17127: Mickey D’s Sings, “Ba-Da-Ba-Ba-Ba-Buh-Bye, Burrell.”

Advertising Age reported Mickey D’s named Translation as AOR for the Black consumer market, replacing 50-year incumbent Burrell Communications Group.

 

Regarding the account reassignment, Burrell’s relatively new leaders—who purchased the iconic Black advertising agency in 2023—are probably not thinking, “i’m lovin’ it!” However, it’s unclear if Burrell was completely dumped from Mickey D’s roster.

 

Translation President Jonathan Akwue said, “McDonald’s is leaning on Translation as cultural experts to evolve how the brand shows up—honoring the legacy that earned its place in Black culture while finding even more relevant and authentic spaces to amplify its presence in the daily lives of [African American] consumers.”

 

The legacy that earned its place in Black culture? Um, Tom Burrell would probably argue his agency’s groundbreaking work, which began in the 1970s, created the legacy that helped the Golden Arches earn its place in Black culture.

 

McDonald’s adds Translation to its agency roster

 

By Lindsay Rittenhouse

 

McDonald’s has hired Translation as its agency of record for the African American consumer market following a review.

 

Under the remit, the agency will lead creative efforts to “deepen cultural connection and drive growth with Black consumers” across all consumer touchpoints, according to Jonathan Akwue, president of Translation.

 

Translation replaces Burrell Communications, which previously handled this work. McDonald’s declined to comment on whether it would be working with Burrell at all going forward. Burrell did not return multiple calls for comment.

 

The review was managed by MediaSense’s R3.

 

Translation’s first assignment in its new role was to help create messaging around the revival of the McDonald’s Snack Wrap. Wieden+Kennedy New York, McDonald’s creative agency of record, made the hero campaign, including ads featuring “Succession” actor Brian Cox. Translation was in charge of helping drive demand for the Snack Wrap among what McDonald’s calls the African American consumer market, as described by McDonald’s.

 

For the push, Translation created the character Unc, who is played by actor Hassan Johnson and appears in a series of ads to help influence the younger generation to try Snack Wraps for the first time. Unc also claims credit for convincing McDonald’s to revive the beloved menu item.

 

Akwue said it was critical to target younger consumers who may have missed the Snack Wrap during its first run. The item was taken off most menus in 2016.

 

“In the Black community, Unc isn’t just a relative—he’s a neighborhood staple,” Akwue said. “He’s the one at the cookout telling stories, cracking jokes and giving unsolicited wisdom. He bridges generations with credibility, humor and love. So we made Unc our messenger—the one person who can co-sign the return of the Snack Wrap and convince the youngins it’s worth the hype.”

 

Akwue said the agency’s music distribution company, UnitedMasters, was critical in the pitch to win this business. “We are extremely proud of how the entire teams at Translation and UnitedMasters came together to secure this important win,” he said.

 

McDonald’s has leaned on Translation to deliver culturally relevant work before—the two companies have a history that dates back more than 20 years. Steve Stoute, the founder and CEO of Translation and UnitedMasters, has previously noted that he and Translation were a key part of the creative process that led to the creation of the Golden Arches’ iconic “I’m Lovin’ It” tagline in 2003. Translation also worked on the 2013 “Think with Your Mouth” Big Mac campaign.

 

“We’ve long championed the power of culture as a driver of meaningful connection and business growth,” Akwue said. “McDonald’s is leaning on Translation as cultural experts to evolve how the brand shows up—honoring the legacy that earned its place in Black culture while finding even more relevant and authentic spaces to amplify its presence in the daily lives of [African American] consumers.”

 

The appointment comes as the fast-food giant has seen weakness in sales at longstanding restaurants. McDonald’s first-quarter U.S. same-store sales declined 3.6%, its largest domestic comparable sales drop since the 8.7% decline reported in the second quarter of 2020 during statewide lockdowns brought on by the COVID pandemic.

 

Morgan Flatley, McDonald’s global chief marketing officer and head of new business ventures, told Ad Age in a recent interview that her brand strategy has been to lean into fan truths—described as moments, rituals, memories, or behaviors that are inextricably linked to McDonald’s—while simultaneously promoting messaging focused in value, which is critical in reaching customers today who are more cost conscious in the shaky economy.

 

Translation’s appointment also follows McDonald’s retiring some of its diversity, equity and inclusion goals at the start of the year.

 

McDonald’s spent $690 million on U.S. measured media in 2024, up from $609 million in 2023, per MediaRadar estimates. In the first quarter of 2025, the company spent $126 million in the U.S., down from $148 million in the first quarter of 2024, according to MediaRadar.

16068: Translating The Meaning Of Multicultural Agency Of The Year.

 

Adweek named Translation the 2022 Multicultural Agency of the Year. Interestingly enough, in a recent interview with Advertising Age, Translation Founder-CEO Steve Stoute expressed unhappiness with being labeled a ‘multicultural’ shop. To sloppily paraphrase the man, Stoute contends that what Adland defines as the ‘General Market’ is multicultural. This, incidentally, echoes what nearly every ‘multicultural’ practitioner has insisted for generations. Yet they remain pigeonholed and fed crumbs. Unfortunately, ‘multicultural’ really means minority. And in Adland—the bastion of systemic racism—minority translates to marginalized.

16032: Steve Stoute Spouts On Diversity In Adland.

 

Advertising Age Editor Jeanine Poggi spoke with Translation CEO Steve Stoute, recording and posting a video of the conversation.

 

The final 3-4 minutes are definitely worth viewing, as Poggi probes Stoute for his thoughts on diversity in Adland. When asked what he thinks it will take to make progress, Stoute replied:

 

“Real accountability. Real, real accountability. Not convenient accountability. Not having [or] hiring a Black person that’s the DEI person and then saying the DEI person is there to police it.

 

“Diversity and inclusion starts with the CEO. And if a company needs to hire a DEI officer, it’s because they need to police themselves—and that’s a problem.

 

“The CEO’s job is to hire and bring forth a culture in which diversity is par for the course. It’s how we hire… it’s how we build the organization… it’s what you demand. And if you have to bring in someone to police that, I don’t believe that’s gonna necessarily change anything because they’re policing you. And holding you accountable for what you should be doing anyway. It should be in your heart. It should be part of your fabric. I just believe that.

