday, almost exactly three and a half months after former Wendy’s vp of advertising Brandon Rhoten joined the company as its new CMO. Like clockwork, he alerted “10 agencies and holding companies” with the goal of ending the review later this year and starting a “new creative vision” for the pizza chain.

Rhoten implied that Grey could retain the business as long as it sticks to “the new expectations” but also emphasized a desire to name an agency partner with capabilities that go beyond “traditional” creative. Perhaps he has heard that Grey has its own post-production studio.

Today a client spokesperson said that he cannot reveal which agencies are involved, adding, “We need a creative AOR that can help Papa John’s stand out in the commoditized pizza category and make clear Papa John’s commitment to better pizza. All in a world where more than 60 percent of our domestic sales come from digital channels.”

In short, Papa John’s wants to compete against Domino’s by focusing more on digital delivery orders, social media and stunts like the kind that CP+B has been dreaming up for a decade or so. They really missed out on the emoji ordering and the self-driving cars.

Now we hear that Sir Martin Sorrell really wants to keep the account, which makes some sense as Papa John’s generally spends between $100 and $150 million on paid media in the U.S. each year. He is purportedly in the process of arranging one of his famous cross-agency teams to pitch the business, though it’s not clear at this time which shops will contribute beyond the incumbent.

A spokesperson for Grey deferred to the client for comment, and WPP corporate PR hasn’t gotten back to us.

On a related note, we find it kind of interesting that Papa John’s likes to publicize the finalists in its creative reviews. Or at least it did back in the halcyon days of 2013. Anyway, something tells us Peyton Manning isn’t going anywhere.

[Pic via]

Justin’s Names TDA Boulder as its First Agency of Record

Justin’s, the specialty nut butter and nut better snacks maker which was acquired by Hormel Foods last year, has selected TDA Boulder as its first agency of record.

The appointment expands on a relationship dating back to 2010, when TDA Boulder helped develop Justin’s current brand identity and packaging.

“We are thrilled to formalize what has been a close, long-term relationship with TDA_Boulder,” Justin’s president Mike Guanella said in a statement. “They will be a strategic partner for Justin’s as we move to our next phase of growth and innovation.”

The assignment initially encompass online content, OOH, print and digital advertising. In the future, TDA Boulder will handle all design, advertising and brand marketing for Justin’s. The agency’s first campaign is expected some time this fall.

“Hello Humankindness” Campaign Is Just What The Doctor Ordered

Dignity Health is the fifth largest health system in the nation and the largest hospital provider in California. The healthcare brand may also be one of the most compassionate in the land. Given the emotional turmoil saturating our media today, it’s a pleasant relief to be reminded that people are caring individuals and capable of […]

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MUH-TAY-ZIK | HOF-FER Wins Project Work for Lyft

Lyft has added a new agency to the list contributing to its ongoing attempts to unseat Uber.

According to a couple of parties who reached out to us, the San Francisco office of MUH-TAY-ZIK | HOF-FER recently won a project-based assignment for the ride share company. The work will be digital/interactive, but we have very little in the way of details.

Representatives for both agency and client declined to comment. And it’s worth noting that Lyft’s main agency lineup of Wieden + Kennedy New York on creative and DigitasLBi San Francisco on digital will not be affected by this development.

Lyft also works with several other agencies on a similar per-project basis. They include Superfly Agency of San Francisco, Brooklyn’s Work & Co. and Matter Creative.

W+K won the business some time ago, but the news first broke in May to coincide with the announcement that Becca Lawson (formerly of Pandora, GS&P, BBH, etc.) was the company’s new VP of brand marketing. Wieden’s opening stunt happened over the summer when Lyft “took over” an L.A. car wash, but its first brand campaign has yet to debut.

According to a report in Inc. last week, Lyft’s efforts are (finally) paying off as the company has begun closing the market share gap in terms of U.S. downloads thanks, in part, to Uber’s own self-inflicted wounds.

Deutsch’s first brand campaign for that client is also set to launch soon.

We Hear: Mini Review Comes Down to R/GA and 360i

Back in March, BSSP made headlines for resigning the Mini account after more than 11 years.

It was the agency’s longest-held account, but the company’s reliance on procurement-mandated reviews and its assorted cost-cutting measures led to diminishing returns, and CEO Greg Stern told us that he couldn’t justify going through another review.

Several parties also indicated that parent company BMW had moved more of the creative work on that brand in-house after dropping BSSP for UM on the media side—and that it would continue to do so after the current review.

Now, we hear that the announcement will come in the next few days, with the final round pitting R/GA against 360i.

According to two individuals familiar with that matter, several of the agencies competing for some portion of the Mini business—along with that of its parent company—also took issue with the nature of the contract. These agencies allegedly included Anomaly, Huge, 360i and R/GA, at least two of which dropped out. The client then reportedly restructured the specifics.

