Hasta La Creative!

Another day, another new title created at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, which finally confirms what we first reported a couple of weeks ago, that Brian Skahan has indeed returned to the fold His new title? Well, as you can see above, it’s something called XCD, which we’ve been told pertains to a creative director who “is in charge specifically of complex digital projects.”  Essentially, Skahan will serve as a digital jack-of-all-trades at the agency, rotating from client to client whenever a major digital project or digital platform is in the works.

As previously mentioned, Skahan’s first tour-of-duty at CP+B lasted approximately three-and-a-half years, during which time he served as VP/creative technology director and led development teams for clients including Microsoft, AmEx, Guitar Hero (RIP) and Domino’s. Besides his work with the Boulder-based bunch, Skahan spent two years as managing director/CTO at the agency formerly known as Publicis Modem, working with clients including P&G Oral Care and Citi for last year’s Olympics.

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This actually happened a few days ago, but we figured a good warming of the cockles was in order to kick off yet another work week. If you haven’t heard, Martin Agency president Mike Hughes has been battling cancer for some time now and began documenting what he’s going through under hospice care via his blog, “Unfinished Thinking (and now there’s a sister blog as well). Well, weeks after his writing commenced, his agency, led by chief creative officer Joe Alexander, sent some love back his way via the tribute site, “We All Love Mike.”

Well, the fond reciprocation has continued as of last week as Alexander sent this note to Hughes that perhaps provides a glimpse into their relationship and perhaps the culture at Martin:  ”Last year, I approached the St. Paul School Board about a scholarship in my dad’s name. He was a lifelong educator in St. Paul and really felt teaching was his “calling.” They loved the idea and I’m happy to say we have a first winner. It’s an annual award that will be given to a minority male graduating senior who has committed to majoring in education in college. Just thrilled about this. Wanted to share with you because I know how much you love this kind of stuff – and yeah – I love impressing you, too. That never gets old. Love you, Joe”

As one tipster says, “How many President-CCO relationships in advertising include promoting one’s charitable work, smiley face emoticons and telling each other I love you? Not enough.” Can’t say we disagree.

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With eight-year agency vet Joe DiMeglio getting bumped up to EVP/chief client officer two months ago, Omnicom-owned agency Organic has looked within and found his successor in Katie Healey, who has spent the last two years as SVP/group account director at Team Detroit. Healey, who now takes over as SVP/general manager of Organic’s Detroit office, will oversee its Motor City-based accounts including Volkswagen, Kimberly-Clark and Hilton.

This move marks Healey’s second tour of duty at Organic, where she last served as something called “engagement manager” (or group director in layman’s speak). During her career, Healey has also served on the account side at the likes of Digitas Detroit and Campbell-Ewald.

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It looks like Matt Canzano‘s role within McCann has further expanded as the 10-year vet and current chief creative officer of said agency’s Motor City office has now been elevated to the dual role of global ECD of GM-focused Commonwealth/CCO of MRM Detroit.

Taking over as day-to-day creative leads at McCann Detroit, meanwhile, are Mike Stocker and Robin Chrumka, who joined just last summer and will now assume the roles of EVP/co-ECDs at the agency, which works with clients including GM (duh), ALDI and Pure Michigan. The creative pair has been working together for well over a decade and has a fair share of automotive experience, having spent several years as creative directors at BBDO Detroit overseeing work on the Jeep account.

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After spending nearly three years as group creative director on the Honda account at Santa Monica-based RPA, Jason Sperling is getting bumped up to ECD at the agency (where he also serves as a senior VP). Sperling joined RPA from TBWA\MAL  in summer 2010 and has subsequently led creative on notable campaigns for the automaker including last year’s CR-V Super Bowl spot, “Matthew’s Day Off,” which we’re sure you’ve all seen a million times over at this point and most recently the Honda April Fool’s Day spot. As you probably know by know, RPA did maintain did lose a few pieces of the Honda biz a few weeks ago, but more importantly, retained creative duties for the brand, thus maintaining a relationship that’s lasted over a quarter-century.