 

“So, unless the brands again hold their partners accountable for this, I don’t think anything changes in any seismic way. Having one or two Black people or woman that you can bring to a meeting to say, “Look, we’re diverse…” I mean, that trick is old. And I still see it happening in meetings that I go to. It’s diversity to say that you’re diverse—not diversity because you believe in it as a value within your organization.”

 

14226: Crumbs & Table Scraps.

Adweek published a perspective from Translation Social Strategy Director John Petty, III, who presented the standard argument for diversity in adland—that is, avoid culturally clueless mishaps by integrating culturally competent teammates. JP3 wrote:

The way to fix [the problem of culturally clueless mishaps] is to bring the right people to the table. If you need copy, you get a copywriter. If you need art, then get an art director. If you need to speak to us and there’s no one around who can truly help, then get a translator who knows how to communicate with a diverse audience or can at minimum keep you and your brand honest before an idea goes from presentation to production.

The problem with this line of thinking lies in White advertising agencies—co-conspiring with clients—already acting on such advice.

For example, BBDO and Procter & Gamble created “The Talk” after hiring consultants of color to deliver the cultural insight.

So what were the end results?

The White advertising agency won a Grand Prix award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for a My Black Is Beautiful project—a project that typically goes to minority advertising agencies. Plus, the White client produced propaganda that made them look progressive to the public.

Meanwhile, minorities were shut out from receiving substantial work (i.e., revenue). Additionally, minorities were relegated to, well, minority vendors. And actual diversity was stymied again, as it appears minorities are only necessary on a per-project consultancy basis.

To be clear, “The Talk” was not an isolated incident. Rather, it demonstrated a disturbing and discriminatory trend in the field. JP3 opened by stating, “In 2018, black culture seems to be simultaneously progressing and regressing.” In the advertising industry, Black culture continues to get hijacked—and Blacks get jacked up. The only thing progressing is the regressing.

It’s Time to Put an End to Advertising’s Too Frequent Cultural Slipups

Every step forward doesn’t need to be followed by a step backward

By John Petty, III

In 2018, black culture seems to be simultaneously progressing and regressing.

As a Lincoln University alum, I couldn’t be more appreciative of Beyoncé’s Coachella performance, which has been justly recognized as an overdue, loud acknowledgment of the influence our nation’s historically black colleges and universities maintain. Then, while listening to his Black Panther soundtrack, a score for a film that completely obliterated previously-held records by surpassing $1.3 billion at the box office, I found out Kendrick Lamar went and won a DAMN. Pulitzer Prize.

At moments like these, it feels good to be black and have our heroes openly and proudly wearing their capes. For us, for the culture. Then I’m reminded, much to my chagrin, how for every step forward the culture takes, an unequivocal step back is taken by those “speaking on our behalf.”

This step back is filled with embarrassment and disappointment, like the Heineken “Sometimes, Lighter Is Better” campaign that was pulled from circulation and the inescapable H&M “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” gaffe. Even most recently at the vortex of this cultural tug-of-war is Kanye West who mused that slavery was a “choice.” This is the same Kanye who has received 21 Grammys and 68 nominations and helped breathe new life into the adidas Originals brand. He is both a notable African American advancing the culture and a holder of seemingly retrograde views about his own race.

We push forward and get pulled back every day.

This is a complex topic. But at the risk of oversimplifying things, here’s how it stands: Just as African Americans continue to break new artistic and commercial ground, there is an undertow of hate and ignorance that is pushing the other way. The solution for this is both universal and personal.

Diversity needs to be prioritized in the spheres of highest influence

Campaigns like those from Heineken et al. occur when there is no diversity among people who are creating work for a diverse audience. Who are the decision-makers, the people in the driving seats of these campaigns? Do they look like me? Do they sound like me? Do they spend time in my barbershop, participate in my group chats? Do they shoot with me in the gym? Do they understand that reference I just made? They fundamentally don’t understand the nuances that I and those like me are likely to call out a mile away when we see an ad that so obviously misses the mark.

The way to fix that is to bring the right people to the table. If you need copy, you get a copywriter. If you need art, then get an art director. If you need to speak to us and there’s no one around who can truly help, then get a translator who knows how to communicate with a diverse audience or can at minimum keep you and your brand honest before an idea goes from presentation to production.

We need to be the loudest, best versions of ourselves

We should do everything in our power to make even the small steps feel huge and the already huge steps feel like moments of epic proportion. See Black Panther. We tweeted. We rallied. We pre-ordered. We put on our uniforms. And then we shamed those who didn’t see it within seven days. The support was genuine; the will to help win was unrivaled.

Let’s always do that on every scale imaginable. Beychella and Kendrick’s DAMN. accomplishments are impressive and absolutely necessary, but we can incite meaningful, culturally charged moments on a smaller scale. Let’s get as passionate, as vocal and as enthusiastic about Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “I’m Not Black, I’m Kanye” Atlantic piece, D’Ussé directly endorsing The TNTH’s D’usséPalooza and Diddy dropping over $21 million on Kerry James Marshall’s “Past Times” painting. Those are moments that deserve Black Panther-level ratification.

Your voice, no matter the size, is still a voice. One that has the power to influence and move the masses in the right direction. Let’s all accept that responsibility, leverage the collective and overshadow the mishaps of the H&Ms, Heinekens and Doves so they learn to know better than to even try it. Let’s work together to make a big deal out of greatness, no matter how big or small, so it becomes the standard and so those cases become not just dashing instances but real cultural barometers.

John “JP” Petty, III, is the social strategy director at Translation.

12406: Hoop Dream.

Adweek reported on the NBA MLK commercial from new NBA AOR Translation. For an MLK advertisement, it’s okay—but not significantly different or better than the standard MLK-Black History Month fare, including last year’s Dream Big commercial starring Miami Heat Forward-Center Chris Bosh. Plus, it’s odd to see clips featuring NBA legend Michael Jordan in this context, as he’s always been neutral on political issues involving equality and civil rights. Of course, it doesn’t help that the progress depicted in the spot is tainted by modern-day cultural cluelessness from Donald Sterling, Bruce Levenson and Danny Ferry. Now, coming up with an MLK-BHM concept incorporating those Three Stooges would demonstrate breakthrough thinking.

