Havas Chicago Filled a Room With Boobs You Can Play With for #CheckYoSelf Campaign

Havas Chicago certainly knows how to stop pedestrians in their tracks with its office-window installations for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Last October it set up peep-show windows, but the peepers got a bit of a shock when they looked inside. This year’s effort, which launched Tuesday and runs through the end of the month, features a Plexiglass room in the lobby filled with 3-foot boob balloons—latex spheres painted to look like breasts.

Brightly colored window decals invite passersby to come inside at 36 E. Grand Avenue and just have a good old time playing with them.

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Dos Equis Introduces Its New 'Most Interesting Man,' and He Sure Is Different

In a bit of Doctor Who-esque regeneration, Dos Equis on Wednesday introduced its new Most Interesting Man in the World—to replace Jonathan Goldsmith, who who retired from the role earlier this year. And this MIM isn’t just a new face. He heralds a new approach to the ads, in what the brewer calls a “contemporary twist to the legendary character.” 

He’s actor Augustin Legrand. And in the first hint that this isn’t your worldly grandfather’s Dos Equis campaign, Legrand is actually a French actor, and he delivers his first line as the MIM in Spanish.

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Havas N.Y. Welcomes Droga5 Veterans Pete Gosselin and Jay Hunt

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 London’s Celebrates a Child’s First Flight in Heathrow Airport’s Debut Broadcast Ad

Havas London launched the first ever broadcast campaign for Heathrow Airport with the 90-second spot “The First Flight.”

“The First Flight” tells the undeniably story of a 5-year-old girl named Harriett’s first trip to Heathrow Airport. Set to the David Bowie song “When I Live My Dream” (from his 1967 debut), the spot follows Harriett through the airport, owl-shaped bag in tow, aviator hat and swimming goggles on her head. Unlike W+K New York’s “No Bag Left Behind,” for Delta in 2014, which similarly features a young girl’s animal shaped bag, the focus isn’t entirely on the luggage bag, although it’s certainly a scene stealer. 

The spot does an admirable job of communicating the childlike wonder of flight that adults take for granted, with more than a little help from the inspired music choice. Outsider’s Dom and Nic directed the spot, giving the mood and pace the right touch to capture Harriett’s excitement and wonder at her first trip to the airport — even if you could argue that it could have been accomplished in 60, rather than 90, seconds.

The spot rolled out on social media today and will make its U.K. broadcast on Thursday. Supporting the effort is a contest with Qantas asking participants to share Heathrow Airport memories for the chance to win one of 70 trips to Australia.

Credits:

Client: Heathrow Airport
Agency: Havas London
Executive Creative Director: Ben Mooge
Creatives: Barnaby Packham, Daniel Bolton
Group Business Director: Caroline Saunders
Senior Account Director: Julia Mahoney
Agency Producer: Kiri Carch
Assistant Producer: Femi Ladi
Production Company: Outsider
Directors: Dom and Nic
Producer: John Madsen
Director of Photography: Alex Barber
Editing: Ed Cheesman, Final Cut
Post: The Mill
Sound: Antony Moore, Factory

John Cena (And His Pecs) Star in Havas Chicago’s New Spots for Hefty

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

Dos Equis Puts Two Fairly Interesting People, Erin Andrews and Luis Guzmán, in New Ads

Jonathan Goldsmith’s Most Interesting Man in the World might have said adios (and flown off to Mars), but Dos Equis is hardly finished with its “Most Interesting” theme.

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Havas Worldwide Just Dropped the (Giant) Mic on Canal Street's Post-it Wars

Two weeks after the Canal Street #postitwars began with a single word, “HI,” one of the main agencies involved—Havas Worldwide—has shut things down in style. With a giant image of a mic drop.

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Agencies on Canal Street Are Waging a Post-it-Note War, and It's Awesome

It started out, reportedly, with a single word: “HI.”

That was early last week. By the weekend, a full-blown Post-it note art war had erupted on Canal Street in New York City, with a number of agencies participating—including Havas Worldwide, Horizon Media, Cake Group and Harrison and Star.