There’s been a good bit of confusion on all sides as the specifics of the contract dispute and the nature of the assignments being considered are unclear. Some were initially called in to discuss the BMW brand, and it would appear that multiple briefs were involved. Others report a disconnect between the company’s marketing teams in Germany and the United States.

Beam of Boston has been Mini’s social and digital AOR for several, but we do not believe they were involved in the final rounds of the current review. According to one source, the client’s brief initially concerned “digital transformation” on BMW but later expanded to include the Mini brand as well.

For context, BMW will officially go into review next year, again due to procurement status. It is not clear whether global AOR KBS will defend.

Representatives from Anomaly, Huge, R/GA and 360i all declined to comment or did not respond to related messages this week.

When we reached out to Beam, a representative from the PR firm working on Mini responded, stating simply that the company would share more news “once the review process wraps in Q4.”

Anomaly Beats Droga5, R/GA to Win Carnival Cruise Creative Review

Carnival Cruise Line has chosen Anomaly over Droga5 and R/GA as its new creative agency of record, according to several parties close to the business.

Back in May, the Miami-based company split with former AOR Arnold after nearly a decade and issued an RFP seeking a new agency partner.

The final round of the review pitted Droga5 against Anomaly after R/GA was eliminated.

Spokespeople for R/GA and Droga5 declined to comment, and an Anomaly representative has not responded to emails today. A client representative also did not provide any information beyond stating that the company will be making a related announcement on the week of September 5th.

According to Kantar Media, Carnival’s recent $20-25 million yearly paid media budgets are nearly four times lower than the totals given when Arnold won the business in 2008. But the cruise industry is booming, and it would appear that Carnival plans to launch a major effort to promote itself accordingly.

It is unclear when Anomaly’s first work will launch.

We Hear: ESPN Picks Droga5 As Its Newest Creative Agency Partner

ESPN will soon announce a new partnership with Droga5, according to two parties with knowledge of the news who spoke to us anonymously today.

ESPN representatives have not yet responded to short-notice requests for comment. A Droga5 spokesperson declined to comment.

In January, Wieden + Kennedy made headlines across the ad industry by splitting with its former client of 25 years and signing with Fox Sports. According to several parties who later discussed that relationship, the shared contract ended late last year and both parties agreed to go their separate ways after hundreds of “This Is Sportscenter” ads. The company also has an in-house creative team in addition to working with other agencies such as 72andSunny. W+K produced fewer spots toward the end of its tenure.

One party who confirmed the win described the account as “super small,” and many media observers have also speculated on ESPN’s ability to survive declining cable subscription rates and ad revenue totals. Parent company Disney has suggested that the brand will not offer a direct to consumer service for several years, and in April ESPN laid off approximately 100 anchors, staffers and production team members.

According to Kantar Media, ESPN spent $26.3 million on paid media promoting its brand in 2016 and just under $9 million during the first half of this year.

The nature of the relationship between ESPN and Droga5 is not yet clear. It’s also not clear whether the appointment follows a competitive review. The agency’s most recent new business wins include Chinese gaming giant Tencent, Ancestry.com and Dos Equis, which had been with Havas for more than a decade.

We will update this post when more information comes in.

American Century Investments Selects Figliulo&Partners as U.S. Agency of Record

American Century Investments has appointed Figliulo&Partners as its U.S. creative agency of record after a review. Moving forward, the independent New York shop will be tasked with handling media planning and buying as well as creative and strategy for the Kansas-based investment management firm.

Prior to the review, ACI worked with Meers Advertising as its agency partner since July of 2016. According to Kantar Media, the client spent around $4.3 million on measured media last year, up from $3.7 million in 2015.

“American Century Investments prides itself on its nearly 60-year legacy of striving to help institutional and individual investors achieve financial goals,” senior vice president and global head of products Glen Casey said in a statement. “F&P will help us tell our client-centric story, while underscoring those attributes of our brand that distinguish American Century from other money management firms. We can’t wait to get to work as true partners and show the world what we’re all about.”

“F&P shares many of the values that American Century Investments was founded on, such as honesty and integrity. That’s what allows us to be such great, like-minded partners and will ultimately help us produce work that you wouldn’t expect from this category,” added F&P partner and chief creative officer Scott Vitrone, who joined the agency in that role this past February. “The company has a truly great story to tell, and we can’t wait to bring it to life.”

The agency’s first work for the client is expected some time in the last quarter of 2017.

The appointment represents the latest in a series of new business wins for F&P this year, the most recent being Georgia Pacific’s Vanity Fair. The agency has also worked with Macy’s since May of 2016—and this week we learned that multiple holding company shops are in talks with the retailer regarding its brand marketing efforts.

