Saturday, December 13, 2014

12306: CP+B To Conquer China…?

Little Black Book reported Crispin Porter + Bogusky elevated VP, Executive Planning Director Jason De Turris to Chief Strategy Officer; plus, the White advertising agency plans to ship him off to Hong Kong to oversee global strategy on the Infiniti account and organize the opening of CP+B’s Hong Kong office. As previously reported, CP+B won the Infiniti account in an extended shootout, despite displaying deficiencies per the original RFP. Specifically, the shop had zero presence in China and Hong Kong, priority markets for Infiniti. The client assigned Anomaly, a sister White agency of CP+B’s in the MDC Partners holding company, to cover the China and Hong Kong markets until CP+B could establish its own office in the area.

CP+B President Steve Erich gushed, “Jason is a courageous and strategic thinker who is able to combine all the necessary elements for understanding and moving a brand forward through different challenges and across multiple cultures.” De Turris added, “CP+B has always been about creating an environment for the bravest possible work to live. I’m looking forward to exporting our culture to new regions while we work to elevate Infiniti’s reputation.”

Really? Experience and history show that Erich and De Turris are full of shit—and arrogant to boot.

Erich’s contention that De Turris is qualified to “combine all the necessary elements for understanding and moving a brand forward through different challenges and across multiple cultures” is optimistically delusional. Leave it to White admen to believe they can colonize and conquer the undiscovered country.

The press release stated De Turris has “managed strategy for the global launches of game-changing brands and led brand strategy for Rolex through the global recession, helping to build their first global targeting model.” Can’t comment on the alleged “game-changing brands,” but running brand strategy globally for Rolex is hardly impressive, as the watchmaker has enjoyed a global identity—and a White Eurocentric one at that—for far longer than De Turris or Erich have been alive.

De Turris’ comments were pretty questionable too, especially when he declared, “I’m looking forward to exporting [the CP+B] culture to new regions while we work to elevate Infiniti’s reputation.” Um, the CP+B culture has been consistently culturally clueless—and exporting it is the equivalent of delivering a contagious virus. If there’s a reputation in need of elevation, it belongs to CP+B.

As adland and clients continue to grow globally, diversity will absolutely play a critical role in achieving success, ultimately requiring collaboration and cultural competency from all key players. Sorry, but White adpeople—coming from an industry that has denied diversity for decades—lack the character, comprehension and capabilities to lead the charge. Hopefully, CP+B will minimally provide De Turris with Rosetta Stone tutorials.

CP+B Names Jason De Turris Chief Strategy Officer

Jason previously held the position of VP, Executive Planning Director

CP+B announced today that it has named Jason De Turris, who until now has held the position of VP, Executive Planning Director, to Chief Strategy Officer. In his new role, De Turris will relocate to Hong Kong to oversee global strategy on the Infiniti account. He will also focus on opening CP+B’s Hong Kong office, which will be key in servicing the global leadership of Infiniti, as well as look to build the CP+B culture and brand throughout Asia and continue to provide global thought leadership across offices. In the near future a Head of North American Planning will be named who will be his counterpart in North America.

“Jason is a courageous and strategic thinker who is able to combine all the necessary elements for understanding and moving a brand forward through different challenges and across multiple cultures,” said Steve Erich, President, CP+B. “Winning Infiniti was a team effort and he played an instrumental role in making it happen. Which all together makes him a terrific person to help lead CP+B’s physical entry into Asia. This really begins a new chapter for CP+B.”

At CP+B, De Turris has worked across the agency’s leading brands including Hotels.com, Grey Poupon, Best Buy and Xbox One, and has played an key role, working closely with CP+B’s product innovation and brand experience designers to create two premium spirits brands: Angel’s Envy Bourbon and Papa’s Pilar Rum. During the course of his career, at Ogilvy & Mather, Deutsch and JWT, he’s managed strategy for the global launches of game-changing brands and led brand strategy for Rolex through the global recession, helping to build their first global targeting model. His experience ranges from the luxury category to necessity categories.

“CP+B has always been about creating an environment for the bravest possible work to live. I’m looking forward to exporting our culture to new regions while we work to elevate Infiniti’s reputation. We have a massive opportunity and adventure ahead and it’s an honor to be a part of this exciting new stage in the agency’s global growth,” said De Turris.

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