Hasta La Creative!

Havas Worldwide New York hired creative directors Pete Gosselin and Jay Hunt, who will focus on the TD Ameritrade account, LBB reports. The pair has worked as a creative team since 2003.

Gosselin and Hunt join Havas from Droga5, where they served as a senior copywriter and senior art director since May of 2015. While with Droga5, they worked with brands including Prudential, NRG and Chase, including the “Everything Unlimited” campaign starring Ellie Kemper for the latter.

Prior to that the pair spent nearly a year and a half with Grey New York, working with such clients as P&G, Canon and the American Egg Board, for which they helped create the “Side of Kevin” spot starring Kevin Bacon as part of the “Wake Up to Eggs with Bacon” campaign. Before joining Grey, the New Zealand natives spent nearly two and a half years with DDB Auckland, where they worked with McDonald’s and other brands, following a year with Colenso BBDO.

“From New Zealand, London, Amsterdam, and New York, Pete and Jay have seen the world and worked at the best agencies,” Havas Worldwide CCO Toygar Bazarkaya said in the press release. “They bring not only talent and experience but a unique perspective to the table. I am thrilled to have them join our Havas team during such an exciting time of transformation at the agency.”

Havas won the TD Ameritrade business (approximate yearly spend $100 million) in a 2014 review that included FCB and DDB; incumbent GS&P did not participate.

Havas Chicago launched a new campaign for Hefty with a series of spots starring John Cena, two of which, in a misguided casting decision, two of which also feature former SNL cast member/anti-vac nutcase Rob Schneider.

The spots also revive the “Hefty! Hefty! Hefty!” chant the brand used in its advertising back in the 80s, as well as the Hefty vs. Wimpy dynamic. In “Hefty/Wimpy,” Cena is excited to find Hefty Ultra Strong with Odor Control at such a low price. When he picks up a box, he hears the “Hefty! Hefty! Hefty!” chant. When Schneider chooses a competitor named Wimpy, he hears something quite different.

Another spot, “Pec Flex” finds Cena’s flexing pecs accompanying the chant. “My pecs do that when people save money on Hefty,” he explains to the cashier who just rang up the product,” which sends the woman behind him scurrying back for an armful of Hefty boxes. A third spot pictures a man transforming into Cena after picking up a box of Hefty, while another woman opines about her husband turning into Schneider instead, upon picking up a box of Wimpy.

While Cena, who recently appeared in R/GA’s “We Are America” PSA, puts in a fine performance, the attempts at humor fall flat. That’s mostly thanks to a mix of premises which are too obvious and unconvincingly go for cheap laughs. It’s too bad, as Cena has proven he can put in a good comedic performance with his role in Trainwreck. The approach could have potential going forward, though, if Havas can improve its comedic chops (and maybe get rid of Schneider).

“Hefty is an iconic American brand and Cena is very all-American. He’s got this great strength so that’s the perfect fit because Hefty has always been known for its superior strength,” Havas Chicago creative director Ecole Weinstein told Adweek. 

Credits:
AGENCY:
Chief Creative Officer, N.A: Jason Peterson
Group Creative Director: École Weinstein
Copywriter(s) Matt Bush, Alexis Carr
Art director(s): Nat Loehr
Co-Head of Production, N.A: Dave Evans
Executive Producer: Brigette Whisnant
Sr. Business Affairs Manager: Bonnie Hamilton
Managing Director: Lisa Evia
Account Supervisor: Kristy Hughes
Assistant Account Executive: Matt McManus
Project Manager: Katelin Randall
Strategy: Michelle Gerstin, Martin Vogts
Media VP Account Director: Shawn Mulroney, Bethany Whipple
Media Supervisor: Amanda Smidt
Media Planner: Kamila Kowalczuk, Denise Alvarez

PRODUCTION COMPANY:
Production Company: Smuggler – Los Angeles
Director: Renny Maslow
Executive Producer: Drew Santarsiero
Line Producer: Rhonda Vernet
Director of Photography: Bob Yeoman

POST PRODUCTION:
Editorial Company: Whitehouse Post, Studio 6- Chicago
Sr. Editor: Dan Zabinski – Whitehouse Post Chicago
Asst. Editor Kelsey Moher – Studio 6 Chicago, Ben Cline & Luke Sloma – Whitehouse Post Chicago
Sr. Audio Engineer: Todd Beee – Studio 6 Chicago
Executive Producer: Lauren Shawe – Studio 6 Chicago
Post Producer: Kara Weinert – Studio 6 Chicago, Natalie Ksiazek – The Mill, Lauren Connolly – Whitehouse Post Chicago
Colorist, company: Luke Morrison – The Mill
Conform Artist, Company: Randy McEntee – The Mil
Graphic Artist, Company: Colin Hess – The Mill
Music Composer, Company: Marmoset

San Francisco agency Heat is adding an office in New York, its first expansion since being acquired by Deloitte Digital in late February.