During his five-and-a-half years at \MAL, Sperling was a key player in the long-running “Get a Mac” campaign for Apple and has garnered his fair share of Cannes Lions prizes, Clios and One Show Pencils.

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After spending the last two years in his native Sweden serving as chief creative officer at his production company B-Reel, Petter Westlund has returned to the U.S. to head up creative at the shop’s L.A. branch. Westlund co-founded B-Reel along with Pelle Nilsson and Anders Wahlquist in Stockholm back in 1999. Since that time, the prodco has not only worked on campaigns for major brands ranging from Google and Doritos to Evian and Adidas over the years, but has also opened up shop in New York, London, Berlin and, of course, Los Angeles.

Westlund’s first stint in the States involved opening up B-Reel’s NYC branch back in 2008. The founding partner will now be joined in L.A. by cohort Karl Ringman, who has been promoted to CD/creative technologist, as well as senior art director Mark Wheeler, who is relocating to the West Coast from B-Reel’s London office. Says Westlund’s partner-in-crime Nilsson, who serves as executive producer and oversees the L.A. office, “Petter is the original Swiss Army Knife of digital production. His creative direction, tech savvy and bang-on-target aesthetic has been paramount to B-Reel’s success.”

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Not the best way to end the day, but Holly Brockwell, a London-based digital copywriter’s note to Hyundai and its agency, Innocean, regarding their new ad campaign, had us figuratively chopping onions for a few minutes. If you haven’t seen the campaign, which promotes the automaker’s ix35 in the most awkward of ways, look above (Update: It looks like the videos keep getting taken down, so don’t be surprised if it happens again; We’ll just provide screen grabs if need be. Update 2: And, yes, it’s now been officially pulled by the brand) . Anyhow, the man in the ad survives his attempted suicide thanks to Hyundai’s apparent 100 percent water emissions. Unfortunately, Brockwell’s dad died in the same manner, and after watching the spot, she penned this letter to the brand and agency via her blog. It’s, as mentioned, a heartbreaker and we truly feel for her. Here’s just an excerpt:

“When your ad started to play, and I saw the beautifully-shot scenes of taped-up car windows with exhaust feeding in, I began to shake. I shook so hard that I had to put down my drink before I spilt it. And then I started to cry. I remembered looking out of the window to see the police and ambulance, wondering what was happening. I remember mum sitting me down to explain that daddy had gone to sleep and would not be waking up, and no, he wouldn’t be able to take me to my friend’s birthday party next week. No, he couldn’t come back from heaven just for that day, but he would like to if he could. I remember finding out that he had died holding my sister’s soft toy rabbit in his lap.

Surprisingly, when I reached the conclusion of your video, where we see that the man has in fact not died thanks to Hyundai’s clean emissions, I did not stop crying. I did not suddenly feel that my tears were justified by your amusing message. I just felt empty. And sick. And I wanted my dad.”

Her final note to the parties involved says it all: “My dad never drove a Hyundai. Thanks to you, neither will I.” We obviously can’t blame her. Let’s just see if and when or how agency and/or brand responds.

Updated: Well, that didn’t take long. Barely 90 minutes after this post, Hyundai has offered this to us verbatim:

Hyundai Motor America Statement:

“We at Hyundai Motor America are shocked and saddened by the depiction of a suicide attempt in an inappropriate European video featuring a Hyundai. Suicide merits thoughtful discussion, not this type of treatment.”

Hyundai Motor Company Statement:

“Hyundai Motor deeply and sincerely apologizes for the offensive viral ad.

The ad was created by an affiliate advertising agency, Innocean Europe, without Hyundai’s request or approval. It runs counter to our values as a company and as members of the community. We are very sorry for any offense or distress the video caused. More to the point, Hyundai apologizes to those who have been personally impacted by tragedy.”

