12454: POM Is Wonderful Liar.

From The Los Angeles Times…

Pom Wonderful loses appeal of FTC’s deceptive advertising ruling

By Andrew Khouri

A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling that pomegranate juice seller Pom Wonderful falsely claimed in its advertising that its products could treat heart disease, prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction.

The decision Friday affirmed a Federal Trade Commission ruling against the Los Angeles company owned by billionaires Lynda and Stewart Resnick. That decision ordered Pom to stop “making misleading and inadequately supported claims about the health benefits of POM products.”

“The FTC Act proscribes — and the 1st Amendment does not protect — deceptive and misleading advertisements,” U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Sri Srinivasan wrote in the ruling.

The Resnicks helped make pomegranate juice popular by selling it in unique, curvaceous bottles and promoting its ability to fight disease and even, as one advertisement said, help consumers “cheat death.”

The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, however, did not uphold all of the FTC’s order.

The three-judge panel said the company must cite only one “randomized, controlled, human clinical trial” as evidence before asserting its products can fight diseases.

The commission had required at least two.

Pom, in a statement, said that it was pleased with that reduction and that the company “has always communicated with consumers in a transparent, honest manner, delivering valuable information about the potential health benefits of our products.”

Staff writer Stuart Pfeifer contributed to this report.

12453: Super Bowl McShit.

This Super Bowl XLIX Pay With Lovin’ commercial is a Pile of McShit. Wonder if outgoing CEO Don Thompson will receive a lovin’ hug and free Big Mac on March 1.

12452: White Adwoman Promoted. Again.

Campaign reported on yet another White female enjoying a promotion in adland: Dentsu Aegis Network UK CEO Tracy De Groose was elevated to the company’s EMEA executive board. Since Dentsu is a Japanese-owned enterprise, the upgrade shows Caucasian adwomen even thrive internationally. Plus, De Groose was only bumped to her Dentsu Aegis Network UK CEO role last May, having previously held the lowly position of CEO at Carat. Oh, how the woman must have suffered through the overwhelming obstacles posed by gender inequality in our industry. Gee, at this point, Kat Gordon and Lindsey Clay should be candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize. Or at least an ADCOLOR® Award.

Tracy De Groose promoted at Dentsu Aegis Network

By Sarah Shearman

Tracy De Groose, the chief executive of Dentsu Aegis Network UK, has been promoted to its EMEA executive board, following the appointment of Rob Horler as the network’s first US chief executive.

De Groose, who was promoted to chief executive of Dentsu Aegis Network UK in May from her previous role of chief executive of Carat, will also take on additional management responsibility for Ireland.

Horler, who is currently the chief executive of Northern Europe at Dentsu Aegis Network, will relocate from London to New York in April.

He will continue to report to Nigel Morris, the chief executive of Dentsu Aegis Network, Americas and EMEA.

Horler joined the business as the managing partner of Carat Interactive in London 2000. He went on to found the digital media agency Diffiniti, which became part of the iProspect network in 2009.

After becoming the managing director of Carat UK in 2008, Horler was promoted to chief executive for Aegis Media UK in 2011. Horler assumed his current role as the chief executive of Dentsu Aegis Network Northern Europe in 2013.

Horler will retain his responsibility for the ongoing global development of Dentsu Aegis’ iProspect and Data2Decisions brands.

The Northern Europe chief executive will not be replaced directly. Other changes include Thierry Jadot, the chief executive of Dentsu Aegis Network France, taking on responsibility for the oversight of the network in the Netherlands.

12451: Tweet By An Asshat.

Based on this scenario, ABC needs to review the ABCs of engaging on Twitter.

12450: Another White Adwoman Advances.

Adweek reported on yet another White woman being promoted at a White advertising agency—newly appointed Ogilvy New York CCO Corinna Falusi. This could never have happened without the tireless crusading from Kat Gordon and Lindsey Clay. Thanks, girls!

Meanwhile, Ogilvy admits the industry is “not exactly leading the way” with diversity—despite trumpeting its commitment to diversity and inclusion—yet the White advertising agency has no problem finding White women to lead the organization.

Ogilvy Names an Insider to Fill a Top Creative Role

Corinna Falusi rises to CCO of New York

By Noreen O’Leary

Corinna Falusi is rising to New York chief creative officer at Ogilvy & Mather, filling a vacancy left by last summer’s exit of Calle Sjöenell.

Falusi, an executive creative director who has led creative on brands like Coca-Cola, Fanta, Ikea, Spotify and, most recently, Coke Zero, is the first major leadership change by Chris Garbutt, the CCO at Ogilvy & Mather East, who assumed his cross-disciplinary job a year ago. Garbutt previously had been CCO of Ogilvy France, where he played a pivotal role in creating global campaigns for Coca-Cola, and came to the U.S. to help raise the agency’s creative profile here.

Falusi will report to Garbutt and partner closely with New York president Adam Tucker, according to the agency.

Falusi began her career in Europe, doing stints at Jung von Matt, Germany, and StawberryFrog, in Amsterdam before moving to that agency’s New York office where she led integrated efforts on Frito-Lay brands. She also contributed to global campaigns for Heineken and New Balance.

