Hasta La Creative!

Back in March of 2015, Chobani dropped Droga5 as its agency of record, stating at the time that it planned to focus on “more in-house and project-based agency partners.” While the brand won’t be returning to the agency of record model, it has selected a lead creative agency in Weiden+Kennedy Portland. The appointment follows the arrival of Leland Maschmeyer as Chobani’s first chief creative officer in July.

Additionally, Chobani hired longtime consultant Lisa Gralnek as vice president of emerging platforms and Kwame Taylor-Hayford as managing director and head of creative technology and integrated production. She will report to chief marketing and brand officer Peter McGuinness while he will work under Maschmeyer.

Taylor-Hayford has worked in the accounts and production departments of several agencies; he was most recently partner and director of integrated production at Sid Lee in New York.

“This is an exciting time of high growth for us,” McGuinness said in a statement. “We’re proud to be evolving our internal team and our tech and creative capabilities, and proud to be partnering with the best agencies in the world to help tell our story.”

“It’s a dream come true when you find a client who is known for making bold moves, shares your independent spirit and values, and most importantly, believes in the power of creativity. Chobani is all that and more,” added W+K Portland managing director Tom Blessington. 

This is only the most recent in a series of changes for Chobani, which named Horizon Media as its new media agency of record in August and hired Galvea Kelly of L’Oreal as senior director of digital/content/social strategy and Danielle Cherry, formerly with Starcom, as senior director of media investment and connections planning.

W+K Portland’s first ads for Chobani are expected to debut in Q1 of 2017. Chobani spent $30 million on measured media last year and $20 million in the first half of 2016, according to Kantar Media. With sales growth up 20 percent year over year and the company’s plans for expansion with its Chobani Meze Dips and Drink Chobani lines, that number could continue to rise. 

Opperman Weiss, who launched a pair of ads for Chobani following the brand’s decision to drop Droga5 as its agency of record, has released a follow-up touting the brand’s new Simply 100 line.

Arriving during Pride Month, the spot showcases a woman eating Chobani Simply 100 in bed over voiceover describing it as 100 calories, naturally sweet and “simply delicious,” while acting as a continuation of the brand’s “Love This Life” campaign. As she gets up out of bed, taking the sheets with her, the spot reveals that her partner is a woman, who smiles as she walks away. While the voiceover itself is a bit hokey in delivery and ad a tad on the bland side, it is nice to see the company get in on the Pride Month celebration and the spot does a better job tying itself to the product than its predecessors.

Chobani chief marketing officer Peter McGuinness told Adweek featuring a lesbian couple was a “natural progression” for the brand as they look to tell “modern American stories,” adding, “For us, it’s why not [feature a same-sex couple]—not why. There’s nothing new here, per say. Inclusion and equality has been and is foundational and fundamental to the company.”

After 13 years spent moving up the charts at DDB, Paul Gunning has now taken on the top role as CEO of the agency’s Chicago office. Gunning replaces Peter McGuinness, who spent two years at the helm, but is leaving the agency and returning to New York to take on the role of chief marketing and brand officer for Greek yogurt brand, Chobani. Doesn’t seem too surprising considering that Chobani was a client of Gotham, the IPG-owned agency where McGuinness served as president/CEO before moving to DDB. As for Gunning, the newly minted DDB Chicago chief exec spent the last five years as CEO for Tribal Worldwide before assuming his new title.

In a statement regarding his appointment, Gunning says,  ”Chicago is my hometown, and DDB Chicago is one of the most storied and well-respected ad agencies in the world. I look forward to my new role and guiding the agency’s way forward with an emphasis on delivering outstanding results to our clients.”

Gunning first started out as an account director at Tribal DDB before moving up to VP/GM and then president before assuming his most recent role.

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