12702: Mindful Multiculturalism…?

The New York Post reported on the perspectives of Greg Monaco, who works at Quantum Lead and holds a “Forum Facilitator/Brand Development” title. Monaco believes mindful meditation can be used to address the lack of diversity in the advertising industry. “We often operate unconsciously and get into habits and not thinking about the decisions we are making,” Monaco said. “A lot of corporations are operating unconsciously, too. But every one of us is a force for good.” Monaco is right; however, his simple solution underscores the true enormity of the decades-old dilemma. How would one go about introducing mindfulness to replace the current mindlessness? The notion of “unconscious bias” has gained popularity when referring to the diversity issues in corporate America, but the term does not apply to adland, where deliberate denial, delegation, dodging and discrimination perpetuate the exclusivity. White adpeople are quick to express commitment, yet refuse to take direct action to make meaningful and measurable progress. Oh, and it doesn’t help that a peek at the Quantum Lead Team fails to depict a spirit of inclusiveness.

Adman says meditation is key to increasing companies’ diversity

By Claire Atkinson

It’s not often that the words “mindfulness” and “advertising” come together, but branding shop boss Greg Monaco believes meditating is a great way to figure out how to be more self-aware and manage New York stress.

Monaco, who teaches meditation classes, is hoping to sell clients on a novel idea that helps big organizations realize what they are good and bad at, and how to address issues that are causing a lack of diversity or lack of female leaders.

Monaco’s new business, Quantum Lead, is a consultancy “for conscious leadership,” as he calls it. He has mindfulness coaches helping employees ask themselves tough questions about change.

“We often operate unconsciously and get into habits and not thinking about the decisions we are making,” says Monaco. “A lot of corporations are operating unconsciously, too. But every one of us is a force for good.”

The chilled-out bike-riding ad guy may be the first of a new breed on Madison Avenue.

12701: Hegarty Hypocrisy.

Campaign spoke with the ever-culturally-clueless Sir John Hegarty, and the old man presented a few gems:

The conversation strays on to the subject of women in the industry. The agency Hegarty founded now has a good record of supporting and promoting women, with senior executives including Mel Exon, Rosie Arnold and Caroline Pay.

“You’ve got to do as much as you can to encourage women as we do at BBH. We do everything that we possibly can,” Hegarty says. But he is adamant about one thing: “There is no glass ceiling in our industry.”

Although Hegarty says it is a predominantly white, middle-class, masculine industry and suffers because of it, he is “constantly bemused” by why that is: “It didn’t set out to be that. It’s the most egalitarian industry in the world. We don’t care who you are. Are you good? Are you entrepreneurial? Have you got an interesting mind? Come on in.”

As Hegarty sees it, the biggest problem is women taking career breaks to have children, then struggling to rejoin an industry that has moved on: “It’s very, very hard and I sympathise with that enormously. Of course we should be doing everything we can to help. But the thing about a creative career is that, if you are not doing it every day, you are not getting better every day. It’s like a sports person. If you are 24 years old and a tennis player, you can’t take a year off; you’ve lost the momentum. You can’t accuse our hugely competitive industry of being competitive.”

But surely he thinks it’s unfair for women to have to take the hit on their careers to bring up children?

Hegarty says: “What are you going to do about it? On average, men live a shorter amount of time than women. That’s really unfair. I think we should make that an issue. Maybe that’s the price I’ve paid for doing the work I’ve done, and building the companies I’ve built, and providing for my family: I don’t live as long.”

It’s hard to tell whether he is being mischievous or deadly serious. But he continues: “We have to talk about this. In life, you can’t have it all and you have to make choices. Be aware of those choices. Life has sacrifice in it. My parents’ generation went to war so I could go to school. You have to accept what you are and the decisions you make.”

Hegarty admits adland is predominately White and male—and he feigns concern that the field suffers from the exclusivity—yet he’s unable to figure out why diversity remains a dream deferred and denied. Plus, the idiot essentially serves up a polite version of the Neil French perspective on women in advertising. Finally, Hegarty has the audacity to proclaim, “[Advertising’s] the most egalitarian industry in the world. We don’t care who you are. Are you good? Are you entrepreneurial? Have you got an interesting mind? Come on in.” But don’t “come on in” if you’re a minority—just drop off a resume and maybe Hegarty will get back to you at his discriminatory discretion. Or maybe not.