Ad of the Day: NBA Celebrates Its History With Audio of Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech

Spot is artful and inspiring, but will have its critics

By Andrew McMains

In its first work for the NBA, new lead creative agency Translation uses the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words to powerful effect.

Excerpts from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech serve as the backdrop for images of inclusiveness, as the league celebrates its history of firsts when it comes to breaking down racial and other barriers. Those images begin with Charlie Cooper, the first black NBA player, and end with a “We Are One” sign—a reference to how fans and players responded to racist remarks from former Clippers owner Donald Sterling last year.

In between are still photos and video of the likes of Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Yao Ming and Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player.

The ad breaks online today and will extend to TV during the NBA’s slate of games on Monday—Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s part of a broader campaign that continues into Black History Month in February and features a mentorship program for students; video vignettes about why Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams is passionate about African American history; and an NBA Inside Stuff piece about a Tuskegee Airman who was the grandfather of Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris.

So, kudos to the league for going well beyond just creating an ad.

That said, while many will find the ad artful and inspiring, don’t expect it to be universally loved. Any commercial use of King’s words—however well intentioned and well timed—is bound to draw criticism. Telecommunications company Alcatel learned this hard lesson in 2001, when it unveiled an ad from Arnold that depicted King making his famous 1963 speech but without the crowd of 250,000 that had amassed to hear it. The brand message was, “Before you can inspire, before you can touch, you must first connect.” Critics, however, recoiled at the blending of history and commerce.

By contrast, the NBA ad—while obviously designed, at least in part, to sell more tickets—feels commemorative and will run on TV for just five weeks. The league obviously got approval from King’s estate to use the audio. And it’s backing up the message of the ad with programs and actions to help the black community.

Nevertheless, some will still find fault with any commercial use of King. Even an ad as graceful as this one.

12323: C’MON WHITE MAN! Episode 40.

(MultiCultClassics credits ESPN’s C’MON MAN! for sparking this semi-regular blog series.)

AgencySpy published a post titled, “Translation Wins The NBA,” drawing comments that included displaying the whiny LinkedIn announcement from the sore losers at Goodby Silverstein & Partners depicted above. The White advertising agency apparently revised the announcement, retracting the whininess (depicted below).

The LinkedIn revision underscores at least two points:

1. Traditional ad agencies are digitally ignorant.

2. Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein are culturally clueless jackasses.

The first point was demonstrated in this case by GS&P posting a shitty message and thinking a quick change would make their ignorance disappear. Sorry, boys, but the World Wide Web has a way of exposing your true colors for eternity. Getting busted by AgencySpy regulars merely makes your stupidity even more embarrassing.

The second point has been demonstrated repeatedly by Messrs. Goodby and Silverstein over the years. Yet this latest instance is particularly pathetic.

What exactly was the intent behind originally stating that “Advertising is a weird business” in the LinkedIn announcement?

Was Goodby expressing deep-rooted annoyance that NBA CMO Pam El hadn’t heeded his self-centered sage advice on conducting account reviews? Heaven forbid Goodby might consider that his White Manifesto could have turned off El.

Was Goodby crying foul over Steve Stoute beating him at his own game by capitalizing on a relationship to help secure business? As MultiCultClassics previously noted, GS&P has consistently exploited relationships to snag accounts. When Chevrolet unceremoniously ejected the White advertising agency from Commonwealth, did Goodby post a snarky announcement targeting McCann? Doubt it.

Worse yet, does Goodby believe an inferior opponent beat him? Or there were some egregious flaws in the review process? If so, it clearly indicates how far Goodby has fallen—on professional, personal, spiritual and other levels.

At this point, Goodby should be quite accustomed to ass whuppings from seemingly lesser foes. GS&P was disconnected on Sprint by Team Sprint, quashed on Quaker Oats by Juniper Park, zapped on Propel Zero by Fathom Communications and chopped on Chevrolet by McCann. Being benched by the NBA in favor of Translation is just a continuation of the new normal for White advertising agencies such as GS&P. Better do something about it—or get used to it.

Most disturbing is the fact that Goodby has officially feigned concern for diversity—especially the dilemma of Black underrepresentation—in the industry. However, he appears oblivious to the profound progress exhibited by his latest defeat. Specifically, a Black-owned ad agency was not only allowed to compete against White shops for general market billings, but it actually won the business. Can Goodby see beyond his narcissism to realize his loss is a gain for adland?

C’MON WHITE MAN!

12297: Translation Wins NBA Shootout.

Advertising Age reported the NBA alley-ooped its account to Translation, and the beleaguered shop slam-dunked over 20-year incumbent Goodby Silverstein & Partners. Did NBA CMO Pam El take Jeff Goodby’s sage advice when making her decision? Probably not. To his credit, Translation Founder Steve Stoute has shown strength in his ability to create and capitalize on relationships. He apparently used such skills to once woo Anheuser-Busch InBev U.S. Marketing VP Paul Chibe and win beer business. Stoute’s ties to El when she worked at State Farm—as well as his connections to the New Jersey Nets—were clearly enough to outplay GS&P and R/GA in the shootout.

Goodby certainly can’t cry foul, as he’s benefitted from relationships to originally nab Chevy; plus, he’s picked up lots of business for being an indentured servant in Omnicom. And if Goodby’s still asking, “Where are all the Black people?” well, one of them just beat his ass in hoops.

NBA Taps Translation After Review

Incumbent Goodby Had Been Working With NBA for 20-plus Years

By Maureen Morrison

The National Basketball Association has tapped Translation to handle creative after a review.

A spokeswoman for the league confirmed the win, calling the shop the “primary agency” for creative. The scope of the work, however, is yet to be determined, the spokeswoman said.

The account had been at Omnicom’s Goodby Silverstein & Partners, the NBA’s agency of record since 2007, though the shop has worked with the association for more than 20 years. The review process was overseen by Hasan & Co.

Goodby declined to comment. Translation couldn’t be immediately reached.

It’s not immediately clear whether the review will result in another agency of record relationship or whether the association will move to soliciting work on a project basis from the winning shop.