Sjöenell spent more than two years at Ogilvy, joining from Bartle Bogle Hegarty. Last February, when Ogilvy appointed Garbutt, the agency insisted the role and influence of Sjöenell would not change. Six months later he said he was leaving.

12449: Move Over, Dora The Explorer.

From The New York Daily News…

Disney’s first Latina princess is coming to ‘Sofia the First’

Princess Elena of Avalor will debut on the Disney Junior ‘toon next year and later get her own series

By Don Kaplan

Disney unveiled its first Latina princess Thursday.

Princess Elena of Avalor will star in an episode of “Sofia the First,” a hit Disney Junior show for preschoolers, in 2016, and will later get her own spinoff series.

Elena is “a confident and compassionate teenager in an enchanted fairy-tale kingdom inspired by diverse Latin cultures and folklore,” the network said in a statement.

Aimee Carrero from ABC Family’s “Young & Hungry” will provide the voice of Elena, whose backstory is connected to the magical amulet Sofia wears.

Sofia’s stepfather, the king of Enchancia, gave it to her in the series’ first episode and told her never to take it off.

The amulet summons other Disney princesses — like Cinderella and Ariel the mermaid — when Sofia is in trouble and also allows her to talk to animals.

In the episode featuring Elena, Sofia learns that the girl was imprisoned in the amulet decades ago by an evil sorceress while trying to protect her little sister.

Sofia “discovers the truth … and sets out to restore Elena to her human form and help her return to the kingdom of Avalor,” says Disney.

12448: UK Diversity Dummies.

Campaign reported on a panel discussion at the Advertising Association’s Lead Conference that touched upon the dearth of diversity in the creative industry. Chair of Arts Council England Sir Peter Bazalgette remarked all creative industries are not “really working together and sharing best practice” with diversity. Um, it’s tough to share best practices that don’t exist. Bazalgette also said, “Let’s think of creative industries as a whole and talk.” Um, the problem is that there’s been a whole lot of talk with minimal action. “Diversity in creative industries does not reflect the whole country. We don’t bring in people from the whole community,” observed Bazalgette. “That’s wrong on a fairness basis but it doesn’t make commercial sense too.” Wow. Where the hell is this bloke coming from? His overall ignorance on the issue indicates he’s been living on another planet.

Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO Group Chairman Cilla Snowball led the panel. Unfortunately, Snowball’s main concern is with the alleged dearth of dames that is barely a dilemma—at least it’s not a big deal for the White women thriving in adland. Hell, Snowball probably agrees with Thinkbox CEO and Wacl VP Lindsey Clay, who thinks the main best practice involves reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg.

Like their counterparts in the US, advertising leaders in the UK start every diversity endeavor from Ground Zero, as if they’ve never heard of the mess. The cultural cluelessness displayed by these diversity dummies is damn crazy and downright criminal.

Peter Bazalgette: the creative industry needs to work together on diversity

By Maisie McCabe

Sir Peter Bazalgette, the chair of Arts Council England and former chairman of Endemol, has called on the creative industries to work together to improve diversity.

Speaking as part of a panel at the Advertising Association’s Lead conference he said the creative industries are not “really working together and sharing best practice”.

He said: “Let’s think of creative industries as a whole and talk.”

He noted the UK’s creative industry has grown at ten times the rate of the wider economy since 2010. The companies that operate in the space define “our culture, our identity and define our brand abroad” and so need to work better together, he continued.

Bazalgette said: “Diversity in creative industries does not reflect the whole country. We don’t bring in people from the whole community. That’s wrong on a fairness basis but it doesn’t make commercial sense too.”

The session was chaired by Cilla Snowball, the chair of the AA and group chairman at Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, and also involved Stella Creasy, the Labour MP, and Patrick Barwise, the chairman of Which?

Creasy, who was chosen as Labour’s candidate in Walthamstow on an all women shortlist, made the cutting observation that if a room is 20 per cent women, men think it’s 50/50 and if a room is 33 per cent women then men think its mainly women.

She said she was told as a young blonde woman joining Parliament: You better use your title Dr Stella Creasy if you want to be taken seriously. She warned: “If you want to judge someone by their hair colour you’ll only do it once.”

Yesterday the AA published a report that found advertising contributes £187 to each UK household in terms of culture, media and sport.

Snowball said: “Advertising’s making huge contributions to the things that we love to do in culture, media and sport and, if taken away, the things we take for granted would be severely impacted by lack of funds.

“Those three [Advertising Pays] papers are starting to make the business case. That’s a brilliant place to start but ultimately this summit is about whether there’s time for change.”

12447: Burger King Is A Twit.

Adweek reported Burger King tweeted a snarky remark in reference to outgoing Mickey D’s CEO Don Thompson. Um, Burger King is hardly a stranger to playing CEO musical chairs. Plus, the fast feeder’s recent sales bump—fueled by the reintroduction of Chicken Fries—doesn’t exactly indicate a turnaround warranting such flame-broiled bravado. Although at least they didn’t recruit Mary J. Blige to hawk the Chicken Fries.

12446: Michelob Ultra White Agency.