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Sources familiar with the matter have confirmed that Gary Scheiner, who’s spent nearly the last four years serving as managing partner/chief creative officer at Rosetta, is leaving the Princeton, NJ-based interactive agency, which of course was acquired by Publicis Groupe two years ago. Scheiner joined Rosetta in the newly created position of CCO from TBWA\Chiat\Day, where he spent two years working out of the New York office as ECD of the latter agency’s WorldHealth unit. No word yet on his reasons for leaving, when his last day or where he’s headed to next, but we’ll let you know if and when we hear more.

During his career, Scheiner also spent a decade as creative director at MRM prior to joining up with Draftfcb to serve as an EVP/ECD.

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It’s been a busy week on the staffing front at CP+B. Just days after announcing a slew of creative hires in its L.A. office, the Boulder-based agency brings us the news that it’s welcomed back Heather Lefevre, who you might remember from this clip, to serve as group planning director in its Miami office. Lefevre initially worked at Crispin from fall 2007-2008 as a senior cognitive anthropologist (can never get enough of that title) and was part of the multiple award-winning teams that worked on Whopper Freakout and Whopper Sacrifice.

During her career, she’s also held planning positions at the likes of what was then StrawberryFrog Amsterdam as well as DDB Amsterdam, The Martin Agency and Mullen. Lefevre’s not the only one reuniting with CP+B, though, as the agency has also welcomed back Greg O’Neal to serve as account director on Bing. O’Neal’s first tour of duty at CP+B lasted two years and during his career, the account vet worked at the likes of Razorfish and BBH.

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Yep, you read that correctly, folks. A tipster sent us a nice note this morning announcing telling us that not only had his colleague Chris Taylor, a senior art director and 16-year vet at Doner, had a baby on Sunday but he delivered it himself and offered a transcript of how it all went down after the fact. Apparently, a pic of the actual newborn named Finn is on the way as well (Update: see left..aww), but in the meantime, here’s a little play-by-play from Taylor himself. Can’t say we don’t like these little feel-good asides from time-to-time:

“6:20 a.m. KELLI: Get up.
6:23 CHRIS (CALLING MOTHER IN-LAW): I think we’re gonna head to the hospital.
6:23 CHERYL (TO CHRIS): I’m on my way.
6:34 KELLI: @#$*@#!!! We gotta go.
CHRIS SENSING SERIOUS PANIC, RUNS NEXT DOOR AND POUNDS ON NEIGHBORS DOOR.
6:40 CHRIS (TO NEIGHBOR): Can you come over and watch Sutton RIGHT NOW!?
6:40 NEIGHBOR (WIDE EYED): Yeah.
6:41 DRIVING VERY FAST YET CAREFUL WHILE TALKING TO HOSPITAL ON PHONE.
6:42 KELLI: @#$*@#!!! I feel like I need to push.
6:42 CHRIS: Where’s a cop when you need one?!
6:45 KELLI: I’m not going to make it. PULL OVER.
6:45 CHRIS IGNORING REQUEST BECAUSE THAT’S JUST THE PAIN TALKING, PUSH’S THE STATION WAGON TO MAX ACCELERATION ON I-275.
6:46 KELLI: My water broke, PULL OVER!!! IT’S COMING. AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! OMG THE HEAD IS OUT.
6:46 CHRIS NOTCES THAT A THIRD PASSENGER WANTS A BETTER VIEW OUT THE FRONT WINDOW. REALIZES THAT IT WASN’T JUST THE PAIN TALKING AND PULLS OVER. DIALS 911
6:50 DELIVERS BABY ON THE FRONT SEAT LIKE A CHAMP.
7:10 WALK INTO HOSPITAL TO A STANDING OVATION.
7:11 DOC/NURSE: You want to be on the news?
7:11 KEL: Nooo!
7:12 NURSE: How are you?
7:12 CHRIS: I can’t believe it’s a boy!

SUMMARY:
At 6:20 I was lying in bed.
At 6:50 I had delivered a child on the front seat of my car on I-275.

That stretch of highway and my volvo will never look the same to me. Gotta thank North Face for keeping my son warm. The jacket is toast, but best spontaneous newborn blanket ever. Very thankful and full of love. My wife is the strongest woman I’ve ever met. And something tells me that our new son shares her determination!”

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