Hasta La Creative!

Well, this is a name we haven’t heard in quite some time, but yes, we’ve received word that Eric Johnson–aka “DJ Bunny Ears”–has left DDB Chicago after two-and-a-half years to take on an executive producer position at Search Party Music. In his new role, which he officially assumed on July 1, Johnson is collaborating with writer/director Wes Anderson’s music supervisor of choice, Randall Poster (go here if the name doesn’t ring a bell).

Anyhow, during his time at DDB Chicago, Johnson served as executive producer of music + creative integration and worked across the agency’s client roster including McDonald’s, State Farm, Reebok and Mars/Wrigley. During his career, Johnson also served as a music supervisor for eight years at W+K and had a two-year stint as executive music producer at Y&R.

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Well, we guess this is notable enough to merit a separate non-Stir post. So yeah, as you may have read this morning, there’s a changing of the guard at IPG-owned Detroit stalwart Campbell Ewald, which has not only welcomed a new CEO, but has joined the global Lowe network. As a result, the new entity will now be known as, yes, Lowe Campbell Ewald and will be led by Jim Palmer, who has been with CE for over 20 years and most recently served as its vice chairman/chief client officer.

As you can gather, Palmer (pictured) is taking over for 31-year Campbell Ewald vet Bill Ludwig, who we’ve been hearing for weeks was no longer with the agency, which was repeatedly telling us otherwise. Along with Palmer assuming the top post, CE president Kathleen Donald will take on the role of chief operating officer and add more management responsibilities. Regarding Ludwig’s departure, IPG chairman/CEO Michael Roth says in a statement, “Bill Ludwig is leaving the agency poised for growth. We wish him well and thank him for his many contributions to the agency over a 31-year career, including putting in place a new generation of management that understands contemporary integrated marketing and the digital landscape.” According to the CE camp, Ludwig could still work in some capacity with IPG.

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You know, we kind of slept on this, but we did inquire a week ago with Gap, parent brand of Old Navy, which gave us the curt, bullshit, “We have no comment on your inquiry.” Yeah, that took five email threads, in which CP+B rightfully deferred to client, to get that sort of clarity on matters. Anyhow, while the meandering ensues with this, we will say this pre-July 4 that there is some positive news to report, mainly that Crispin Porter+Bogusky has promoted three-year vet Kristen Fox to department head/director of social media.

During her time at CP+B, Fox has worked on notable clients including Grey Poupon, Jell-O, etc. and now will be tasked with overseeing social AOR efforts across all of CP+B’s offices.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It’s been a while since we’ve checked in with the 30-and-under global creative battle that is Young Glory. Well, season two is now in the books and just like last time, there are two creative teams–one professional, one student–that the YG folks have crowned the most consistent throughout the eight-month battle. The Australian duo of Tristan Viney and Kieran Adams –aka Invisible Pants–took home professional Young Glory honors, which this year were determined by judges including ex-W+K adman Jim Riswold, now-former CP+B ECD Tom Markham and TBWA worldwide digital CD, David Lee.

You can click through the image above for a visual narrative of the YG2 professional battle, which also included submissions from TracyLocke (which took 2nd place), Tribal DDB and BBDO creatives. Below and after the jump are a couple of examples of Invisible Pants’ work throughout YG2 and a full rundown of the competition, in both pro and student categories, can be seen here.

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It took a couple of days on this one, but we have received confirmation that, yes, Atit Shah has assumed the role of executive creative director at Digitas New York, effectively. Shah, who’s been with the agency for over 14 years, succeeds Matthew D’Ercole, himself a longtime Digitas vet who has moved on (we’re hearing possibly away from advertising and out of the continental U.S.). Anyhow, Shah has spent the last six years serving as SVP/group creative director at Digitas NY, leading creative for agency clients including of course, American Express, and working on new business efforts.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It’s been a few days since Cannes closed the books on its 2013 clusterfuck, but what the hell. Fresh off of taking the creative helm at DDB California, Deutsch L.A. alum Jason Elm gives us his observations from the event, in which he discusses going 24 hours without iPhone on purpose. Take it away, sir.