The review began less than three months after Pam El was named the NBA’s new chief marketing officer. Previously she had been at State Farm for 11 years, most recently as exec VP-marketing. Ms. El is familiar with Translation through State Farm; the shop handles some advertising for the marketer.

Goodby’s last campaign for the NBA was the work themed “Everybody Up,” which began in the current season. Ms. El said in October that the league will be more aggressive in its marketing moving forward, an effort to lure more casual fans.

In 2013, the NBA spent $93.6 million on measured media, a figure that includes ads promoting the NBA TV cable channel, as well as plugging the WNBA, according to Kantar Media.

12274: Translation Loses Beer Business.

Advertising Age reported Anheuser-Busch InBev cut its ties with Steve Stoute and Jay-Z of Translation, ultimately handing the shop’s duties to White advertising agencies BBDO and Anomaly. Translation is clearly going though tough times, with leadership shifts and account losses. It doesn’t help that the place has never produced consistently decent work. Having access to celebrity talent—even with an industry that loves hip hop—doesn’t equate to professional, sustainable success. Otherwise, Will.i.am would be the next Bill Bernbach.

A-B InBev Ends Relationship With Translation

The Shop Was Lead Agency for ‘Made in America’

By E.J. Schultz

Anheuser-Busch InBev has cut its final ties with Translation, which has served as the lead ad agency for Budweiser’s much-hyped Made in America summer music festival curated by Jay Z.

The shop first won its way on to the brewer’s roster in 2011 and was named lead agency for Bud Light in 2012. BBDO won the Bud Light account in 2013. Translation managed to hang onto Bud Light line extensions like Platinum until earlier this year, until BBDO took that business too.

That left Translation with only the Made in America business. The shop, founded by former music exec Steve Stoute, played a key role in the 2012 launch of the Made in America event, which has served as a key plank in the brewer’s millennial marketing strategy. The concert originally was staged in Philadelphia and was expanded to Los Angeles this year.

Anomaly, which is the lead shop for Budweiser, will assume Made in America duties, according to an A-B InBev spokeswoman. Asked about what the move means for the brewer’s partnership with Jay Z, she said: “We have an ongoing, global relationship with Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter. It will continue.”

She described the consolidation with Anomaly as a “synergy” move that was not tied to Translation’s performance. Mr. Stoute did not immediately reply to an email for comment. The brewer has yet to announce plans for the 2015 music festival. Other organizations that have been involved with the festival include Jay Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, and Live Nation.

12203: Shootouts Shat Out.

Adweek reported on a handful of brands up for review, and the listing shows the fucked-up state of the advertising industry.

As previously noted, Sprint has narrowed its competitors to Deutsch and Arnold, which is essentially a faceoff between Larry and Curly—where the winner will have to work for Moe.

Johnnie Walker is staging a showdown featuring incumbent Bartle Bogle Hegarty versus Anomaly, BBDO, Ogilvy & Mather and Wieden + Kennedy. If Anomaly is victorious, every self-respecting adperson on the planet should shoot a bullet into his/her brain.

The NBA assembled a playoff series pitting incumbent Goodby Silverstein & Partners against R/GA and Translation. This is by far the most oddball battle out there. Translation allegedly dumped three key executives recently, including a president who was hired in February. Sure, the beleaguered agency provides some star-fucking power with its ties to Jay-Z and the Brooklyn Nets—plus, Translation worked for NBA CMO Pam El when she was with State Farm. But from a creative credentials perspective, Translation is the Philadelphia 76ers of Madison Avenue. Then again, unless the NBA plans to go completely digital with its advertising, R/GA is the Harlem Globetrotters. To complete the comparisons, GS&P looks like the Los Angeles Lakers, featuring one future Hall-of-Famer and a motley crew of losers. Expect a world-class laugher.

12158: Translation Terminates Trio.

AgencySpy reported Translation may have cut President Nils Peyron (pictured above between Steve Stoute and John Norman) and ECDs Marc d’Avignon and Jay Berry—and the the trio had only clocked a few months at the shop. Wonder if Jay-Z canned the executives. Could anything be more embarrassing than getting dumped at Translation by Jay-Z—except maybe receiving a creative pink slip from Will.i.am?

11908: The Tanning Of Cannes.

A Cannes seminar slated for Tuesday will feature Translation Founder and CEO Steve Stoute and Kanye West. Not sure which of the two is less qualified to be participating in a Cannes seminar.

11816: Translation Gobbledygook.

AgencySpy reported Translation is shuttering its Chicago office. Founder and CEO Steve Stoute wrote:

“As an agency our mission has always been to provide exceptional service to our clients, and to bring purpose and precision to our creative output. With the recent additions of President Nils Peyron and CCO John Norman in New York, and always with an eye toward the long-term growth of our organization, we have made the decision to bring our team together in New York and close Translation’s Chicago office. This was a hard choice for all of us, but one that will strengthen the agency immediately and for years to come.”

Is Stoute evolving into a bona fide adman? To construct a sentence that starts with “long-term growth” and ends with the announcement of an office closure is about as corporate as it gets. And adding that the move “will strengthen the agency immediately” sorta indicates there are serious financial problems at the shop—plus, it delivers a slap in the face to the Chicago staffers now seeking employment. Wonder if the severance packages included Jay-Z music collections.

11753: Stoute Hires New Leaders.

From Adweek…

Steve Stoute Adds New Leaders to Translation

Fills the roles of president, creative chief

By Andrew McMains

Steve Stoute is restocking his leadership ranks at Translation with veterans of the agency and marketer worlds.

Joining as president is Nils Peyron, a former account leader at McCann Erickson and Ogilvy & Mather who most recently was chief marketing officer at Toms shoes. Peyron fills a vacancy left by the November 2012 exit of Leeann Leahy.

John Norman, meanwhile, is coming aboard as partner and chief creative officer. In the creative role, Norman, who has been CCO of TBWA\C\D in Playa del Rey, Calif. since August 2012 [see related story here], succeeds Chris Cereda, who left Translation in the spring of 2013.

Norman and Peyron become part of a management team that includes chief strategy officer John Greene and Stoute, the founder and CEO. The New York-based agency works for the likes of State Farm, Anheuser-Busch InBev, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola.