12700: Cap’n Crunch Sails To Taco Bell.

USA TODAY reported Taco Bell is offsetting its health-minded efforts to reduce salt and artificial flavoring and colors from its menu items by introducing Cap’n Crunch doughnut holes. Sounds like the perfect companion for Doritos Locos Tacos and Fritos-filled Beefy Crunch Burritos.

Taco Bell to offer Cap’N Crunch doughnut holes

Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY

Taco Bell is trying its best to win National Doughnut Day.

The fast food chain — which pioneered the “fourth meal” — announced on Friday that it will begin selling Cap’n Crunch doughnut holes nationally starting July 2.

The company began testing the item — which they’ve dubbed Cap’N Crunch Delights — earlier this year at a store in Bakersfield, Calif. The warm doughnut holes covered in Cap’n Crunch Crunch Berries cereal and filled with “milk icing.”

Company officials decided to take sugary treat national after “overwhelmingly positive” response from customers in Bakersfield, Taco Bell spokeswoman Ashley Sioson.

The doughnut holes will be offered in packs of 2 for $1.00, 4 for $1.69 or 12 for $4.49.

The big announcement on National Doughnut Day — the holey celebration of America’s favorite morning pastry and successor to the Salvation Army Doughnut Day — comes after Taco Bell announced this week that it would begin testing beer, wine and spiked-freezes at a soon-to-open Chicago location.

The boozy Taco Bell is expected to open up later this summer.

12699: White Man On White Women.

DNA Seattle Co-Founder and CEO Alan Brown is the latest White man to jump on the White women’s bandwagon after a 3% Conference experience, publishing a patronizing fluff piece titled, “What Can I Tell My Daughter About the Role of Women in Advertising?” Well, Brown could tell his daughter that she’ll have no problem landing a job in the field by tapping the White privilege and nepotism that Daddy will perpetuate. Brown also encouraged his child to have integrity, to be good, kind to other people and honest. It would be challenging for Brown to demonstrate such characteristics if posed with the question, “What Can I Tell My Daughter About the Role of Minorities in Advertising?” A peek at the DNA Seattle roster displays a less-than-3% representation of Blacks and Browns—even if counting Alan Brown. Oh, and White women are well represented at the place.

12698: Cheerios Force Feeds Bullshit.

Advertising Age spotlighted a new Cheerios commercial featuring another mixed-race kid. However, this spot doesn’t include a Dad, so it’s hard to determine the real point of the casting. According to Ad Age, it might be a nod to Mom feeding her son a variety of flavors. If so, someone at Saatchi & Saatchi New York should be beaten with a variety of sticks. The “concept” is forced and offensive. Besides, for Mom to be stuffing her kid with a range of breakfast cereals borders on child abuse. And the commercial borders beyond viewer abuse.

12697: The Priceline Of Diversity.

Adweek reported Priceline is launching a review of its creative business, presently featuring William Shatner. If the travel site wants to diversify for a more inclusive audience, they should integrate Sulu and Uhura.

Priceline ‘Negotiators’ Put Creative Up for Review

William Shatner-hawked travel site spent $136 million in media last year

By Andrew McMains

Priceline.com’s creative business is up for review, the company has confirmed.

Ark Advisors in New York is the consultancy hired to run the process. Ark could not immediately be reached, but sources said that the online travel site had already begun to contact agencies.

Priceline spent more than $136 million in media last year, up from about $127 million in 2013, according to Kantar Media.

The incumbent is Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, in Sausalito, Calif, which has been invited to defend, a Priceline representative said. Butler, Shine has handled the account since 2006. Before that, the business was at Gotham in New York.

Priceline’s ads have long featured actor William Shatner, most recently in the role of the “Negotiator.” Paired with him in current ads is actress Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting of The Big Bang Theory, who plays the Negotiator’s daughter.

Those actors remain under contract and will continue to appear in Priceline ads, the rep said.

The company has high brand awareness, “but we’re constantly looking for ways to keep the brand fresh and connect with consumers,” the rep added. “So, that’s what we’re doing.”

