Hasta La Creative!

For the pre-launch and launch phases of the new Fiery Doritos Locos Tacos (DLT), DigitasLBi created an ambitious digital and social campaign involving young YouTube influencers. Taco Bell gave chosen creators early access to the new flavor and, 13 days later, incorporated the resulting videos in the official flavor launch. Of those video creators, the top 20 were chosen to compete in a second challenge: in 24 hours, they had to complete the entire filmmaking process, culminating in a promo centered on “taking a bite of the new DLT.”

It’s an interesting idea: harness the audiences of independent YouTube stars, gaining social media cred and creative content in the process. In practice, it’s less impressive. Watching the creator content, I had flashbacks to high school health class, when we had to make video PSAs about safe sex. Every Taco Bell “spot” has the same contrived, amateurish feel.The Alexa Losey Flip Book was cute, and “Selena Stalker” was fun mostly due to the actor’s hoodie and his little eating sounds. Otherwise, color me bored. Even reading this campaign’s press release left me overwhelmed and uninterested – if Digitas wants to build excitement around a fiery flavor, they should at least tell Taco Bell’s audience where to look. They could have hired three ambitious YouTubers, given them a bigger budget, and created actual worthwhile entertainment instead of clogging the space with cobbled-together content.

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We’ve received confirmation that Lange Taylor, who’s spent the last nine years at what is now DigitasLBi, serving as SVP/managing director of the Atlanta office for the last three, has resigned from the agency–and apparently the ad world altogether. Here’s a quick statement from a spokesperson that somewhat clarifies things: “Lange Taylor has decided to explore professional opportunities outside of DigitasLBi. While it is possible that Lange may reunite with agencyland in the future, whatever direction his passion brings him, we wish him our collective best.”

No word yet on his next venture or who’ll take over his duties in the interim as of yet. If you recall, Taylor’s role changed somewhat last fall when he was tapped to head up a new, Atlanta-based Publicis Groupe unit called Agency:D7, which we’ve been told is still in operation. We’ll hopefully find out who’s taking over on his dual roles soon enough.

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We’ve received confirmation that the Publicis Groupe entity now known as DigitasLBi has brought on former Energy BBDO vet Jani Westcott as VP/group director, creative strategy in its Chicago office, where she will work with Team Sprint and on the Emerson account among others. Westcott spent well over five years at Energy BBDO as VP/account planning director and lead strategist on accounts including various Wrigley brands, Bayer and Ziploc. In addition to Westcott’s hiring, we’ve also received word from sources that the DigitalLBi Chicago office has parted ways with Carolyn Frazier, who spent nearly five years at the agency and worked for both the Windy City and San Francisco branch as VP/group director, client operations and project management lead

If we can kill a few birds with one stone here, DigitasLBi’s Instagram account is now alive and kicking, with images including the new logo (clip above) and other happenings throughout the network. Have at it if you please.

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Just nine months after assuming the EVP of North American planning post at Digitas, sources confirm that Leslie Bielby is parting ways with the agency to grow her independent strategic planning and research consultancy. A spokesperson tells us, “She has been a strategic force and leader for Digitas during her tenure here, and we wish her only the best in this pursuit and the future partnerships that her consultancy will attract.”

Bielby joined Digitas from Hill Holliday, where she spent six years overall and last served as chief strategy officer for the Boston and New York branches. During her career, the exec also held planning positions at the likes of MMB, Merkley+ Partners and McKinney. In case you need some clarification , Bielby’s position as EVP, North America planning at Digitas is different and distinct from that of Baba Shetty‘s. The latter, of course, rejoined the agency world last week–Digitas specifically–as chief strategy and media officer after a brief stint as CEO of Newsweek/The Daily Beast.

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It took a couple of days on this one, but we have received confirmation that, yes, Atit Shah has assumed the role of executive creative director at Digitas New York, effectively. Shah, who’s been with the agency for over 14 years, succeeds Matthew D’Ercole, himself a longtime Digitas vet who has moved on (we’re hearing possibly away from advertising and out of the continental U.S.). Anyhow, Shah has spent the last six years serving as SVP/group creative director at Digitas NY, leading creative for agency clients including of course, American Express, and working on new business efforts.

