Hasta La Creative!

Sources familiar with the matter confirm that Denis Griffith, who’s spent the last 18 months as head of user experience/experience CD at Atmosphere Proximity/BBDO, is parting ways with the agency. No word yet on his last day or if there are plans to replace, but from what we hear, Griffith is heading to Rupert Murdoch‘s turf to serve as VP of product and experience at News Corp (still awaiting confirmation on this). Prior to BBDO NY, Griffith spent a year as head of the UX department at Euro RSCG Life, which is now known as Havas Life, of course.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

As we wrap up summer (went too fast, but FALL IN NY!), we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the happenings during the 2013 Art Directors Club Porfolio Night All-Stars. During the weeklong event from a couple of weeks ago, creative types from 24 countries were tasked with a brief to create a global platform for the Ford Focus to ensure the auto brand we see here in North America is the same we would see overseas. Here are just a few recollections from the All-Stars who made it to the event, which kicked off on August 5 and featured the likes of DDB Worldwide CCO Amir Kassaei, Barbarian Group co-founder/CEO Benjamin Palmer and AKQA CCO, Rei Inamoto. First up to bat, we have Sean Collander, copywriter and PN11 Chicago All-Star.

“Camaraderie is not exactly what you would expect when pitting 23 young creatives against each other in a competition to create work for one of the world’s biggest car brands, but that is exactly what I’ve found over the last few days here at the Portfolio Night 11 All-Stars competition. Now, don’t get me wrong, we all want to win, but it’s coming out in the work, not in our relationships with each other. I’ve had conversations about the future of advertising, European politics, the merits of both Texas BBQ and Kansas City BBQ, rap videos, and Robin Thicke’s hair. Different teams will regularly get together to play a game of Pictionary to let off steam. At the end of a full day of concepting, we will all get together for a few drinks, and have made the bar down the street the unofficial after party location of the week.

I think I can speak for all 23 participants when I say we’ve experienced a lot over such a short amount of time, and it has been more incredible than any one of us imagined it could be. The Art Directors Club has been extremely gracious with their knowledge and resources, managing to bring together an unbelievable list of guest speakers, judges, and sponsors.

When I attended Portfolio Night 11 in Chicago back in May, I went simply looking to get feedback on my work and maybe, If I was lucky, a job. I had no idea that a few months later I would be selected to work on a brief for Ford with 22 other creatives representing countries all over the world. I can honestly say that this is one of the most fun and stressful experiences I have ever had, and am truly humbled to be a part of the very first Portfolio Night All Stars.”

After the jump, check out more from Isabelle Osterlund, another PN 11 All-Star from Stockholm.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

We’ve received confirmation that Hank Cohen, who has served as CEO of KSL Media and spent nearly a quarter-century with the bi-coastal agency, is leaving to set up his own small practice. No word yet on what his new shop entails, but Cohen’s duties will now be assumed, effective immediately, by Kal Lebowitz, chairman of KSL who founded the 130-strong agency in 1981. In addition to Cohen’s departure, we’ve also been told that president David Sklaver, who has been with KSL for nearly a decade, has also turned in his resignation at the agency. Sklaver’s move, though, was purely coincidental according to those in the know.

KSL, which also houses space in Las Vegas and Miami, works with clients ranging from UGG to Guitar Center.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

As summer winds down (thank you, Mother Nature), we bring you some recaps/perspective from those who spent some time toiling away this season. But enough with the preamble as we present you two interns’ perspectives from this summer’s 4A Multicultural Advertising Intern Program.

CARLA JOHNSON:
I have always had a strong interest in design and advertising and their effect on people. Yes, I am drawn to the vibrant colors and the memorable tunes of commercials, but also the way each print, TV or digital ad connects with me as a consumer. Technology today allows for a visually impactful message to be distributed at lightning speed across a city, country or globe in seconds. As a creative and educated African American female, I see the advantage I have in this ever-changing market in creatively representing and targeting a more diverse audience. Though commercials and ads appear to be growing in diversity, many advertising agencies are still lacking in reflecting this diversity in their creative staff. More are realizing the importance of having a more inclusive employee base.

Due to rapidly changing demographics in the consumer marketplace in the United States and globally, advertising agencies and the clients they represent are now faced with the challenge of having a creative department that reflects their customer base. That is where the Multicultural Advertising Intern Program (MAIP) comes in. When applying for internships for this summer, I was looking for specific qualities in an advertising agency, program and experience. I ultimately chose to accept an internship with MAIP, because they truly have a grasp of the issues pertaining to diversity in advertising and identifying challenging opportunities for people of color in the industry.

They were able to match me with one of the top digital creative agencies in the country, Draftfcb. I have gained incomparable knowledge that has strengthened my creative skills working on major client campaigns. From working on wire framing websites, to designing 70 page decks all the way to designing an infographic timeline of a particular brand’s history. I got to work with well-known companies like Dockers, EA Games, and Kikkoman. I was constantly busy and working and would not have it any other way. In addition, I have attained a first hand view on where the future of advertising and design is heading and how I need to position myself to be a thought leader and trendsetter.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

No, there isn’t a memo to be had on this go-around as we’ve yet to receive confirmation from the Grey camp on this. Yet, sources familiar with the matter have confirmed that Lisa Topol, creative director/copywriter who’s spent the last three years at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, is leaving the agency and is perhaps assuming yet another GCD position at Grey NY.