Reflecting on his new leaders, Stoute said, in a statement, that “John and Nils get what we are: a nimble, innovative partner to companies who want to update or overhaul their brands without losing the essence of who they are.”

Stoute added that “with my business acumen, John’s creative talent and Nils’ management style, we will build a world-class creative agency unlike anything this industry has ever seen.”

11423: Sprite Goes Non-White.

Sprite Parts Ways With Leo Burnett, Taps Translation for New Campaign

Fickle Soda Brand has Worked with Several Agencies in Recent Years

By Natalie Zmuda, Rupal Parekh

Less than 18 months ago Coca-Cola entrusted Publicis Groupe’s Leo Burnett with creative duties for its Sprite brand—and the launch of a major North American ad campaign—but now the marketer has changed agency partners again.

In Leo Burnett’s place, independent shop Translation Advertising has been tapped to handle marketing for the lemon-lime soda, executives familiar with the matter say.

Both agencies declined to comment, but a spokeswoman for Coca-Cola acknowledged the break with Leo Burnett and the relationship with Translation. She also noted that WPP-backed Johannes Leonardo continues to handle global work. “Sprite has worked with Translation across multiple campaigns for a number of years now,” said Kerry Tressler, a Coca-Cola spokeswoman. “I can confirm that they are currently on point for some new work, but don’t have any details I can share at this point. ...We do not have any current projects with Leo Burnett.”

Tying brands closely to music, celebrities and athletes is Translation’s sweet spot. And Sprite has long associated itself with basketball, adding music and film to the mix in recent years. The brand has a long-running relationship with Lebron James, for example, utilizing the player alongside Miles Thirst, an African-American poet-philosopher action figure back in 2004. Mr. James was also involved in the “Uncontainable Game” effort, serving as a coach alongside Kobe Bryant.

Multiple Agencies, Ad Approaches

The brand’s spending has been erratic, and it’s focus muddled in recent years. Sprite’s also been fickle when it comes to agency partners.

It’s not a big ad spender. The soda brand’s measured media spend has ranged from $7 million to $17 million in the last five years, according to Kantar Media. In 2010, the year Sprite spent $17 million, its volume grew 2%, according to Beverage Digest. Last year volume fell 1%, as spend declined to $10 million. It controls 5.7% of the carbonated soft drink market and is the largest player in the lemon-lime category, which also includes Sierra Mist and 7Up.

In the last several years, Sprite has worked with multiple agencies—BBH, Johannes Leonardo, Leo Burnett and Turner Duckworth, among them. With thos shops have also come a number of advertising taglines, including “Obey Your Thirst”, “The Spark”, “Uncontainable Game” and “There’s Nothing Soft About It.”

That last tagline was introduced by Leo Burnett a year ago as part of an effort to emphasize the “intense” experience that comes with drinking the beverage. The accompanying campaign—the first and last major work from the shop—highlighted the experience of drinking a Sprite, something execs admitted had been missing from previous advertising.

“We’ve never linked [the product experience] as overtly as we have now,” said Kevin Keith, group director-integrated marketing content at Coca-Cola, at the time. “Most brands go to a lifestyle brand without connection to the product experience. We’re trying to link to the product experience more sharply.”

11232: Delayed WTF 23—Buddy Light.

MultiCultClassics is often occupied with real work. As a result, a handful of events occur without the expected blog commentary. This limited series—Delayed WTF—seeks to make belated amends for the absence of malice.

Wanted to add a few comments regarding how the Bud Light account bounced from Translation to Energy BBDO.

When mcgarrybowen and Translation won Bud Light in 2011, it was after a lengthy, formal review reportedly including agencies like incumbent DDB, CP+B and Droga5. Regarding the final decision, Advertising Age published the following:

“We’ve decided to go with two agencies and split the responsibility,” Paul Chibe, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s U.S. VP-marketing, told Ad Age today. “When we looked at creative capability insights [and] insights into the cultural fabric of the U.S., these firms distinguished themselves from the others … and came across as highly complementary to the business need of Bud Light.”

Whatever. Once mcgarrybowen showed it lacked “creative capability insights [and] insights into the cultural fabric of the U.S.,” the total account was awarded to Translation. The historic move was not without controversy, as Translation has yet to consistently produce great work. At the same time, mcgarrybowen produced nearly nothing in its six-month stint on the brand. Plus, it appeared that Translation won the old-fashioned way—via professional and personal relationships as well as celebrity mystique (i.e., Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake).

So how the hell did Energy BBDO suddenly grab the lion’s share of the business? If there was a review, it must go down in the record books as one of the most secret competitions ever. It’s certainly possible that Energy BBDO participated in the pitch while sister agency DDB was still in the hunt. Omnicom routinely peddles multiple shops within the network like Baskin-Robbins scoops ice cream flavors. Don’t be surprised when Bud Light lands at Fathom Communications in the next six months.

But seriously, Energy BBDO? The BBDO family is already servicing Guinness from the New York headquarters. Additionally, the Chicago office can hardly be called a creative powerhouse when the client roster features Quaker, SC Johnson and Bayer. Rumors claim mcgarrybowen’s downfall was precipitated by its thorough inability to deliver digital concepts. Meanwhile, Energy BBDO collapsed Proximity BBDO into something called Xi Chicago with an embarrassing site page that could have come from GoDaddy.

In the end, it looks as if shifting Bud Light was a buddy move—with Omnicom continuing its mastery of Corporate Cultural Collusion.

11228: Bud Light Bumped To BBDO.

Advertising Age reported the Bud Light account is shifting again, this time from Translation to BBDO. Translation did hold the brand longer than mcgarrybowen—but in the end, Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder will only get you so far. Plus, it looks like no amount of superstitious rituals can beat the power of Corporate Cultural Collusion, especially when Omnicom is involved.

Can BBDO Make Bud Light Advertising Awesome Again?

In Search of More ‘Horsepower,’ A-B InBev Makes Omnicom Shop Lead on Largest U.S. Brand

By E.J. Schultz, Rupal Parekh

Anheuser-Busch InBev is getting back together with Omnicom Group in the U.S.