On social media, the posts have been tagged #canalnotes and #postitwar and have been flooding in. It’s a wonder any client work was getting done at these shops last week.

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R/GA Names Sean Lyons U.S. President

Havas Chicago Takes Grandma Out to ‘Ultimate Cubs Game’ for Hefty

Havas Worldwide Chicago Promotes Tatia Torrey to Chief Client Officer

Havas Chicago Is Loaning Out Its Summer Interns to Local Businesses That Need Them

I asked Havas Worldwide Chicago to #GimmeAnIntern for this post.

They sent me three.

Along with honing their skills in various agency departments, the 14 lucky folks in Havas’s 10-week summer internship program are being “loaned out” to local businesses, cultural institutions, sports teams and celebrities—anyone, actually, who makes a strong enough case on social media using the #GimmeAnIntern hashtag or via email. The interns are sharing their adventures in real-time video via the agency’s Periscope account and elsewhere on social media.

Coffee and danish runs for the ECDs just won’t cut it anymore, I guess. (That said, the Havas 14 are also required to spend time sitting on display in the agency’s street-level lobby, in full view of the public. So the time-honored tradition of humiliating interns by giving them stupid stuff to do isn’t dead yet.)

“In order to create campaigns that drive cultural conversations, you have to be immersed in culture,” says Celia Jones, Havas group brand director. “That means not only being exposed to the thinking and creativity within the walls of the agency, but also giving interns an opportunity to gain hands-on experience out in the world.”

I always thought folks went into advertising to escape the real world to a fantasy-land of brand worship where everyone eventually wins an award. Luckily, these plucky wannabes aren’t tainted by such cynicism. Yet.

Christina Muth, one of the interns, who graduated from Mount St. Joseph University with a business degree, enjoyed her first out-of-agency experience—working at a food blog. She says she leaned a lot about how media sponsorships work.

“I can’t wait to do it again,” she says, “especially if it involves food for a second time. But next time, I’d like to assist in the eating.”

Another intern, Chicago Portfolio School student Jeff Polaschek, was assigned a test-riding task at Divvy Bikes. Of the Havas program, he says, “They are just trying to keep us out of the agency because we are too good.” (If you guessed he’s a copywriter—bingo! He’s also branded himself as the “oldest intern ever” on Twitter.)

Carina Sherman, who graduated with a B.A. in communications and English from Andrews University, hopes her first real-world posting involves music. “I don’t want to brag, but I make the best playlists,” she says. “Making music playlists for local businesses, road trips and even dinner parties is something I feel I’d have a real knack for.”

As an English major, she will need some other work skills to fall back on.

All kidding aside, #GimmeAnIntern sounds like an engaging way for the participants to learn about advertising and lots of others stuff, too. Plus, as Muth notes, “it also broadcasts to the world what Havas has to offer.”

Indeed, #GimmeAnIntern serves as a fun self-promotion. Havas says the social-media-based competition to select the 14 interns was so popular, it boosted the agency’s Instagram following by 12 percent. Now, in addition to media coverage, Havas is getting the word out via Popular Plays, offering hour-long intern assistance to Chicago Instagrammers with more than 50,000 followers. (The shop has done some innovative, high-profile intern stuff before, including last year’s Winternship initiative.)

So, what do the #GimmeAnIntern recruits plan for their professional futures?

“In the short time I have been here, I have realized that I would love to work as a digital strategist for great American brands,” says Sherman.

“I have this little dream of building something from the ground up—whether that’s a product, an event, or even an app,” Muth says. “I would love to be behind something that I could call my own and something that others can also share. Being in an environment of thinkers and creators only helps me to grow, and I feel very fortunate to be here. Maybe one day, my big idea will hit me, but until then, I am in love with being around individuals that inspire me to be better than who I was yesterday.”

And Polaschek? “I would love to be a creative director at an agency like Havas,” he says, “but more than likely I will die from indentured servitude here first.”



Havas Worldwide NY Welcomes the Summer for Dos Equis

With the summer officially less than two weeks away, Havas Worldwide New York has launched “Luna Rising,” the latest campaign in its ongoing “The Most Interesting Man in the World” series for Dos Equis.