Advertising Age reported Anheuser-Busch InBev completed a review that moved the Michelob Ultra account from Havas Chicago to FCB Chicago—which is like bar-hopping from Hooters to Tilted Kilt. An InBev spokesperson gushed, “FCB really demonstrated strong creative and content capabilities that will help our growing brand grow.” Right. From those wonderful folks who gave you “Man Up” for Miller Lite. Not sure why there are few details about the actual review—which launched in December—or the probably White advertising agencies that participated. Maybe it was a case of Corporate Cultural Collusion over cold beers. Given A-B InBev’s notorious cheapness, perhaps the “creative and content capabilities” were demonstrated by accounting and procurement wonks. One thing can be presumed with reasonable certainty: the shootout was an ultra exclusive affair.

FCB Wins Michelob Ultra

The Interpublic Shop Gets a Beer Brand Back on its Client Roster

By E.J. Schultz

Interpublic’s FCB has won creative ad duties for Michelob Ultra after a review that began late last year. The fast-growing Anheuser-Busch InBev brand had been at Havas’ Palm & Havas in Chicago before the brewer put the account into review.

“FCB really demonstrated strong creative and content capabilities that will help our growing brand grow,” an A-B InBev spokesman said, confirming the move.

The agency is expected to handle the account from its Chicago and Toronto offices.

Ultra has been a star performer in the beer industry, quietly posting continual sales growth without getting the kind of massive ad spending support enjoyed by other big light beer brands. Ultra is the seventh-largest beer brand by sales, according to IRI, which does not include bar sales. In the 52-week period ending Nov. 2, Michelob Ultra sales were up 11.8% to $887.5 million.

The brewer spent $49.6 million in measured media on Ultra in the first 11 months of last year, according to the latest data available from Kantar Media. That compares with $292 million that was spent on Bud Light, the nation’s top-selling beer.

The win is significant for FCB because it gives the shop a beer account for the first time since MillerCoors cut ties with the agency in mid 2012.

Contributing: Maureen Morrison

12445: Whites Went Where.

Advertising Age published, “Who Went Where: Your Guide to This Month’s Unusual Spate of Key Creative Moves”—and as previously noted, it’s essentially a White People Shuffle.

12444: Cattiness For Kat Gordon.

Does anyone else think Kat Gordon’s perspectives make sense less than 3% of the time?

Gordon possibly topped her spinach-in-your-teeth nonsense with an Adweek column on the upcoming Super Bowl commercials that displays all the keen insight of an NFL-challenged woman who only watches the annual championship game for the half-time concert. No, honey, Deflategate is not a new VIAGRA® campaign.

In her latest delusional discussion, Gordon proclaimed this year’s Super Bowl commercials reflect a fresh effort to show “What it means to be an American in 2015.” Gordon continued by declaring, “As President Obama challenged in his recent State of the Union address: ‘Imagine if we broke out of these tired, old patterns.’ It appears Madison Avenue has not only already imagined this, but is delivering on it. We’ll see spots that are newly multicultural and inclusive.”

Perhaps, but the creators of the work are anything but multicultural and inclusive. To praise faux progressive propaganda produced by a predominately White male and White female posse is pathetic.

Has Gordon abandoned her alleged desire to battle for equality? Somebody locate the fiery fighter who once stated, “I am not advocating on behalf of my gender. I’m advocating on behalf of our industry. We all will prosper—every gender, ethnicity and culture—when we stop perpetuating this maxim [‘It doesn’t matter who does the creative, as long as they’re good.’] and embrace a more complex and prosperous truth.”

A 2010 report revealed the exclusivity of the folks behind Super Bowl commercials. It’s unlikely that much has changed in five years, as diversity remains a dream deferred and denied in adland—and the industry’s been in deferment and denial for over 60 years.

On the flipside, White women have made great strides in the field and continue to grow in numbers, despite whining to the contrary. But this White women’s movement—happening in US and UK advertising agencies, as well as many other industries—has been accelerating for decades.

Coincidentally, Gordon has scheduled a 3% girlfriends get-together for Super Bowl Sunday, which will take place on the first day of Black History Month. But don’t expect acknowledgment from Gordon and crew, even though White women comprise the group that has most benefited from affirmative action.

Gordon and her friends, incidentally, will be tweeting commentary on the Super Bowl commercials. Um, similar to the Clio Creative Bowl, does anyone really give a shit about self-absorbed opinions from clans of predominately White adpeople?

Additionally, Gordon is wrong to contend that the spots constitute “a lineup that sidesteps stale stereotypes in favor of new characters and storylines more in keeping with what the U.S. looks, feels and sounds like in 2015.” The commercials she references are simply the current pseudo-liberal clichés and stereotypes churned out by White advertising agencies and embraced by White advertisers. For example, the 2014 Cheerios spot is not “in keeping with what the U.S. looks, feels and sounds like,” as Black and White unions are the least common of interracial marriages.

Can’t help but feel like Gordon’s viewpoints are essentially promotional pieces for her 3% Conference—which makes her revolutionary spirit seem, well, patronizing. Sorry, but the 2015 Super Bowl commercials do not represent “What it means to be an American in 2015.” Rather, they ultimately underscore what it means to be a Black American, Latino American, Asian American, Native American, etc. on Madison Avenue in 2015—as well as spotlight the never-ending privileged status of White men and White women in our ranks.

12443: No Lovin’ For Don Thompson…?