The world’s largest brewer is hiring BBDO as lead agency for Bud Light domestically, while keeping line extensions such as Bud Light Platinum at Translation, which had been handling the entire account since last August. The two shops will “work together on Bud Light,” said Paul Chibe, VP-marketing for A-B InBev’s U.S. division. “Translation will focus on the extensions, where they have done extremely well, and BBDO will focus on the base business.”

BBDO will handle the account from its Chicago outpost, known as Energy BBDO. By moving it there, Mr. Chibe reunites with an agency he’s worked with in the past, while BBDO keeps the account in a separate office from competing beer brand Guinness, which BBDO runs from New York. For A-B InBev, the change represents a global consolidation of sorts because the brewer works with the BBDO network overseas.

The move marks the third agency change in less than two years for Bud Light. The beer brand went from DDB to McGarryBowen to Translation before landing now BBDO.

Super Bowl ads

The return to an Omnicom-owned agency is noteworthy as Bud Light severed ties with one of its longest standing agencies in history, DDB, in October of 2011. That ended a three-decade-long partnership highlighted by Bud Light’s launch in 1981 and plenty of memorable Super Bowl ads.

Bud Light is the nation’s top beer brand by market share, and the largest advertiser in the category, spending $349.9 million on measured media in 2012, according to Kantar Media. But revenue to agencies on the account has been trimmed over the past several years, and it is estimated by various industry observers to be around about $5 million now. (The brewer does not make agency terms public.)

Like other big beer brands, Bud Light has struggled in the face of competition from craft beers and spirits. In an attempt to break out from the pack and gain consumers’ attention, Bud Light has been cycling through different ad agencies. McGarryBowen won the account in December of 2011, only to lose it eight months later to Translation, which had been working on line extensions since late 2011.

The string of moves have solidified AB-InBev’s reputation among ad shops as a fickle marketer. Plus the pace of work is relentless and the brewer has a reputation for stringent testing standards, meaning some creative ideas don’t make it through, according to current and former agency staffers.

More ‘horsepower’

Asked about the pace of agency changes, Mr. Chibe pointed out that he has partnered with Translation almost from the beginning of his tenure. “We had given the [core Bud Light] work to McGarryBowen and it didn’t work out. And then we gave it to Translation. And in discussions with Translation we both felt it would be best to bring BBDO on board,” he said. “We both recognized that the additional horsepower would help our business.” He added: “Bud Light is an enormous business that has a lot of demands,” noting that Translation’s original assignment was as a supporting agency to McGarryBowen.

Translation’s workload remains significant. In addition to line extensions, the shop will also keep the NFL advertising assignments for core Bud Light that the agency is already working on for this fall. Super Bowl advertising will be worked on by BBDO and Translation, he said. “Steve has plenty to do, I can assure you,” Mr. Chibe said, referring to Translation founder Steve Stoute.

“I’m excited to be working with a friend of mine for 15 years who watched me grow up in the business,” Mr. Stoute said, referring to BBDO’s global CEO Andrew Robertson. He added that he’s one of BBDO Chief Creative David Lubars’ biggest fans. “As an independent agency I’m used to partnering with other agencies. We aren’t worried about P&Ls and making that more important than the brand itself.”

The brewer’s other agencies include Anomaly, which is the lead shop for Budweiser globally and handles Bud Light in Canada, and Mother, which has Stella Artois and Beck’s.

Close relationship

By tapping BBDO as lead creative agency for Bud Light, Mr. Chibe is returning to the familiar. He joined the brewer in June of 2011 after an 11-year run at Wrigley. Energy BBDO is Wrigley’s lead creative agency, so he knows it well. “I had always kept a close relationship with BBDO on a personal level,” he said. He also noted that A-B InBev on a global basis has relationships with the BBDO network. In Brazil, AlmapBBDO works on the Antarctica brand, while in Germany BBDO Proximity has Beck’s. “There’s been the connection there. Just in the past, the stars never aligned for them to work in the U.S.,” Mr. Chibe said.

One complicating factor has been the fact that BBDO is the agency for Diageo-owned Guinness, which poses a potential conflict in the beer category. Mr. Chibe referred questions about the matter to BBDO, which declined to comment for this story. For his part, Mr. Chibe said that he would not have an issue with BBDO keeping Guinness, noting that “Guinness in the U.S. is pretty small and it’s run out of New York,” while Energy BBDO is in Chicago. Guinness could not immediately be reached for comment.

While Bud Light line extensions such as higher-alcohol Platinum, and fruity Bud Light Lime-A-Rita and Straw-Ber-Rita have had some success, core Bud Light has lagged. In 2012, Bud Light shipment volumes fell by 0.5% -- the fourth straight year of declines—while the brand’s market share has dropped from 19% in 2010 to 18.6% as of the end of last year, according to Beer Marketer’s Insights. (The next closest brand, Coors Light, remains far behind at 8.7%, but it has gained share in each of the past three years.) For the 52 weeks ending May 19, Bud Light case volume sales were down by 0.56%, compared with category-wide growth of 0.64% according to IRI, whose figures to not include bar and restaurant sales.

Of course, other big beer brands have suffered as well, including Miller Lite, which was down 1.2% in the same period, while Budweiser fell by 5.7%, according to IRI. Meanwhile, craft beers have thrived, putting more pressure on big beer marketers to find new ways to stand out.

Increased competition

Mr. Chibe has sought to infuse more music-themed marketing into AB InBev’s brands in an appeal to millennials. Translation, led by Mr. Stoute, has been a big part of the strategy, helping land deals linking Jay-Z to Budweiser and Justin Timberlake to Bud Light Platinum. Bud Light’s summer push includes a program called “Bud Light Music First” that will culminate Aug. 1 with one concert in all 50 states. The campaign includes a TV ad.

For this year’s Super Bowl, Translation created two 60-second ads starring Stevie Wonder as part of the NFL-themed “Superstitious” campaign. Yet, with so much competition from scrappy craft beers and newly aggressive spirits marketers, it is harder for Bud Light to break through, say some industry observers.

“There’s so many beers on the marketplace and it’s got to come out of somewhere,” said one industry person familiar with the brand and the situation, referring to Bud Light’s sales decline. Mr. Chibe countered that the Bud Light “mega-franchise” has excelled. “Our extensions continue to perform extremely well,” he said. “There’s some natural cannibalization from the base coming from these [line extensions].”