For now the New York outpost, which launches in June, will be run out of the agency’s San Francisco headquarters; a permanent location for the New York office will be announced later this year. To lead the new office, the agency is bringing on industry veteran Tim Maleeny as general manager and chief strategy officer and tasking him with injecting the agency’s culture into the Manhattan ad world.

Maleeny joins the agency from Havas New York, where he has served as managing partner and CSO for the past three years. Prior to joining Havas, he spent over three and a half years at Ogilvy & Mather as head of strategic planning. Before that he spent eight years as director of strategy for Puclicis & Hal Riney, following four as senior vice president, group account director with Hal Riney & Partners, during which time he worked with Heat’s principals, John Elder, Steve Stone and Mike Barrett.

“We have to bring our culture to New York as best we can but use a truly New York City-centric approach,” Barrett, who serves as Heat’s managing director, told Adweek. “I think the difference is the San Francisco ad environment feels like a more collaborative partnership which I think New York clients will like.”

“With West Coast agencies, it’s about creative first and it’s very idea driven. New York is more process oriented,” added Maleeny. 

“You could argue the last thing this industry needs is another new ad agency,” he said. “What it is yearning for is a new kind of agency.”

“As we go into New York, it’s not just Heat—it’s Heat plus Deloitte Digital,” added Elder,who serves as president of Heat.

And now, for something completely different from Dove: A Father’s Day ad.

Via footage culled from across the Internet, Dove’s Men+Care division treats us to to the spontaneous, real-life reactions of 12 different guys as they learn they are going to be fathers. “Real strength means showing you care, even from the very first moment,” we’re told.

Their expressions are somewhat open to interpretation, but these guys are likely either stunned and elated, shell-shocked or generally experiencing emotions that could be described as “on brand.”

Hey, it’s a branded Father’s Day ad, so I think we know, from the first few seconds, pretty much what to expect. Then again, the one branded Father’s Day commercial to try a truly novel approach, from Angel Soft, has faced its share of crap this week for directing praise to single moms. So Dove is probably wise to give the people what they want.

Created by Havas Helia, the spot makes a nice addition to this year’s onslaught of Father’s Day commercials. The joy and wonder we see here is undeniably authentic, and it’s hard not to smile and/or get a bit choked up along with the guys on screen.

But wait until those 4 a.m. feedings kick in. Let’s see how “strong” those dads feel then. Suckers.

Havas Worldwide New York launched a new spot for Keurig, highlighting the brand’s partnership with Hugh Jackman‘s Laughing Man coffee company.

Jackman tells the origin story of Laughing Man, the company he launched “to bring distinctive products to market while supporting individual producers and the growth of local communities” in the 60-second spot, “The Cup Half Full.” He explains how the company emerged after he and his wife met an Ethiopian coffee grower while traveling to the country and promised to help, before announcing that the coffee is now available in bastardized K-Cup form. The company donates all its profits to charity, so the partnership with Keurig could actually help spread some good, thus the focus on the product as “a cup of pure optimism.”

Given his enthusiasm for the endeavor, Jackman was quick to agree to appear in the series of ads. “Before we even had to ask, they said Hugh Jackman was on board,” Tim Maleeny, chief strategy officer at Havas, New York, told Adweek.

“This is really a marriage of three brands,” explained Havas account manager Laure Ayel. “It’s Hugh Jackman himself, Keurig and a virtually unknown brand in Laughing Man.”

As Adweek points out, the feel-good effort is a calculated move for Keurig, designed to steer the conversation away from the environmental impact of its disposable products. For Laughing Man, the partnership is a mixed bag, undoubtedly allowing the company to generate more revenue that will ultimately go toward charitable purposes while also muddying its idealistic business model with Keurig’s environmentally detrimental practices. The product, currently only available online, is slated for a retail release in the fall, accompanied by a larger media buy.

Credits:

Client: Keurig Green Mountain
Agency: Havas Worldwide, New York

Group ECD, Managing Director: Israel Garber
Group ECD, Managing Director: Jason Musante
ECD: Dustin Duke, Jon Wagner
CD: Donnell Johnson
ACD: Rhea Hanges
Head of Content, North America: Rich Rosenthal
Co-Head of Production, North America: Sylvain Tron
Executive Producer: Arlene Steinwald
Junior Producer: Wendy Luong
Digital Producer: Thao Le
Group Account Director: Laura Dartnall
Account Director: Laure Ayel
Account Supervisor: Lindsay Stanislau
Assistant Account Executive: Alex Zubak
Production Company: Tool
Director: Erich Joiner
Managing DirectorL Oliver Fuselier
Executive Producer: Lori Sonebraker
Producer: Joby Ochsner

Chicago-based artist, designer, photographer and NoPattern Studio founder Chuck Anderson has joined Havas Worldwide Chicago as creative director of design. He will be responsible for setting the overall design vision for the agency, “infusing a sense of craft into client work,” and mentoring young talent.