Advertising Age reported Mickey D’s CEO Don Thompson is leaving the Golden Arches as the fast feeder continues seeking a turnaround. One has to wonder how Leo Burnett and DDB still survive, as the advertising really sucks. Hell, at this point, even Ronald McDonald should be on the McHot Seat. Ironically (or obscenely, depending upon your personal perspective), Thompson will remain on board through Black History Month—then again, Mickey D’s celebrates 365Black.

McDonald’s Chief Executive Don Thompson Departs

Chief Brand Officer Easterbrook Takes Helm As Chain Seeks Turnaround

By Maureen Morrison

McDonald’s top executive Don Thompson is out at McDonald’s.

Mr. Thompson will leave his post effective March 1 and will be replaced by McDonald’s veteran Steve Easterbrook, currently chief brand officer.

The move comes as McDonald’s makes sweeping changes to turn around its ailing business.

Mr. Thompson’s departure is the latest in a series of senior executive changes in the 18 months at the fast feeder. Deborah Wahl, U.S. CMO, replaced Neil Golden early in 2014. Mike Andres was named U.S. president last year after Jeff Stratton departed the chain. The company also recruited Atif Rafiq to be McDonald’s chief digital officer, a newly created role to guide the company’s digital strategy. Marlena Peleo-Lazar, chief creative officer, left last year and has not been replaced.

Mr. Thompson’s departure follows a round of layoffs earlier this month at the company’s headquarters that resulted in the loss of 63 jobs, part of an effort to cut costs by $100 million. Some executives familiar with the matter said that the chain has been conducting layoffs in departments including marketing, but the company did not respond to a request for comment.

“Steve is a strong and experienced executive who successfully led our U.K. and European business units and the board is confident that he can effectively lead the company to improved financial and operational performance,” said Andrew McKenna, McDonald’s non-executive chairman.

Mr. Thompson is a longtime Golden Arches exec who joined the company in 1990 and rose through the ranks. In 2006 he was named president of the company’s U.S. operations and in 2010 was tapped as president of the corporation. That made him No. 2 to then-top exec Jim Skinner. Mr. Skinner stepped down in 2012 and Mr. Thompson added the CEO title to his duties.

Just last week Mr. Thompson during the company’s earnings call said that 2015 would be a year of “regaining momentum.” For 2014, global same-store sales decreased 1.0% and in the fourth quarter and U.S. same-store sales fell 1.7%. McDonald’s hasn’t had a positive sales quarter in the U.S. since third quarter 2013, when it posted a 0.7% bump.

The move comes as McDonald’s is in the midst of a marketing refresh in the U.S. that includes a spot in Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Mr. Easterbrook is currently senior exec VP-chief brand officer. In that role, he has been leading McDonald’s efforts to elevate its marketing, advance menu innovation, and create an infrastructure for its digital initiatives, according to a statement.

Mr. Easterbrook was actually returning to that role. He rejoined McDonald’s in April 2013 after stints as CEO at Japanese noodle restaurant chain Wagamama and as CEO of U.K. chain Pizza Express. When he left McDonald’s in September 2011, he was president of McDonald’s Europe, a post he was elevated to after only three months as global chief brand officer.

Mr. Thompson said in a statement: “It’s tough to say goodbye to the McFamily, but there is a time and season for everything. I am truly confident as I pass the reins over to Steve, that he will continue to move our business and brand forward.”

Other executive changes announced Wednesday include, Pete Bensen, senior exec VP-chief financial officer shifted to the newly created role of chief administrative officer. Kevin Ozan, who currently serves as senior VP-corporate controller, moves to exec VP-CFO.

12442: Egging On ExxonMobil.

The New York Post reported scientists have discovered a way to un-boil an egg. Look for ExxonMobil to incorporate the breakthrough into it next propaganda campaign—while continuing to ignore its ability and responsibility to undo the damage caused by the Exxon Valdez disaster.

Scientists have learned how to un-boil an egg

By Chris Perez

Scientists have cracked the mystery of how to un-boil an egg.

As useless as it sounds, the innovation could dramatically reduce costs for cancer treatments, food production and other segments of the $160 billion global biotechnology industry, according to findings published last week in the journal ChemBioChem.

“Yes, we have invented a way to unboil a hen egg,” said Gregory Weiss, University of California-Irvine professor of chemistry, molecular biology and biochemistry.

Like many others before him, Weiss had struggled to efficiently produce or recycle valuable molecular proteins in eggs which could possibly contain a wide range of applications.

The problem was that the proteins would frequently “misfold” into structurally incorrect shapes when they were formed, rendering them useless. Untangling them also created problems for scientists because of how long the process could take.

But UC-Irvine and Australian chemists have finally found a way to reverse the cooking process and untangle the proteins in a matter of minutes, according to their research.

“It speeds things up by a factor of thousands,” Weiss explained. “The real problem is there are lots of cases of gummy proteins that you spend way too much time scraping off your test tubes, and you want some means of recovering that material.”

When the scientists conducted their research, the eggs they used weren’t just hard-boiled, but were also cooked for 20 minutes at 90 degrees Celsius (194 degrees Fahrenheit). With the addition of urea — the main component of urine — the boiled egg whites were transformed back into liquid. The amino acids inside were then untangled using a vortex fluid device made of a thin glass tube spun at 5,000 rpm.

The groundbreaking technique will ultimately do wonders for cancer patients by producing cheaper antibodies, which are currently made using expensive ovaries from hamsters. They would instead be produced inside much cheaper yeast or bacteria cells, ChemBioChem reports.