Priceline also has a new CEO who has a background in marketing. Paul Hennessy succeeded Chris Soder on April 1. Previously, Hennessy was chief marketing officer at sister brand Booking.com.

Media planning and buying responsibilities are not in play and remain at Ocean Media. The creative search is in its early stages and is expected to conclude in September.

12696: Norwegian Cruises With Whites.

Adweek reported Norwegian Cruise Line sailed with Omnicom, picking BBDO Atlanta as its new White advertising agency and OMD as its new White media shop. Did the pitch teams include any Norwegians? Hey, it’s more likely that Norwegians were tapped versus minorities.

Norwegian Cruise Line Hires Omnicom Shops

BBDO, OMD replace The Martin Agency By Noreen O’Leary

Norwegian Cruise Line has a new agency lineup, with BBDO, Atlanta, as the company’s new creative lead, and OMD, Midwest, planning and buying media.

The creative assignment spans traditional and digital ads and represents about $5 million in revenue. NCL’s media spending totaled $33 million last year, down from about $45 million in 2013, according to Kantar Media.

The Omnicom Group shops replace The Martin Agency, which has worked with NCL since 2011.

The selections came after a review, in which Martin did not participate. The process began with 14 agencies and came down to four finalists, including BBDO. The other three contenders were not disclosed.

The agency switch follows NCL’s acquisition in November of Prestige Cruises International, the parent of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, which combines one of the industry’s largest mass-market lines with two upscale cruise brands. As a result, the fast-growing company brought in a new CEO, Frank Del Rio, the co-founder of Oceania and CEO of Prestige. Two months later, Andy Stuart, evp, sales at NCL, was named president and COO.

“The change in leadership has really crystalized a more aggressive growth strategy,” said Meg Lee, chief marketing officer at NCL. “We want to grow our business internationally as we almost double our capacity in the next few years. Norwegian Cruise Line and the cruise industry are on an uptick and we are looking to capitalize on this business momentum.”

Lee, who spent eight years at NCL in various marketing and advertising roles, is also part of that shift and was named to her current role in March. Rounding out the new executive team behind the review is Harry Sommer, who was promoted to evp, international business in May.

Lee cited BBDO and OMD’s track record with high-involvement brands as a deciding factor in the search process. The agencies are being asked to drive NCL’s global expansion and sell consumers on the cruise line’s “Freestyle Cruising” concept, which offers guests more leisure options and freedom in their schedules by forgoing set meal times and seating requirements and eliminating a requirement for formal mealtime attire. The first work from BBDO is expected to debut in January.

12695: Giant Spoonful Of Exclusivity.

Question from Adweek: What Happens When a Group of OMD Execs Jumps Ship and Moves to the East Village?

Answer from MultiCultClassics: A bunch of White men maintain the status quo and perpetuate the exclusivity that stifles diversity.

12694: Profiling At PNC.

PNC Bank bans hoodies? Not sure why the sign didn’t simply read: No bank robbers allowed.

12693: Peeing On Poise.

Poise is patently pathetic. Possibly inspired by “Pee Happens” from Always Discreet, Poise invites women to recycle their period pads:

Why use period pads for pee when you could use Poise thin-shape pads with SAM (super absorbent material) and stay three times drier? We’re turning those extra period pads into something awesome with #RecycleYourPeriodPad. How would you recycle your period pad? Share your ideas using #RecycleYourPeriodPad or check out Poise.com for a free sample of Poise.

Somebody should have pissed all over this idea in the concept stage.

12692: BBDO Poops On Diversity.

Adweek presented a new spot from BBDO New York for Pedigree that seeks to address racial issues while selling dog food. Hey, the White advertising agency should have integrated the infamous real-life story of an L.A. firefighter who filed a lawsuit after his colleagues served him spaghetti laced with dog food. But seriously, it’s outrageous that BBDO New York creates comic books and commercials to promote racial harmony while showing complete cultural cluelessness about fostering diversity in their own hallways. The place is full of dog shit.

12691: Less Loot For Lévy.