Every year, my iPhone becomes an increasingly critical part of my Cannes experience. A few years ago, I’d use it to reach people and take photos, but now it’s almost never in my pocket: I’m using it to Google things I find interesting, taking notes or voice memos, tweeting, using the Cannes app to capture the work and schedule my day, reviewing office emails, texting my friends over here and using six different social media apps to keep tabs on people nine time zones away in California.

It’s now a persistent input/output extension of my brain while I take in the festival and its surroundings. But, is it enhancing my experience or getting in the way of it?

This year, I found out by negotiating the hustle and bustle of the Festival without my iPhone for an entire day: from the time I woke up to the time I went to bed, I wouldn’t so much as touch the phone. When I told people I’d be doing this, most of them looked at me like I was insane. But, it was actually a big eye-opener to just how constantly I use my phone (sorry, “connected mobile device.” But, I’ll simply call it a phone because, well, that’s what we say. )

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The Internet is exciting because a nighttime musing can become a full-fledged product, a quirky idea a million-dollar company. But when people start selling random trophies for $34.00 and claiming it’s funny and/or creative, and those people want $20,000 for the whole whimsical endeavor, it’s hard to stifle a huge yawn.

Alon Seifert, senior creative director at McCann Erickson, poses in various compromising positions for the Trophy Buffet’s Kickstarter video. Apparently he used to give his wife an annual trophy for putting up with him, and realized that the whole world could celebrate various occasions in the same manner. They’ve got an “I apologize for my future messups” trophy, a “Thanks for loving me just the way I am” trophy, and a “You’re the best baby we’ve ever had,” trophy. If you find one that would be perfect for your spouse, friend, or child, too bad: they’re all somehow sold out.

I’m all for encouragement, but Trophy Buffet seems too snide and kitsch to mean anything. The project has no illusions of grandeur, but the fact that it even exists is a waste of both creative energy and the Internet’s already very short attention span.

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We’ll try to make this quick, but yes, Droga5 NY confirms that Daniel Gonda will be joining the agency, effective July 1, as group account director. The inquisitive-looking Gonda has spent nearly the last three years as VP/management director at Saatchi & Saatchi’s New York hub. Prior to said Publicis Groupe-owned agency, the exec had fairly lengthy, familiar stints on the account side at the likes of JWT, Euro RSCG and TAXI. Gonda’s hiring comes on the heels of Droga5 nabbing TBWA\Chiat\Day NY alum Robert Valdes as its head of interactive production. We’re checking to see what the former’s position exactly entails at camp Droga. Should have an update shortly. Update: Gonda will be overseeing Droga5′s Coke Zero and Newcastle Brown Ale accounts.

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Well, they’ve been broadcasting it via their newly created Facebook page for just a few days now, but yes, Liron Reznik and Jonas Hallberg, who founded NYC-based shop Skinny, which eventually merged with Vitro back in the fall of 2011, have left and formed a new shop called Shiver. The pair, who remain based in New York, founded Skinny in 2007 after having stints at what is now KBS+, where Reznik served as co-director of brand strategy and Hallbering holding the title of partner/brand experience director. From what sources familiar with the matter tell us, there are no plans to replace the duo at MDC-owned Vitro’s NY operation, where they last served as chief creative officers of said office.

No clear-cut answer as to where Reznik and Hallberg are going with this new endeavor, but perhaps this brief mission statement on the Shiver site might provide some hint. During their six years at Skinny/Vitro, meanwhile, the pair oversaw creative for the likes of Lexus (including the well-received “Dark Ride”), Vodafone and Jose Cuervo.

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We’ve received a couple of tips today that 12-year Momentum vet Laura Loughlin, who shifted over a few months ago to the IPG agency’s two-year-old unit Momentum Entertainment Group to serve as its general manager, is “transitioning out of the agency.”

Well, according to sources familiar with the matter, that’s not the case. From what we’ve been told and what tipsters have also mentioned, Loughlin is indeed moving from her homebase in NYC to Momentum’s West Coast operations. But, the GM is not leaving MEG, as sources say that Loughlin will maintain her current position and that she is “still very much a member of the team and [fully] active with the company.” Those in know add that this move is due more to a need for a change of scenery versus any structural/role shift.

Loughlin, if you recall, was succeeded as managing director of Momentum’s New York office by Richard Black back in March after spending three years in the role. Prior to her MD role at Momentum proper, Loughlin served as director of the agency’s live events unit.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.