The ability to re-form common proteins from yeast or E. coli bacteria at lightning-fast speeds could potentially streamline protein manufacturing and make cancer treatments more affordable. The new approach will also increase cheese production — giving farmers more bang for their buck, according to UCI News.

The university has filed for a patent on their work and its Office of Technology Alliances is in talks with interested commercial partners.

12441: Rewarding Exclusivity.

As Hollywood and Madison Avenue head through their respective award seasons, it’s disturbing to see the similarities in regards to exclusivity. That is, White men drive both industries, and it shows in the work that is ultimately lauded as being the “best” in the business.

The 2015 Academy Awards have already received criticism for the nominees’ lack of diversity. Film Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs tried to coordinate damage control, yet her response seemed disturbingly clueless.

The Best Picture nominations underscore matters with an exclamation point. It’s no secret that the academy is roughly 94 percent White, overwhelming male and old. With the exception of Selma, the nominated films essentially depict White males overcoming physical and/or emotional obstacles. But that’s the result when the criteria for excellence—as well as the privileges of production—are viewed and established through a mono-cultural lens.

On the other hand, Madison Avenue appears completely oblivious to its dearth of diversity at award shows, despite past attempts to publicize the problem. Integrating White women into the jury processes is a recent smokescreen—or Caucasian flesh-toned BAND-AID®—that avoids the real root issue of White man dominance. In the end, the advertising award winners are as blatantly Caucasian and male in appeal as the 2015 Best Picture nominees.

If Selma hoped to win accolades, the creators should have taken the Italian approach for hyping 12 Years A Slave. That is, just as an Italian promoter created posters highlighting Michael Fassbender and Brad Pitt for 12 Years A Slave, Selma could have presented itself as a Tom Wilkinson vehicle spotlighting the heroism of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The film’s chances of securing the Oscar would have significantly improved.

12440: Distracting Thumb Dumb.

This guerrilla marketing from DDB in Malaysia deserves a vote of thumbs down.

From Ads of the World.

12439: No Brother Or Buddy.

Campaign reported Havas Worldwide London CEO Russ Lidstone is leaving the White advertising agency as it undergoes a restructuring. Chances are, Lidstone was not a blood relative of the Bollore family or a buddy of Havas Worldwide CEO Andrew Benett. Sorry, mate!

Lidstone exits Havas amid restructure

By James Swift

Russ Lidstone, the chief executive of Havas Worldwide London, is leaving the agency amid a restructure designed to increase collaboration with its sister agency, Havas Work Club.

Havas Worldwide London and Havas Work Club are going to come together in the newly formed Club Havas Partnership in London.

The new structure is being put in place to make it easier for Havas Worldwide London and Havas Work Club to organise themselves into client-centric teams.

Daniel Floyed, who is the global brand director of Havas Worldwide London, and Martin Brooks, the joint chief executive at Work Club, will become Club Havas’ co-managing partners.

Floyed will also lead Havas Worldwide London, effective immediately, replacing Lidstone who is leaving the agency. Lidstone was not available to comment.

Havas Worldwide and Havas Work Club already share clients including Pernod Ricard, Iglo and Reckitt Benckiser, and the new structure is designed to make it easier for the agencies to pool talent and resources.

The two agencies will continue in separate offices until 2017, when they will move into a single site in King’s Cross, but in the meantime staff can move freely between the two, as client work demands.

Brooks told Campaign that the new structure was “a formalistion of what we have already been doing for some time”.

He added that, instead of “crashing the two agencies together”, like has been the case with some agency acquistions, Havas was keen to build its partnership with Work Club on “clients, people and culture”.

Andrew Benett, the global chief executive of Havas Worldwide and Havas Creative Group, added: “This unique structure is a smart way to more fully leverage Havas Work Club’s creative and strategic talent, while also giving the team complete access to the broad capabilities and talent of Havas Worldwide London.”

Lidstone has been at Havas since 2006 (when it was known as Euro RSCG London). He joined as chief strategy officer and was promoted to chief executive in 2009. Before joining the agency he was head of planning at JWT.

Havas acquired Work Club, in May 2014, locking the partners of the digital agency into a six-year earn-out that could be worth £30 million, if all targets are met.

Work Club became part of Havas Worldwide London and was part of Havas’ global “innovation inside” strategy, aimed at making digital innovation a core part of the business.

12438: 1 Woman = 4 Men.

Campaign reported M&C Saatchi Group Executive Creative Director Elspeth Lynn is leaving the White advertising agency as it undergoes a creative department overhaul, prompted by new M&C Saatchi CEO Tom Bazeley. Once again, when clients introduce new CEOs and CMOs who initiate changes and account reviews, advertising agencies cry foul. However, when advertising agencies introduce new CEOs who initiate changes, well, it’s just business as usual. In this case, it must also be noted that the creative department of a White advertising agency was being run by—gasp!—a woman. Somebody tell Lindsey Clay she can calm down and quit whining—UK White women are doing just fine in adland. Why, M&C Saatchi will be using four men to cover what Lynn was overseeing.

Elspeth Lynn leaves M&C Saatchi

By Maisie McCabe

Elspeth Lynn, the group executive creative director at M&C Saatchi, is leaving the agency amid a restructure of its creative department.