Topol joined Chiat NY three years ago as creative director on the agency’s Kahlua and Twix accounts. Along with said clients, she also subsequently served as CD on the celeb-driven Keep a Child Alive campaign from 2010, on Wheat Thins as part of TBWA’s Being unit and did this for GE as part of its “Throttle Up” effort during Creative Week 2012. During her 15-year ad career, Topol also spent three years as creative director at JWT NY on JetBlue and Smirnoff, served as senior copywriter at W+K NY and held a similar position at Ogilvy NY early on.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It’s been over two-and-a-half years since we last heard from Corey Mitchell, who “left” his post as EVP/managing director at MRM New York in early 2011. Well, the exec has resurfaced and has now assumed the role of president of Arnold’s New York operations, a post previously held by Lynn Power, who if you recall resigned back in June. Along with the prez post, Mitchell will sit on Arnold Worldwide’s Global Executive Committee and report directly to CEO, Robert LePlae.

ArnoldNYC’s new president spent nearly three years as EVP/MD at MRM, which he joined after working in various roles for a decade at TBWA, first in its Sydney office, then as worldwide managing director on Mars and finally as president of Chiat NY and \Tequila.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

We know, our intern reports from the trenches have been sorely lacking this summer, but as we wind down the season, we’re glad to give you some quick perspective from one such person who shall remain nameless but offers some thoughts on their time at The Barbarian Group. We’ll have more from 4A’s interns on Monday as we slowly say goodbye to summer. In the meantime, it appears that this particular intern enjoyed themselves while at TBG’s summer “program.” We asked for a recap and we basically got it. Read on if you’d like.

I’ve had my fair share of internships. Fresh out of college, I interned at an arts-and-culture webzine—I fact-checked, I made coffee, and lunch-runs. I stuck around in editorial for a few years, and after burning out hard on the whole writing thing I decided
to go back school for graphic design. Which brings me to this summer, which I spent in a creative internship at The Barbarian Group. Once I got over the initial stomach butter?ies of being an intern once again, I found myself pleasantly surprised: Barbarian gives its interns a full crash-course in the advertising industry, trusting them with an uncommon share of real responsibility.

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

You most likely have never heard of the music-sharing app Pow Wow, but creator Greg Housset believes in his product so much that he left his agency job as an account exec at what was then EuroRSCG to launch it. Pow Wow is a collaborative app that lets users create joint playlists on different devices through Spotify (the lone catch is that one person needs to have a paid Spotify account for the app to work).

Pow Wow’s first ad hit YouTube three days ago and gives consumers a straightforward overview. It’s easy to see the appeal of such a program: multiple people using their smartphones to build a playlist without needing to debate or pass around an iPod. Ideal for bar mitzvahs, weddings, sweet 16s, block parties, barbecues, dance-offs, rap battles, etc.

Over at Mashable, Todd Wasserman points out that an annoying relative could co-opt the playlist and play “Afternoon Delight” 17 times in a row (his example), but we’ll give people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to extreme idiocy. Playlist responsibly.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Bi-coastal, MDC Partners-owned agency Vitro, which of course has been behind many an ASICS campaign among other things in recent years, has added a handful of new staffers in its San Diego HQ in order bolster its digital, strategic and design departments. Among those joining the fold in Ron Burgundy’s hometown are Peter “PJ” Yesawich, who joins Vitro as digital creative director (with a focus on “all things integrated”) after spending barely six months at Modus Operandi as a CD. During his career, though, Yesawich also held lead digital strategy/creative roles at the likes of EVB, Venables Bell & Partners and Exopolis.

Along with its new digital CD, Vitro has also brought on Deep Focus/72andSunny alum Danielle Waldron as executive director/integrated strategy, Eugene Kim, a former Arnold digital/social strategist who now assumes the role of director of social media and Bill Sager as design director. Along with the new hires, we’ve been told that Vitro, which won the Petco biz earlier this summer, will soon be announcing that it’s nabbed AOR duties for a yet-to-be-named “iconic spirits brand,” which the agency has been working with for the past six months. We’ll keep you posted if and when we find out which brand this exactly is.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Let’s shift gears on the Grey front for a moment from the usual New York happenings to San Francisco as the agency has welcomed Milan Martin as president of its Bay Area branch. Martin joins Grey SF after spending nearly three years as managing director/chief strategist at Anthem Worldwide. Prior to Anthem, the exec had a four-year stint at Gyro, where he last served as president of its New York office. During his career, Martin also spent a decade at both the New York and London offices of Ogilvy, where he served as account director and led brand management for the likes of IBM, Gillette, AT&T, Anheuser-Busch and Virgin.

Martin, who will lead a staff of 50 at Grey SF, replaces Brad Fogel, who left the agency on his own a couple of months ago and now serves as COO for Innocean USA.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.