Three new spots tread familiar territory for the character, with Havas delivering what viewers have come to expect. There’s the comically exaggerated claims such as “If he were to mispronounce your name, you’d feel compelled to change it” and “Therapists open up to him,” as well as the nonsensical “When the odds are 50-50, they’re 80-20 in his favor.” For some reason, two of the three spots end with the character performing the ding-dong-ditch maneuver (which is not something anyone over the age of 14 generally does, let alone someone “interesting). And then there’s the casual sexual objectification of the brief “The Most Interesting Man in the World on Making the Most of Summer Night” which stoops lower with “The Most Interesting Man” telling viewers it’s their job to find the dark side of “even the brightest moon” while implying an impending threesome with two much younger women (basically the same formula as “The Most Interesting Man in the World on Cinco de Mayo”).

Credits:

Chief Creative Officer: Jason Peterson
Group ECD/Managing Director: Jason Musante
Executive Creative Director: Jim Hord
Creative Director: Paul Fix
Creative Director: Jamie Overkamp
Associate Creative Director: Matthew Hock
Associate Creative Director: David Fredette
Writer: Marty Bonacorso
Art Director:  Melissa Ploysophon
Junior Writer: Andrew Niemira
Junior Art Director: Melissa Stammer
Global Chief Content Officer: Vin Farrell
Co-Head of Production: Dave Evans
Co-Head of Production: Sylvain Tron
Executive Producer: Jill Meschino
Director of Broadcast Business Affairs: Cathy Pitegoff
Senior Broadcast Business Manager: Deborah Steeg
Senior Talent Specialist: Yvette Aponte
Group Account Director: Chris Budden
Account Director: Jamie Sundheim
Account Supervisor: Sara Heller
Account Executive: Jenny Maughan
Production Company: @radical.media
Director: Steve Miller
Director of Photography: Bryan Newman
Executive Producer: Gregg Carlesimo
Producer: Barbara Benson
Editorial Company: Arcade Edit
Editor: Jeff Ferruzzo
Executive Producer: Sila Soyer
Post Production:  Studio 6
VFX Supervisor / Flame Artist: Johnny Starace
Executive Producer:  Melati Phohan
Audio Engineer: Eric Thompson
Music Composer: Brett Fuchs
Colorist: Company 3
Colorist: Tom Poole
Audio: Sound Lounge
Partner/Mixer:  Peter Holcomb

Havas, Hugh Jackman See ‘The Cup Half Full’ for Keurig

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

Hershey’s Adds 3 Agencies to Roster Following Review

Hershey’s has added three agencies to its roster following a creative review: Anomaly New York; Barkley in Kansas City; and Argonaut in San Francisco.

The creative review was launched in January, with incumbents Arnold Worldwide and Havas Worldwide not taking part, as they will remain on the client’s agency roster. “Arnold/Havas work is continuing and this is not a replacement, it’s just an addition,” spokeswoman Anna Lingeris told AdAge.

Hershey’s new agencies will be overseeing new strategic project work, although it is unclear exactly what that will entail as Hershey’s “declined to describe the specific brand assignments for its new agencies” to AdAge.

That publication pointed out Hershey’s new additions to its brand portfolio in new product Hershey’s Caramels and the acquisition of jerky maker Krave Pure Foods and it’s possible the new agencies will be used for work on these new additions. Hershey’s spent $726 million on measured media in 2014, according to Kantar Media, and increased its marketing expenses by about 8 percent in the first quarter of this year.

New York Life Launches Creative Review

The largest mutual life insurance provider in the country, New York Life, has launched a creative review, Adweek reports. New York Life spent $74 million on measured media in 2014, according to Kantar Media.

Havas Worldwide has handled the account since December of 2011, at which time the agency (then known as Euro RSCG) took over for Taxi. It is unclear if the incumbent will participate in the review, as well as if the review will also include New York Life’s media and digital accounts. Assembly currently handles media buying and planning for the company, with Organic responsible for digital.

The review follows competitor MetLife launching a creative review last month. Incumbent CP+B will not be participating in that review, and a decision is expected this summer.