11227: Combs At Cannes.

Adweek reported on a Cannes event starring Sean Combs and Translation CEO Steve Stoute. Guess it shows that the festival has degenerated into a promotional venue—as Combs and Stoute are hardly eligible candidates for Lions. Then again, the majority of Cannes visitors fall into the same category. It’s also rather pathetic for Combs to be lecturing adpeople, especially given his questionable work in the arena. But as the Adweek article implies, Combs and Stoute are probably good for an afterparty or two.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Pitches Revolt and Tells Advertisers How To Be Cool

‘I’m extremely immature’

By Lisa Granastein

CANNES, France—After holding court Tuesday night on the Croisette with media and advertising moguls (and an afterparty or two), Sean “Diddy” Combs was all business today, taking the main stage at Cannes Lions with Translation CEO Steve Stoute to pitch the fall launch of his music cable network, Revolt TV, and give his take on how he successfully reaches millennials—or kids, as he prefers to call them.

The Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group founder and CEO said the decision by MTV seven years ago to stop playing music videos, the explosion of digital media and his own proven ability to tap into what’s cool are what helped make Revolt a reality.

“There was no longer a platform for musical artists to trust with their art and with their creativity, and also no place that was covering music [as ESPN covered sports and CNN covered news],” Combs explained. “For music, you just had to go into the abyss or the stratosphere with no plan, no destination. I was trying to get myself booked on Dancing with the Stars, because there was no place for me to go to tell my story.”

Revolt “will be authentic and speak their language,” he said of its coverage of artists. “I want to celebrate who they really are … Cool is priceless.”

This will be the first TV network built with social layers. Revolt also promises to help advertisers connect with up-and-coming artists in order to leverage strategic marketing partnerships. If you look at Twitter, top shows in the U.S. and globally are music-related, he said. “That’s a lot of power.”

Asked by Stoute about which marketers and brands inspire him, Combs pointed to those that are disruptive, risk takers and draw emotion, including Richard Branson and the new Jay-Z Samsung campaign. “I hate watching commercials just like everybody else,” he said, to big laughs. “The truth shall set you free. So, I’m here to tell the truth, alright. That’s why the best creatives win awards here. And if you ain’t going to be great, you need to go home and get the fuck out of here!”

Marketers need to stay fresh and relevant if they want to successfully target millennials, he said. “These kids are extremely, extremely smart. They don’t like no B.S., and they don’t like a one-way street,” he said, offering the example of launching a corporate Facebook page two years late. “That’s not being part of the culture, or what’s important to them. One of the mistakes is that brands don’t listen enough to what’s important to this generation. There’s a way that you can advertise to them, and also a way to empower them. If you empower them, you’ll get your return 10 times forward.”

Combs has his own way of staying fresh and reaching kids. “I’m extremely immature,” he joked. “I’m a child in a grown man’s body. I’m actually at the party. I’m at the festival.” He also said he keeps a lot of kids around him, asks a lot of questions and sometimes eavesdrops on their conversations. It also helps that he has six children, who are all under the age of 22. “I have a perfect research team living in the house.”

As for the naysayers who say others have tried and failed at music networks, Combs said that most importantly, his network will be “social by design” and global.

“It’s a dream, man. All I can do is get up in the morning and try to make it possible,” he said. “So, I wish myself luck.”

11042: Lost In Translation.

AgencySpy reported Translation CCO Chris Cereda left the agency. If Cereda was responsible for the Bud Light campaign, he should have been booted. Fortunately, Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake are available to pick up the creative duties.

10983: Bud Light Hires Pop Star.

Advertising Age reported Justin Timberlake will be the new sell-out creative and musical curator for Bud Light Platinum. Is that anything like Barbara Lippert being hired by Jeff Goodby as a Curator of Pop Culture? “Bud Light Platinum brings a refined, discerning aesthetic to beer that plays well with what I’m doing,” said Timberlake. “I’m looking forward to not only being a part of the creative process, but in bringing other talented musicians to the forefront as well.” Right. Looking forward to music video outtakes intercut with beer pours and bottle shots. Anheuser-Busch VP-U.S. Marketing Paul Chibe gushed, “Justin Timberlake is one of the greatest creative minds in the entertainment industry, and his insights will help us further define Bud Light Platinum’s identity in the lifestyle space. … Since launching Bud Light Platinum last year, we’ve worked to align the brand closely with music, including leveraging tracks by Kanye West and Avicii in our first ads. Partnering with Justin as he makes his return to music brings a new level of relevance and credibility to the brand.” Spoken like a true star fucker. Has Bud Light produced anything in the past year that comes close to rivaling the brand’s iconic campaigns of the past? The “new level of relevance and credibility” is actually at an all-time low.

Justin Timberlake Is the New Face of Bud Light Platinum

A-B InBev Partners With Singer for Marketing Campaign; First Ad to Roll Out During the Grammys

By E.J. Schultz, Rupal Parekh

Bud Light Platinum is trying to bring some sexy back to the beer aisle.

The A-B InBev brand—a line extension with higher alcohol content that launched last year aimed at nighttime party drinkers—has inked a deal with singer Justin Timberlake, who will star in ads and serve as a creative and musical curator for the brand.

Mr. Timberlake’s debut ad for Platinum will run during the 55th annual Grammy Awards, which will be broadcast on CBS on Sunday. The partnership comes after the singer released “Suit and Tie,” the first single from his upcoming third third solo album, “The 20/20 Experience,” which marks his return to the studio after a six-year hiatus (during which there was speculation from fans that he might abandon music in order to focus on acting).

The ad, a 60-second spot dubbed “Platinum Night,” will feature “Suit and Tie.”

“Bud Light Platinum brings a refined, discerning aesthetic to beer that plays well with what I’m doing,” said Mr. Timberlake in a statement. “I’m looking forward to not only being a part of the creative process, but in bringing other talented musicians to the forefront as well.”

“Justin Timberlake is one of the greatest creative minds in the entertainment industry, and his insights will help us further define Bud Light Platinum’s identity in the lifestyle space,” said Paul Chibe, VP-U.S. marketing, Anheuser-Busch, in a statement. “Since launching Bud Light Platinum last year, we’ve worked to align the brand closely with music, including leveraging tracks by Kanye West and Avicii in our first ads. Partnering with Justin as he makes his return to music brings a new level of relevance and credibility to the brand.”