Adweek reported Publicis Groupe CEO Maurice Lévy earned only $3.1 million last year as a result of failing to meet performance criteria. Of course, Lévy’s salary is still roughly $3 million more than the average senior-level executive in Publicis Groupe. The people deciding Lévy’s loot should have viewed the old man as a drunken john, given all of his reckless spending on every digital prostitute that crossed his path. Hell, if MDC Partners CEO Miles Nadal is facing investigation for his money handling, Lévy ought to be placed under an auditor’s microscope too.

Publicis Chief Maurice Lévy Earned a Mere $3 Million Last Year

Failed to meet some performance targets

By Noreen O’Leary

Publicis Groupe chief Maurice Lévy earned a modest $3.1 million in compensation last year, a pittance compared with his peers.

Omnicom CEO John Wren, for instance, took home $24 million, while WPP’s chief Martin Sorrell stands to collect shares worth $53 million as part of his 2014 compensation. Miles Nadal, the top exec at MDC Partners, received nearly $17 million, and Interpublic’s CEO Michael Roth pocketed $13 million.

Since 2012, Lévy has not collected a base salary, with all of his compensation tied to performance criteria. (That compensation is capped at €5 million, which is currently worth $4.6 million.) At Publicis Groupe’s annual meeting yesterday in Paris, Lévy’s performance evaluation was shared for a year when the company’s audacious plans to merge with rival Omnicom fell apart.

Lévy did not meet expectations on three of his four quantitative criteria: total shareholder return, increased earnings per share, and organic growth. However, he achieved results in increasing net income and was paid $1.6 million for doing so. (Net income fell 9 percent, but headline net income, which strips out various losses and costs like those related to the Publicis-Omnicom merger and Publicis’ $3.7 billion acquisition of Sapient, rose 4.7 percent in 2014.)

The Publicis chief fared better with qualitative criteria. In updating the company’s 2013 strategy with detailed plans to achieve objectives, Publicis said Lévy “partly achieved” his goals. That was also the case with his efforts to define the Groupe’s future organizational structure and “implement a transitional phase,” which presumably refers to Lévy’s planned retirement in 2017. He was fully successful in raising the proportion of digital income to 50 percent of the Groupe’s total revenue and was paid $1.4 million.

In a newly released yearbook of 2014 highlights, Lévy acknowledged the uneven performance and hinted that the negotiations and ultimate failure of the Omnicom merger might have been a distraction:

“It is true that [2014] was a year of mixed results for Publicis Groupe, with 2 percent growth over the year, which falls short of both our abilities and expectations. The reasons are numerous and are due in part to the fact that our core management teams were too focused on other projects, which did not materialize.”

12690: Colonel Wood.

Advertising Age published a perspective by Douglas J. Wood, a partner with Reed Smith and General Counsel to the Association of National Advertisers. Don’t know or care what Wood wrote about. But he should have been chosen ahead of Darrell Hammond to portray Colonel Sanders in the new KFC campaign.

12689: New White Place For Ace.

Advertising Age reported Ace Hardware handed its account to O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul after a shootout between White advertising agencies. The IPG-backed OKRP previously picked up a Pizza Hut assignment sans review. Incumbent White advertising agency GSD&M—which just lost Petsmart—did not participate in the competition, probably in order to focus even more time to Annie the Chicken Queen for Popeyes.

O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul Nabs Ace Hardware After Review

Account Had Been at GSD&M, Which Did Not Participate in Review

By Maureen Morrison

Ace Hardware has named O’Keefe, Reinhard & Paul its new agency after a review.

Omnicom’s GSD&M had been the lead agency on the account since 2009, though the agency did not participate in the review. According to people familiar with the matter, finalists in the review were Interpublic’s FCB, Escape Pod, OKRP and Schafer Condon Carter, all in Chicago, not far from the company’s Oak Brook, Ill. headquarters. There was no search consultant involved in the review.

Jeff Gooding, senior director of consumer marketing and advertising at Ace said that the marketer chose OKRP, in part, because of its small business mindset (the shop is a two-year-old startup), which he said matches that of its store owners, who have some 4,400 U.S. locations. “Their insights and creative were strong and straightforward, and we’re a straightforward company,” he said. He also noted that the agency took the time to understand the company’s culture, which is based on being a source of advice for consumers who like do-it-yourself home improvement projects.

Mr. Gooding said it’s not yet clear when new work from OKRP will launch. The company’s media agency is Publicis Groupe’s Spark, which won the account in 2013.