Havas Worldwide Chicago Launches ‘Streaker’ for DishLATINO

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

Havas Appoints Grey Alum Hirst to Top Euro Post

Major change afoot at Grey London and Havas Europe: the former’s CEO Chris Hirst is departing for the latter.

Hirst will serve in the same executive role for the UK and Europe region for what’s being dubbed “Havas Creative Group.” According to MoreAboutAdvertising, this move will make Hirst the number three staffer at Havas, placing him right behind Yannick Bollore and global CEO Andrew Benett.

Hirst assumed the chief executive role in January 2010 after spending more than six years as managing director of Grey’s London office; he helmed the shop when Grey Group won Adweek‘s Global Agency of the Year status in 2013 and earned the same from AdAge in 2014.

Before joining Grey, Hirst held client-facing roles at BBH and Fallon.

The official statement from Hirst:

“I am thrilled to join Havas Worldwide and look forward to working with Andrew and the entire European leadership team. Havas Worldwide’s range of capabilities across Europe is remarkable; its integration and collaborative culture have already resulted in an incredibly modern communications offering for clients. I am excited to help drive that further.”

Grey has already announced Hirst’s replacement: it’s Chief Strategist Lucy Jameson. Jameson, who joined Grey in 2012 after holding the same position at DDB London, worked alongside Hirst and ECD Nils Leonard to develop strategy for the Euro region.

Grey EMEA President/CEO David Patton calls it “a very easy decision,” writing, “It’s a really exciting time for Grey London and it will continue to go from strength to strength.”

CCO Darren Moran No Longer with Havas

darren moranToday we confirmed several tips regarding Chief Creative Officer Darren Moran, who is no longer with Havas Worldwide in New York.

While we don’t have any information regarding the nature of his departure or his future plans, we can say that the move was recent: the tips first popped up this morning.

For context, Moran arrived at Havas’ New York office last August after a one-year stint in the ECD role at BBDO New York and two years spent as CCO at what was then DraftFCB in Manhattan. (We last heard from him when he commented on the hiring of Creative Director Kate McCagg, formerly of Razorfish, back in April.)

We don’t have a list of recent work led by Moran, but based on the internal memo that greeted his arrival last year we can say that he directed creative for all Havas New York clients. He has also earned mentions from nearly every major awards show during his 24-plus years in the industry.

Moran’s “co-CCO” Jason Peterson remains the agency’s chief creative officer.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It's Worth Holding Your Breath, as This Kid Does, Until the End of This Great Ad

When I was a kid, my sister and I would play a car game where we would hold our breath in the back of our parents’ minivan every time we went into a tunnel—and see who could hold it longer. Our faces would turn red, and then blue, as we hurtled toward the distant light—seeing if we could make it to the end without passing out.

As we got older, we would just pretend to hold our breath, but we’d still writhe around and grasp at our throats with our cheeks puffed out like Louis Armstrong. And we’d always make it, heroically, back into the sunlight.

Which brings us to this ad from Finland and agency Havas Worldwide, with a boy holding his breath longer and longer in each scene. We won’t spoil it, but the ending isn’t exactly the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Via Ads of the World.

CREDITS
Agency: Havas Worldwide, Helsinki, Finland
Creative Director: Marko Vuorensola
Planner: Johanna Vuorensola
Art Director: Jon Gustavson
Copywriter: Marko Vuorinen
Account director: Nina Myllyharju
Project planner: Muusa Salminen
Communications Consultant: Laura Lyyvuo
Web Developer: Mika Niemi
Production Company: Studio Arkadena
Executive producer: Hana Kovic
Director: Mikko / Sauna International
Director’s Producer: Kojo Abban
DoP: Jure Verovsek
Editor: Simon Sedmak
1st AD: Sara Isa Djukanovic
Colorist: NuFrame/TeoRiznar
Line producer: Urska Vardijan
Set designer / Art director: Spela Kropusek
Stylist: Katja Hrobat
Make Up: Natasa Sevcnikar
Sound design: Silencio Helsinki
Music: Accu “Rock”
Digital production: Havas Worldwide Helsinki