Following the changes Mark Goodwin, Jason Lawes, Sam Ball and Dave Bedwood will jointly run the creative department at the agency as creative directors. Grant Parker will continue in his role as head of art.

The restructure follows the appointment of Tom Bazeley as the chief executive of M&C Saatchi in October. Bazeley was previously a founding partner at Lean Mean Fighting Machine, which M&C Saatchi bought in May 2014.

Bazeley said: “We are re-looking at how the whole agency is structured and putting the creative integrity of our work right at the heart of that.

“In a communications world where ideas can come in many shapes and sizes. I want the person making the ultimate creative decisions to be deeply involved in the account.

“They will need the time and space to understand the business challenges, provide inspiration, write ideas, encourage innovation, nurture people and deliver smart, brilliant and newsworthy ideas.

“Having one person working at a very high level isn’t the way to achieve this.”

As the creative directors will have “autonomy” over their clients’ work, there is no need for an executive creative director across the group.

Lynn was hired as executive creative director in February 2012 from Profero, where she was in the same role from 2009. She replaced Graham Fink, who had moved to Ogilvy & Mather China.

Lisa Thomas, the group chief executive at M&C Saatchi, said: “Elspeth has overseen some fantastic work but as a result of the restructure she and I agreed that it was time for her to leave the agency.

“We thank her for her obvious passion and dedication to the agency and our clients and for helping us to modernise the agency. She is a unique individual who will be greatly missed.”

12437: S&McCann.

The talentless hacks from McCann Israel responsible for this Domino’s ad should be beaten into submission—and that’s truth well told.

From Ads of the World.

12436: Diversity Of Droga5…?

Advertising Age’s Creativity named Droga5 2015 Agency of the Year. Not sure why. Creative Chairman and Founder David Droga gushed, “I feel like the diversity of our work is one of our best and truest assets.” Yes, but the diversity of your workers is another story. It looks like Droga5 has less than five minorities.

12435: Publicis.Sapient Delayed.

Nasdaq GlobeNewswire posted a press release announcing Publicis Groupe extended the deadline of its tender offer to purchase Sapient in order to allow for certain required approvals. The deal must now be consummated by February 5, which leaves folks a few weeks to reconsider the $3.7 billion drunken decision by Publicis Groupe CEO Maurice Lévy. At least Sapient employees—including the 13,000 staffers in India—can rest assured there will be no layoffs if the acquisition happens. However, they can’t rest assured there will be no organizational changes, as a leadership cluster-fuck has already been plotted.

Publicis Groupe Extends Tender Offer to Acquire Sapient until February 5, 2015

PUBLICIS GROUPE EXTENDS TENDER OFFER TO ACQUIRE SAPIENT

PARIS, Jan. 23, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, CAC40] (“Publicis”) today announced that it has extended its previously announced tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Sapient Corporation (NASDAQ: SAPE) (“Sapient”) for $25.00 per share in cash (the “Offer”). The Offer will now expire at the end of the day, immediately after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on February 5, 2015, unless it is further extended. All other terms and conditions of the Offer remain unchanged.

The completion of the Offer is subject to certain customary terms and conditions. As previously disclosed, the mandatory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, has expired and the Offer has been cleared unconditionally under the German Act Against Restraints of Competition. The Offer has been extended to allow additional time for the satisfaction of the CFIUS Condition and the FOCI Mitigation Plan Condition, each as defined in the Offer to Purchase dated November 12, 2014, as amended, and other related materials by which the Offer is being made.

Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary for the Offer, has advised Publicis that as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 22, 2015, approximately 113,602,382 shares of common stock of Sapient have been validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer, representing approximately 80.6% of Sapient’s outstanding shares. Shareholders who have already tendered their shares of common stock of Sapient do not have to re-tender their shares or take any other action as a result of the extension of the Offer.

About Publicis Groupe Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is one of the world’s leading communications groups. The Groupe offers a full range of services and skills: digital (DigitasLBi, Razorfish, Rosetta, VivaKi, Nurun), advertising (BBH, Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi), public affairs, corporate communications and events (MSLGROUP), media strategy, planning and buying (Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia), healthcare communications, with Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG), and finally, brand asset production with Prodigious. Present in 108 countries, the Groupe employs more than 64,000 professionals

12434: No Más Salt, Taco Bell!

USA TODAY reported on the quiet campaign from Taco Bell to reduce the salt in menu items. It certainly is a quiet campaign when viewed alongside loud promotions for food-like stuff featuring Doritos and Fritos.

“We have done the right thing. We have done the moral thing,” proclaimed Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed. “What we haven’t done is toot our horn. No one out there suspects we have done it because we haven’t changed the taste.” Hmmm. There are lots of contradictions in Creed’s statement. The CEO said Taco Bell didn’t “toot our horn,” which implies being humble; yet he also said, “No one out there suspects…” which implies being deceitful. Is it possible to do “the moral thing” without being honest? Plus, why act with such grandiosity when “the right thing” is essentially conforming to recommended standards? Creed admits it’s tough for fast feeders to sell healthy food and make a profit. On the flipside, why should places like Taco Bell be allowed to knowingly sell unhealthy food without facing public and even legal scrutiny?