Bombardier Selects McCann Canada as Its Newest Agency Partner

Multinational aerospace and transportation company Bombardier selected McCann Canada as its new agency partner, following a review launched this spring involving Canadian and international agencies.

The assignment includes strategic marketing and communications but does not appear to be an agency of record assignment. McCann will lead the account out of its Montréal office and begin work immediately. Bombardier’s headquarters are also located in Montréal.

“McCann offered extensive experience and created a custom-built team to meet our needs, including expert resources from their national and global network. Their collective passion for our brand, relevant experience and the high level strategic thinking that they brought to the pitch process was unmatched,” Bombardier senior director, corporate strategy Stéphanie Laforest explained in a statement. “The bonus was having all that talent and ability on the ground in Montréal coupled with insights and resources from the global network that we can leverage for our international business units. Their expertise, from brand strategy through to connections planning and integrated creative solutions, put them on top and won them the business.”

“We wanted this win more than anything. Our team is passionate about the brand and proud that Bombardier, a pioneer in its field, is a recognized global leader. Our agency’s longstanding heritage in Montréal and our access to experts and on-the-ground resources in the international markets where Bombardier operates, are the perfect complement to their business,” added McCann Montréal president Mylène Savoie. “We firmly believe that the intersection between global and local is a huge opportunity for our clients in Montréal. Brands now have access to the most innovative media, technologies, experiences and creativity from around the world through our increased access to the McCann Worldgroup network.”

We Hear: Ogilvy in Talks to Handle Macy’s Brand Work

Macy’s is in talks with Ogilvy regarding its advertising business, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

Ogilvy representatives deferred to the client for comment this week. A Macy’s spokesperson wrote, “We are always assessing our options to identify the best partner for the Macy’s brand.”

According to our sources, however, the talks are ongoing and Ogilvy New York looks to “take on” the Macy’s business. This would be different from recent moves by the classic retailer, which has long eschewed an agency of record in favor of hiring shops on a per-project basis for work usually focused on the holiday sales season.

The most recent RFP, issued in late 2015, ended with Macy’s picking BBH and Figliulo&Partners for campaigns which included a tribute to the famous Thanksgiving Day Parade by the former agency’s New York office. This followed a split between Macy’s and former creative partner JWT after more than a decade. At the time, the client declined to comment on whether the decision to stop working with that agency had anything to do with the Erin Johnson/Gustavo Martinez case, which had been making headlines for several weeks at that point.

BBH declined to comment on its relationship with Macy’s today, but more than one party told us it did not work with the company beyond the 2016 holiday effort. A Figliulo&Partners representative had not yet responded to our email when this post went live, though recent reports stated that the agency has continued to work on the account in some capacity into this summer.

Last April, CMO Martine Reardon stepped down to be replaced by Richard Lennox of Toys ‘R Us, who then announced plans to lead a turnaround by focusing on digital, closing stores and reducing staff. BBDO veteran Jim Reath joined Macy’s as its new SVP of marketing this May after running the Lowe’s account for several years.

Despite its well-publicized struggles, Macy’s remains a huge advertiser. The company spent nearly $600 million on U.S. measured media in 2016 according to Kantar Media, and its holiday ads are some of the retail sector’s most-watched each year.

Walton Isaacson Selected to Help NYPD Diversify Police Force Pending City Approval

The New York Police Department is seeking city approval to appoint Walton Isaacson to an assignment to help it diversify the city’s police force through recruitment, DNA Info reports this week.

The five-year recruitment outreach assignment is reportedly worth some $54 million.

“The NYPD has the intent to award the contract to Walton Isaacson, however, the contract award is not official until Comptroller registration,” a spokesperson for Walton Isaacson said in a statement. “The Public Hearing will be conducted on 8/17/17 to be held at 1 Centre Street, Mezzanine, at 10:00 AM.  The Public Hearing Notice was advertised in The City Record 8/4/17.”

The NYPD’s police force is reportedly around 50 percent white, while DNA Info cites that the  the city itself is 44 percent white, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. DNA Info adds that, according to NYPD statistics, “There are more than 9,980 Hispanic officers, 5,515 black officers, 2,692 Asian officers and 19 who are Native American.”

According to the request for proposal, the assignment to diversify the NYPD through recruitment practices specifically seeks black, Asian, Muslim, Jewish, female and LGBTQ + applicants.

Walton Isaacson has worked with brands including McDonald’s, Lexus, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Axe, Knob Creek, the Oscars, Basil Hayden’s, Cruzan Rum and Dove Hair. The agency was named creative agency of record for Spalding in November of 2015, following a review. Last year, Walton Isaacson welcomed Jeff Davidoff  as its first president and Christine Villanueva as senior vice president, head of strategy.

In March of 2016, the agency took on then-candidate Trump for immigrant rights organization CHIRLA Action Fund with “Turn Ignorance Around.”

Pic via