Hasta La Creative!

When last we heard from classic American brand L.L. Bean in 2008, the company had just awarded AOR duties to GSD&M’s Idea City. We weren’t aware that an agency review had been scheduled, but this afternoon we received word that the account now belongs to Erwin Penland.

The agency’s duties will be comprehensive: EP is set to handle digital, retail and creative while also helping the brand develop its marketing strategy.

In explaining the company’s choice, CMO Steve Fuller writes that “Erwin Penland’s roots align perfectly with the L.L.Bean brand.” We take that to mean that creatives at the shop based in our home state of South Cackalacky (yay ‘Cocks) are closer to the brand’s core demographic than, say, those who never leave Manhattan.

CCO Con Williamson will lead the account with the help of Chief Client Officer Joe Saracino, ECD John Cornette and SVP/Account Director Kat Shafer. (The press release does not mention any of EP’s three recent creative hires.) Williamson writes that the win is a “chance to do amazing work for a classic American brand” and calls the pitch “a true all-agency effort.”

We would tell you to check out GSD&M’s Christmas 2011 campaign for hints of what’s to come, but someone made the videos private. Why bother?

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Just days after announcing his resignation from Saatchi & Saatchi New York, Con Williamson has landed a new gig at Erwin Penland, where he takes on the role of chief creative officer and work with clients including Denny’s, an account the agency took over a few months ago. Initial word last week was that Williamson would be starting a new shop, but that is not to be obviously. The 15-year creative says in a statement regarding his move, “I immediately connected with [Erwin Penland president] Joe [Erwin[]when we met over a year ago and instantly related to Erwin Penland’s sense of purpose, its entrepreneurial drive and more than anything the team’s conviction. They aren’t just talking about ‘changing the game’ or ‘being digital,’ the agency is already doing these things. We want to shake things up together and I’m glad to have the opportunity to do it with amazing people from the leadership team down.”

Along with the hiring of Williamson, who also spent time at the likes of what was Euro RSCG as well as Fallon/Duffy and JWT during his 15-year creative career, Erwin Penland has also appointed fellow Saatchi NY alums John Cornette as SVP/ECD and John Dunleavy as managing director for the agency’s New York office;/director of account management for the entire agency.

(pictured l-r, Cornette, Erwin, Williamson and Dunleavy)

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