The Fourth Meal fans will undoubtedly argue that people have the inalienable right to consume whatever they wish—oblivious to the scientific evidence proving salt is addictive. Fast-food restaurants that offer healthy menu items in addition to the unhealthy fare are not much different than Big Tobacco financing anti-smoking campaigns and Big Booze financing drunk-driving campaigns. Indeed, at some point, Taco Bell and its peers should be forced to develop healthy eating campaigns—and the messages better not be quiet.

Taco Bell reduces salt in quiet campaign

By Jere Downs, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Taco Bell’s menu is packing less salt, 15 percent less on average since 2009, the result of a stealthy campaign by Yum! Brands CEO Greg Creed.

“We have done the right thing. We have done the moral thing,” Creed said when asked how Yum! is responding to consumer demand for healthier fare. “What we haven’t done is toot our horn. No one out there suspects we have done it because we haven’t changed the taste.”

Taco Bell’s sodium reduction was part of a Yum effort to make 15 percent of its menu items at the chain — as well as at Pizza Hut and KFC — conform to recommended mealtime limits for it, sugar and fats by the end of the year.

And by 2020, Yum wants 20 percent of its menu items to land at or below the limits, chief nutrition officer Jonathan Blum said. The idea is that if consumers eat three meals per day, one of those three meals at a KFC, Taco Bell or Pizza Hut can satisfy one third of the recommended daily allowances.

The initiative “is a bold goal across the globe,” Blum said, adding that the objective is to reduce salt without losing flavor or market share.

“We don’t want it to be perceptible,” he said. “We just want to improve ingredients.”

The increasing public debate about the health consequences of fast food appears to be driving sodium down at other chains. At McDonald’s, for instance, the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder with Cheese sandwiches have dropped their sodium levels between 7 percent and 8 percent, respectively, since 2011. Each McDonald’s burger contains five salt packets each, at 960 and 1,100 milligrams respectively.

But critics say that in some instances, Taco Bell’s efforts fall short. Even though the Steak Burrito Supreme now stands at 1,090 milligrams of sodium instead of 1,340, that much salt in a single blast is still not good for you, said Michael Jacobson, co-founder and executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The Steak Burrito Supreme “has a long way to go to get to a healthy level,” Jacobson said.

The human body requires just 200 milligrams of sodium daily to balance electrolytes and other bodily functions, according to the American Heart Association. But Americans take in 3,463 milligrams of sodium daily, or about 1½ teaspoons of salt, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Yum’s nutrition goals for 2015 and 2020 are “not terribly ambitious,” Jacobson added. “Couldn’t a restaurant have at least half of its products be reasonably healthy?

“At least nutrition is on their radar screen,” he said, adding Taco Bell’s progress is an example of “creeping awareness into the sector.”

Creed, who became Yum’s CEO following a long stint as Taco Bell’s chief, said consumers may shun foods if they are advertised as low salt or otherwise good for you.

“People don’t want the taste to change,” Creed said in an interview this month. “If I came out and said ‘new low sodium Taco Bell,’ some people will think it will taste like you know what, and they are not going to come.”

And for most diners at a Louisville-area Taco Bell on Tuesday, salt wasn’t a concern.

“I like the Gordita Crunch. The sauce is really good,” said Anthony Gardner, 26, of Radcliffe. “It tastes good, so I eat it.”

“I like the salt,” said his brother, Michael Gardner, 32, adding that the pair eat lunch at Taco Bell three or four times a month. “I will probably care about salt a little later in life.”

Exactly how and where the salt has come off Taco Bell’s menu remains a trade secret. During his tenure at the helm of Taco Bell, Creed said he scrutinized all ingredient categories.

“We pulled sodium out of everything, tortillas, beef, marinade for chicken, fire sauce,” he said. “There is not an ingredient that we haven’t pulled sodium out of.”

The numbers show Taco Bell cut salt by one third in 33 menu items between 2009 to 2015. That includes the Grilled Steak Soft Taco, which has 490 milligrams of sodium, a 31 percent decline from its 710 milligrams in 2009, and the Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito, which has 490 milligrams of sodium, a 32 percent decrease from 1,370 six years ago.

Foods dramatically reduced in sodium at Taco Bell also seem to have a soft tortilla. They include the Fresco Grilled Steak Soft Taco (440 milligrams of sodium for a 27 percent drop from 600), and the Chicken Burrito, (960 milligrams of sodium, a 24 percent change from 1,260.)

And while overall progress takes place at Taco Bell, some new menu additions go the other way. The Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch line, for example, contains nearly 900 milligrams of sodium in each variation.

Blum, Yum’s nutrition chief, said high-sodium items like the Doritos Gorditas at Taco Bell, or other salty fare at KFC or Pizza Hut “are absolutely delicious and products I love to eat.” Consumers can be applauded, he added, “for the choices that they make, as long as they have the information and education about what to consume.”

Nancy Kuppersmith, a registered dietician with University of Louisville Physicians, took a more jaded view. Patients that she treats for obesity, diabetes and heart disease commonly eat fast food for one meal per day, she said. Extra sodium in fast food menus, she said, just makes them crave more than is good for them.

“It makes the food taste better if you put salt on it. It masks other flavors that might not be so good,” Kuppersmith said. “Will sodium stimulate me to eat more so I might buy more? Absolutely.”