OKRP is a relatively young agency, launched in March 2013 by former FCB executives. Since its launch, the shop has worked on Pizza Hut’s Wing Street, as well as other Yum brands projects and Turtle Wax. The agency is perhaps best known for its holiday work for Big Lots last year.

Ace has recently put an emphasis on the paint category. Last year, Interpublic’s FCB worked on the rollout of Ace’s new paint department, an effort between Ace and Valspar, with a campaign called “Helpful is beautiful.” Valspar is an FCB client.

Ace in 2014 upped its U.S. measured media spending to $63 million, up from $52 million the prior year, according to Kantar Media. In 2012 Ace spent $47 million.

12688: Petsmart Sets Dog Free.

Advertising Age reported Petsmart got smart, splitting with White advertising agency GSD&M after less than seven months in favor of transferring the marketing duties to in-house resources. The move sorta indicates the client decided GSD&M was not better than nothing. At least now the Austin-based agency has more time to focus on their pet project: Annie the Chicken Queen for Popeyes.

GSD&M, Petsmart Part Ways After Less Than Seven Months

Retailer Brings Marketing Back In-House Following Acquisition by Private Equity Group

By Maureen Morrison

Just seven months after tapping Omnicom’s GSD&M as its agency, Petsmart is bringing the bulk of its advertising in-house.

The move comes after Petsmart was bought by a consortium led by BC Partners in December. That deal became final in mid-March. Two weeks later, Phil Bowman, exec VP-customer experience, a role that oversees marketing, left the company. He has since been replaced by Eran Cohen, whose hire was announced as part of a new leadership team in the wake of the private-equity acquisition.

Bringing its creative in-house isn’t new for the retailer. Prior to hiring GSD&M, the company had fielded much of its marketing in-house in recent years.

“While we appreciate the efforts of GSD&M, we’ve decided not to continue our partnership with them,” said Michelle Friedman, a spokeswoman at Petsmart. “We will resume management of all creative work with our in-house team.”

Said GSD&M in a statement: “We want to thank our client partners for the opportunity to create bold work in a true collaboration. We are proud of the work we created together and wish everyone at Petsmart the best during their transition.”

The agency in February launched a campaign called “Petsmart partners in pethood,” which included spots directed by Christopher Guest.

Petsmart spent about $113 million in U.S. measured media in 2014, according to Kantar Media, up from nearly $105 million in 2013.

The loss of Petsmart comes after the agency recently parted ways with Marshalls. Ace Hardware, which the agency has also handled, also went into review. In the past year, GSD&M has picked up the Hampton hotel business (August), the Northwestern Mutual account (July) and media planning and buying, along with select creative projects for Chipotle (last May.)

Contributing: Ashley Rodriguez

12687: Black Hawks Down.

The Atlanta Hawks were swept in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are now heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007. But don’t be too quick to credit the extraordinary talent of LeBron James for the decisive victory. Rather, put the blame squarely on the Offensive Karma ignited by Hawks owner Bruce Levenson and Hawks general manager Danny Ferry. Thanks to Messrs. Levenson and Ferry, the Hawks couldn’t have beaten LeBron James—or even Kevin James.

12686: Drilling For A Concept.

If you drilled into the heads of the creative team responsible for these ads, you’d discover empty skulls.

From Ads of the World.

12685: U.S. Navy’s New Stooge.

Adweek reported the U.S. Navy sailed away from its White advertising agency of 15 years and docked into a new White advertising agency. Replacing Lowe Campbell Ewald with Young & Rubicam is like swapping Curly for Shemp—although a lot less entertaining.

U.S. Navy Picks a New Agency After 15 Years With One Shop

Young & Rubicam takes over for Lowe Campbell Ewald

By Noreen O’Leary

Young & Rubicam is the U.S. Navy’s new agency, following a mandated review in which Lowe Campbell Ewald defended one of its largest accounts of 15 years, sources said.

Last year the Interpublic agency, now reconfigured as part of the Mullen Lowe Group, received a contract extension until a review could determine the winner of a five-year contract beginning this year. The agency last defended the business in 2009.

Last year the Navy spent $39.6 million on measured media, according to Kantar Media.