The move was brokered by Bud Light agency Translation, whose uber-connected founder Steve Stoute has worked with Mr. Timberlake in the past, linking the star to McDonald’s for its popular “I’m Loving It” campaign.

Partnering with Mr. Timberlake is part of a broader effort by A-B InBev to infuse more music in its marketing under the leadership of Mr. Chibe. Last year the brewer paired Budweiser with rapper Jay-Z, who curated and headlined a summer music festival in Philadelphia called “Made In America.” The music mogul appeared in Bud ads related to the event, which is being made into a film by Hollywood heavy hitters Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

(Jay-Z is an investor in Translation, which was founded by Mr. Stoute, a former record exec.)

Bud Light’s Super Bowl ads this year featured Stevie Wonder, while the brand’s multicultural spots by LatinWorks have spotlighted Cuban-American hip-hop artist Pitbull. Still, the most successful of A-B InBev’s Super Bowl spots this year, according to various ad scoring systems, was more of an old-school play plugging Budweiser with the brewer’s iconic Clydesdales, which returned to center stage after playing more of a supporting role in recent years. (The soundtrack for that ad was the Fleetwood Mac classic “Landslide.”)

But in an age where millennial consumers are increasingly determining the fate of big alcohol brands, the brewer seems determined to lend some urban, hipster cache to its brews with line extensions such as Budweiser Black Crown, which just hit stores, and Platinum. Both of the new beers have 6% alcohol by volume, compared with 4.2% for regular Bud Light and 5% for Budweiser.

Platinum, in particular, has a musical focus. The brand was launched in 2012 with a Super Bowl ad featuring the Kanye West song “Runaway.” And Platinum’s Twitter feed routinely links to style and music news, such as a recent tweet alerting fans to a remix of a Ludacris song.

The early returns are good, with Platinum recognized by neutral observers as a highly successful beer launch. Platinum already ranks as the 14th-largest beer brand in the U.S. with $387 million in sales at stores in the 52 weeks ending Dec. 30, according to SymphonyIRI.

But for big beer debuts, year two is always critical, as the newness buzz fades and marketers rely more on repeat purchases. The signing of Mr. Timberlake signals that A-B InBev plans to continue to pour big marketing bucks into the brand, even as it dedicates resources to Budweiser Black Crown, which got two Super Bowl ads. (From January through November of last year, the brewer spent $32.1 million in measured media on Platinum, according to Kantar Media.)

The Timberlake deal comes as the singer continues to tighten his bond with marketers of all stripes. He is an investor in Specific Media, which bought MySpace from News Corp. in 2011. (Notably, Bud Light tapped MySpace this year as a digital partner for its “Bud Light Hotel” music event in New Orleans during the Super Bowl.) In 2011, Mr. Timberlake was named a creative director at Callaway Golf. His booze experience includes launching his own tequila brand, 901 Silver. Years ago he even appeared in a responsibility ad for Budweiser when he was with ‘N Sync that can still be found on YouTube.

In making a big music play, A-B InBev is following a path taken by big soda brands. For instance, one of Coca-Cola’s long-term goals has been increasing younger fans, as part of which its launched a multi-year music-themed campaign. It also comes as the Diet Coke brand named Taylor Swift as a celebrity spokesperson and marketing partner—widely seen as Coca-Cola’s response to Beyonce being named brand ambassador for Pepsi.

10632: Budweiser Crowns Itself.

Advertising Age reported Anheuser-Busch InBev is launching Budweiser “Black Crown” beer. Sounds like a perfect fit for Translation and Steve Stoute. They could even bring back the Great Kings and Queens of Africa promotion.

Coming Soon: Budweiser ‘Black Crown’?

AB-InBev Gets Label Approval For Potential Bud Line Extension

By E.J. Schultz

Is Anheuser-Busch InBev planning to follow up Bud Light Platinum with Budweiser “Black Crown?”

The brewer has asked for and received approval for a proposed label for the higher-alcohol Bud line extension, described as a “golden amber lager” that is “distinctively smooth and beechwood finished,” according to this application with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

The brew is listed at 6% alcohol by volume, which would put it a full point above regular Budweiser’s 5% ABV, and match the alcohol content of Bud Light Platinum, which was launched in early 2012 and has found early success. AB-InBev declined to comment on the Black Crown application.

Platinum benefited from a big ad push, including two Super Bowl spots. The timing of the filing for “Black Crown” suggests that it could be in line for a similarly hefty ad backing. Still, it is too early to tell AB-InBev’s exact plans for the brew, including whether or not the company will make it part of its beer portfolio or if the new extension is simply being considered.

The brewer is scheduled to hold a meeting with distributors in early November at which time big plans are usually announced. The lead agency for Budweiser is Anomaly, while Translation handles Bud Light.

AB-InBev has also filed an application for “Beck’s Sapphire,” a potential line extension for Beck’s which is described as having “German Sapphire Hops,” according to the application. Sapphire, incidentally, is also listed at 6% ABV.

The potential line extensions come as big brewers put more attention on innovations as they compete with newly aggressive liquor brands and craft brews, many of which have higher alcohol contents than traditional light lagers such as Bud Light and Miller Lite. The brewers seem to be targeting a mid-level price range that positions their new brews as slightly less expensive than craft brews but still at a premium to mainstream lagers.

MillerCoors, for instance, is out with “Third Shift,” an amber lager that is priced a bit lower than the average craft in a category MillerCoors is calling “invitation” beers. Earlier this week MillerCoors Chief Marketing Officer Andy England told Ad Age that he sees a “huge mid-level price opportunity.”

Budweiser has already tested line extensions on a limited basis this year with its “Project 12.” For the project, brewmasters at 12 AB InBev breweries created their own small-batch “tribute” beers, each with a distinct style. The brewer pared the list of creations to three brews made at breweries in Los Angeles, St. Louis and Williamsburg, Va. that will be available in a limited-edition sampler pack available beginning Oct. 29. The L.A. beer is an amber lager with 6% ABV, which, on the surface, sounds kind of similar to Black Crown.