Chobani Selects W+K Portland as Its New Lead Creative Agency

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. 

W+K Names Colleen DeCourcy as Partner

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Wieden+Kennedy has named Colleen DeCourcy as the newest partner in its global network.

DeCourcy most recently served as Global Coexecutive Creative Director; she joins Dan Wieden, Dave Luhr, Mark Fitzloff, Susan Hoffman, Tom Blessington, Bill Davenport, John Jay, Neil Christie, Tony Davidson and Kim Papworth on the partner team.

DeCourcy worked at W+K for only eighteen months before the promotion; prior to joining the agency, she founded her own shop called Socialistic, which she ran as CEO and chief creative officer. The release states that, during her time at W+K, she has “extended the creative department’s capabilities beyond advertising, into both experience and product design.”

Her full ad industry resume includes stints in leadership positions at TBWA New York, JWT and Organic.

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