A Y&R representative declined to comment.

The new contract runs for a full year, followed by four one-year options that extend through 2020. Y&R will handle traditional, digital and mobile advertising as well as account and media planning, research, public relations and events.

In 2009, Lowe Campbell Ewald produced the tagline “America’s Navy. A global force for good.” to attract young recruits, but last year the Navy began phasing out the line after negative feedback from active-duty sailors, veterans and the American public. Earlier this year, the agency produced a new spot, “Pin Map,” which positioned the Navy as “Around the world, around the clock.”

Losing the Navy business is the latest blow for the agency, which lost its biggest client Cadillac last year, an account it worked on as part of a consortium of agencies called Rogue.

12684: Orbit Gum Blows.

Orbit presents a global, multicultural campaign in the laziest way possible, integrating Ashton Kutcher, Cristián de la Fuente and Damon Wayans Jr. delivering identical performances in the same set. Why is Kutcher chewing with a woman who isn’t Mila Kunis? And why is Wayans Jr. depicting an interracial romance?

12683: Adios To Artificiality…?

The Associated Press reported Taco Bell is following up its salt reduction efforts with an attempt to get rid of artificial flavors and colors in its menu items. Of course, the move will not affect soft drinks or co-branded products like the infamous Doritos Locos Tacos. Univision’s new campaign tagline—Todo Es Posible—would be disproved by the goal of removing the artificiality from Taco Bell.

Taco Bell to get rid of artificial flavors, colors

By Associated Press

Call it the Chipotle effect.

Taco Bell and Pizza Hut say they’re getting rid of artificial colors and flavors, making them the latest big food companies scrambling to distance themselves from ingredients people might find unappetizing.

Instead of “black pepper flavor,” for instance, Taco Bell will start using actual black pepper in its seasoned beef, says Liz Matthews, the chain’s chief food innovation officer.

The Mexican-style chain also says the artificial dye Yellow No. 6 will be removed from its nacho cheese, Blue No. 1 will be removed from its avocado ranch dressing and carmine, a bright pigment, will be removed from its red tortilla strips.

Matthews said some of the new recipes are being tested in select markets and should be in stores nationally by the end of the year.

The country’s biggest food makers are facing pressure from smaller rivals that position themselves as more wholesome alternatives. Chipotle, in particular, has found success in marketing itself as an antidote to traditional fast food, although some question the meaningfulness of some of its claims. In April, Chipotle announced it had removed genetically modified organisms from its food, even though the Food and Drug Administration says GMOs are safe.

Critics say the purging of chemicals is a response to unfounded fears over ingredients, but companies are nevertheless rushing to ensure their recipes don’t become marketing disadvantages. In recent months, restaurant chains including Panera, McDonald’s and Subway have said they’re switching to ingredients people can easily recognize.

John Coupland, a professor of food science at Penn State University, said companies are realizing some ingredients may not be worth the potential harm they might cause to their images, given changing attitudes about additives.

Additionally, he noted that the removal of artificial ingredients can be a way for companies to give their food a healthy glow without making meaningful changes to their nutritional profiles. For instance, Coupland said reducing salt, sugar or portion sizes would have a far bigger impact on public health.

Taco Bell and Pizza Hut are owned by Yum Brands Inc., which had hinted the changes would be on the way. At a conference for investors late last year, Yum CEO Greg Creed referred to the shifting attitudes and the desire for “real food” as a revolution in the industry.

Representatives at KFC and Yum’s corporate headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky were not immediately available to comment on whether the fried chicken chain would also be removing artificial ingredients.

Pizza Hut says it will remove artificial colors and preservatives by the end of July.

Taco Bell says it will take out artificial colors, artificial flavors, high-fructose corn syrup and unsustainable palm oil from its food by the end of 2015. It says artificial preservatives will be removed “where possible” by 2017. The moves do not affect fountain drinks or co-branded products, such as its Doritos-flavored taco shells.

Brian Niccol, the chain’s CEO, said price increases are based on a variety of factors, and that the company would work to keep its menu affordable.

“I do not want to lose any element of being accessible to the masses,” Niccol said.

When asked whether the changes would affect taste, a representative for Taco Bell said in an email that “It will be the same great tasting Taco Bell that people love.”