Anderson founded NoPattern Studio when he was just 18 and, despite no formal training and the decision to forego college, he has worked with clients such as ESPN, Nike, Absolut, Burton, McDonald’s Google and Microsoft. He was also named a Design Icon by Computer Arts Magazine in 2010. Andserson will continue heading NoPattern Studio in addition to his role at Havas.

“Individual creativity is not only allowed, but encouraged here at Havas. We are a better agency because of the unique talent and perspectives people bring to the table,” said Jason Peterson, chief creative officer, Chicago and North America, in a statement. “Chuck isn’t a ‘cookie-cutter’ creative—he brings a strong vision along with incredible experience honing his craft while running his own design studio. He embodies the perfect mix of talent and passion for design, and I think he’ll raise the bar and inspire all of us at the agency to do amazing work, whether for clients or our own individual passion projects.”

“I have been fiercely independent for 11 years doing my own thing, but feel ready to take the leap into a team role,” Anderson added. “…my approach to creativity has always been about adding excitement in new places. I feel that same sense of creative energy at Havas. It’s like the stars have aligned and I’m really excited to collaborate with the teams and mentor young designers who are just learning the ropes.”

Anderson also seems quite taken with the Havas office and has already begun promoting the agency’s lifestyle to his Twitter followers.

Havas Worldwide Chicago has launched a new campaign for DishLATINO, “the category leader for Spanish Tier Pay TV satellite subscription services.”

The campaign, entitled “Streaker” is built around a 30-second online spot starring Eugenio Derbez. During a fictional match between Barcelona and Manchester City, Derbez runs onto the field wearing nothing but sneakers and interferes with a play. The humorous approach is designed to raise awareness and drive subscriptions for the service among viewers. The brand leaked a grainy, seemingly amateur version of the footage to build anticipation of the launch, which went on to gain over 2 million views on YouTube. DishLATINO also created sensationalized newspaper wraps across Latino markets in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago and Houston “reporting” on the streaking incident and subsequent arrest. On April Fool’s Day, the brand finally revealed the streaker’s identity and impetus for the stunt.

“Pay TV is one of the most challenging consumer categories, with extremely high levels of customer dissatisfaction,” said Jason Peterson, chief creative officer, Havas Worldwide Chicago & North America, in a statement. “We’re really proud to launch this new campaign because it’s a testament to power of understanding your consumer base and finding a way, through story-telling, social savvy, and finding the perfect spokesperson, to cut through the clutter and create positive emotions around your brand.”

Credits:

Chief Creative Officer: Jason Peterson
Group Creative Director: Bernardo Gomez
Copywriter: Mario Reinoso
Art Director: Baltazar Rosiles
Media Account Director: Christa Chavez
Account Executive: Sabrina Avilés, Marcella Astini
Head of Production: David Evans
Producer: Gilda Zevallos
Director: Nico Entel, Pix TAlarico
Production Company: Red Creek
Post-Production Company: Makiné
Sound Studio: Tono Estudios

FCB has won creative duties on A-B InBev’s Michelob Ultra brand, following a review. The agency takes over for Chicago-based Palm & Havas and is expected to run the account out of its Chicago and Toronto offices. According to Kantar Media, A-B InBev spent $49.6 million on the brand during the first 11 months of 2014.

The win marks the first beer brand for FCB since losing MillerCoors in May of 2012. It also follows a Nestlé corporate brand assignment for FCB Chicago back in October.

“FCB really demonstrated strong creative and content capabilities that will help our growing brand grow,” an A-B InBev spokesman told AdAge.

Havas Worldwide Chicago Group announced the appointment of Celia Jones as group brand director today. She will be responsible for both strategic brand building and external marketing, reporting to U.S. Chief Growth Officer Laura Maness. Jones will also be tasked with managing external communications, events and thought leadership, and will serve as “point person for all media inquiries for the Havas Chicago Group.”

Jones arrives at Havas following over seven years at digital agency Critical Mass, where she served as global marketing director, led external marketing communications across all of the agency’s offices worldwide and played an important role in global expansion. Prior to Critical Mass, Jones served as director of content and lead copywriter at Designkitchen (a WPP Wunderman unit) for two years. Commenting on the hire, Paul Marobella, president, Havas Worldwide Chicago Group, cited Celia’s “unique combination of marketing savvy, communications expertise, digital acumen and a passion for brand storytelling…”

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