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It’s been fairly quiet on the Digitas the staffing front for the past few months, save for a new hire here, a couple of departures there. Now, though, sources familiar with the matter are telling us that the agency is making some reductions in its New York and Boston offices as of this week, and from what we hear, 40-50 individuals in various departments are being affected. Digitas isn’t commenting but we’re getting word that there’s no specific reason for the cuts, just another case of agency readjustment, which in this particular one affects roughly 2% of the Publicis Groupe agency’s North American workforce. We’ll keep you posted if and when we hear more.

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In case you’re not an avid watcher Boston-based New England Cable News or its This Week in Business broadcast, you probably missed out on this nearly nine-minute chat between the hosts and Barbara Goose, who currently serves as president of Digitas Boston/Detroit and has spent 14 years in all at the agency. Tipsters give us the usual snark when sending this clip, but maybe they’re just taking umbrage with Goose’s proclamation that Digitas is “the leading digital agency in the world” following its merger with LBi a few months ago.

Whatever the case, seeing as most of our Digitas coverage in recent months has regarded cuts and/or departures, it’s welcoming to post something, well, um, positive? This was probably better suited as a lunchtime item, but what the hell, if you have some time to spare and give a shit, feel free to watch her explain Digitas’ BrandLIVE platform and how she’s anxious to take a Harley-riding class among other things.

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Well, no doubt they’ve certainly been on our radar over the past week or so, but this time, it’s not a defection but a promotion at Digitas that’s caught our attention. We’ve received confirmation that Kenneth Parks, currently EVP/executive managing director at the agency who’s working out of its New York office, is assuming the newly created role of Digitas North America chief marketing officer, effective  immediately.

Parks has been with Digitas for the last 15 years give or take, during which time he served as SVP/client relationships & new business for a few years at what was then Modem Media, and subsequently SVP/managing director of Digitas’ Stamford and Atlanta offices. As you’d probably expect from a CMO position, Parks will be responsible for new biz growth as well as marketing strategy.

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Guess it’s that kind of week, coincidental as it may be. A day after we reported that Digitas EVP/media director Carl Fremont was leaving said agency, sources familiar with the matter has confirmed that Seth Goldberg is also parting ways after spending the last year-plus as VP/group director, brand strategy on Team Sprint out of the Chicago office. Where’s he headed, you ask? Well, interestingly enough, our sources say Draftfcb, where Goldberg spent nearly eight years working in the agency’s Windy City hub as a senior-level exec in the planning/strategy department on accounts including Kmart.

The irony is that just a year ago, Goldberg was named in a poaching lawsuit that Draftfcb filed against Digitas, but guess the hatchet has now been buried. We’re trying to get confirmation along with title/start date for Goldberg from Draft’s end, who prior to said agency, worked on the account side at the likes of Wunderman.

Update: Sources familiar with the matter tell us that Goldberg will indeed be rejoining Draftfcb Chicago, effective April 29, as SVP, group planning director.

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We suppose it’s safe to call it DigitasLBi now as the agency folks behind the newly merged entity have announced that they’ve found a new North American CEO in Tony Weisman. The new chief exec takes over for his former boss, Colin Kinsella, who spent the last six years within the Publicis Groupe fold, the first three being at Razorfish and the last three serving as president then CEO of the North American region.

Last we recall, Weisman, a six-year Digitas vet himself (and one-time Super Tuesday contributor), was part of the agency’s “realignment” in summer 2010 that resulted in an expansion of his role beyond global client lead/president of the Chicago office to include Boston, Detroit and San Francisco as well. The new DigitasLBi North American CEO will remain in his native Chicago, though, and will report to newly installed DigitasLBi global CEO Luke Taylor, who offers these warm words in a statement:

“Tony blends client business understanding, marketing acumen and instinct. He brings altitude and aptitude to the client-agency relationship that inspires innovation and boldness, and ultimately growth. I am confident that Tony will take the reins of this incredible opportunity with the same infectious energy and foresight that have guided his career.”

Prior to Digitas, Weisman served as CMO at Draftfcb Chicago and spent nearly two decades prior at Leo Burnett.

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