Hasta La Creative!

It looks like Sharp isn’t planning to just work with small roster shops next year after all. Just days after we reported that the electronics brand and McGarryBowen’s relationship was coming to an end, Sharp has announced that it’s named Minneapolis-based Olson as its new North American agency of record. Mark Viken, Sharp VP/brand marketing, says in a statement, “We were deeply impressed by Olson’s strategic thinking and creativity. We’re looking forward to a great relationship.” Olson will handle the usual duties that come with the AOR title including advertising, digital and design for Sharp, which we’ve been told is placing heavy emphasis on the digital portion moving forward.

As we mentioned previously, McGarryBowen’s deal with Sharp will draw to a close at the end of the year, thus Olson, whose CEO John Partilla‘s  relationship with the brand dates back to his Dentsu days (which probably didn’t hurt matters), will take over as AOR effective Jan. 1, 2014.

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Just to soothe the usual doomsday tips, we’ve been told by those in the know that Margaret Murphy‘s position as chief operating officer at Olson is indeed being eliminated, but the exec is very much within the fold at the Minneapolis-based agency. Murphy will now take on the role of president at Olson’s 1:1 loyalty marketing unit, which works with likes of Amtrak, Best Buy and Toys “R” Us, as president. From what we’ve been told, the role shift is part of a “flattening” of sorts of leadership at the agency courtesy of CEO John Partilla, who took over for Kevin DiLorenzo at the beginning of the year.

Murphy most recently served as president/COO at the agency and was part of the initial leadership team when Olson joined forces with Denali Marketing back in 2010. During her career, Murphy also spent nearly two decades at fellow Twin Cities operation Carlson Marketing Group, where she last served as SVP, client services.

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