Creed said competing against other fast food chains who may not be lowering sodium, means retaining sodium levels in some favorites while also offering a variety for consumers seeking healthier options, Creed said.

That’s why Taco Bell’s more nutrient-dense, and lower-sodium Fresco and Cantina menu options “are not the best-sellers,” Creed said. “But they need to be available.”

“Our customers are demanding it,” he said. “You don’t have to be Einstein to see this whole trend of transparency and authentic and genuine going forward.”

12433: @AFFRM Action.

Hat tip to Hadji Williams for pointing out @AFFRM—African American Film Festival Releasing Movement—originally launched by Ava DuVernay. The website states: Anchored by the passion + prowess of a collective of black film organizations, @AFFRM + Array Releasing empower black independent filmmakers with theatrical and multi-platform distribution.

@AFFRM is definitely worth watching—and supporting.

12432: Starbucks Toasts MLK.

Pardon the tardiness, but check out the MLK advertisement from Starbucks. As the coffee seller has done well with diversity, the message shouldn’t be viewed as patronizing like most MLK tributes. Hey, at least Starbucks didn’t offer free Black coffee on MLK Day.

12431: Grey’s Generational Segregation.

PSFK reported Grey Advertising has segregated its office space based on generational differences. Business Insider published a companion piece on the matter, drawing comments from curious and annoyed readers. At first blush, Base Camp looks like a bad idea, especially as collaboration continues to be a big deal in the industry. While Grey insists the separate area fosters collaboration, how does collaboration happen across generational groups? It’s one thing to offer perks or programs to appeal to various employee segments—and even to provide special accommodations for specific employees (e.g., nursing areas for mothers, smoking areas, etc.). Physically segregating workers by age, however, will only lead to potential discrimination. For example, what if a millennial prefers the office accommodations provided to Generation X or Boomer staffers, or vice versa? Additionally, Base Camp is ultra exclusive, as it only caters to millennial associate account executives. Then again, the industry segregates people by race and ethnicity, as evidenced by multicultural advertising agencies and cross-cultural departments. Hopefully, the kids in Base Camp aren’t experiencing the second-class citizenship that minorities face in the aforementioned silos.

Ad Agency Gives Millennial Employees Their Own Separate Space

By Adriana Krasniansky

Grey Advertising shifts the traditional agency setup by giving millennials their own wing

The Millennial Generation, defined roughly as individuals born between 1980 and 2000, now represents 25% of the United States population. Its 80 million members hold over $200 billion in annual buying power, and they are the most coveted audience for businesses looking to remain relevant in a saturated consumer market. Grappling between millennials’ formidability and their shifting values, many companies are forced to ask: how do we approach today’s most powerful generation?

Grey Advertising, AdWeek’s 2014 Agency of the Year, asked itself just that. The agency, which employs over 1,000 individuals, indicates that 48% of its workforce falls into the millennial generation. In the past several years, Grey management noticed that millennials entering the office worked differently than their colleagues: they were more informal in communication, thrived on collaboration, and yearned for a work community.

In response, Grey adjusted by setting up an entirely separate office space for Generation Y employees. In their New York offices, Grey created Base Camp, a work environment exclusively for millennial associate account executives. While each employee still works with a separate team on client accounts, the group as a whole shares desk space, attends agency training in group, and learns from one another.

As a representative from Grey explains, “The philosophy behind the Base Camp community was to create an environment that gives structure, but creates self-sufficiency [and] encourages relationship building with key learnings more readily shared.”

Grey’s Base Camp initiative comes at a time when several of the agency’s clients—including Gillette, Papa Johns, and Marriott—are transitioning to include millennials in their core marketing base. By adapting to millennials within their own offices, Grey establishes itself as a agency aware of millennial needs and one willing to adapt to them.

As Michael Houston, CEO of Grey North America, tells PSFK: “The key to me about the Base Camp movement is that we’re learning from this group rather than showing them how we’ve previously worked. We’re working to understand their organic tendencies.”

Houston stresses that the millennial office space does not value one work style above another, but fosters different styles of creative thinking in the office. “Different is not necessarily bad,” he says, “But different is different…millennials are hard workers. They just work differently.”

12430: Dumb Woman Perspective.

Campaign published The year ahead for women by Thinkbox CEO and Wacl VP Lindsey Clay. The article title should have added a qualifier to read, “The year ahead for White women,” as Clay is only concerned with her Caucasian sisters—and she probably doesn’t give a shit about non-White people.

As evidence of Clay’s ignorance, when presenting “facts” on the imbalanced representation of groups within adland, she acknowledged that women comprise 50 percent of the industry’s workforce, while minorities make up 13 percent—despite the fact that minorities account for 55 percent of the population in urban centers like London. In other words, White women are making tremendous strides in the UK advertising world, and minorities remain grossly underrepresented.

Of course, Clay is quick to disregard the greater diversity dilemma and charge right into advocating for gender equality (at least for White women). She offered seven solutions for increasing White women numbers and zero clues for boosting non-White figures. The seven solutions directly apply to creating equality for non-Whites too, but don’t expect Clay to realize it. And definitely don’t count on Clay to suggest redirecting her ideas to the real problem. Because in the end, Clay is completely equal to the average Mad Man—especially in her cultural cluelessness.

12429: Ernie Banks (1931-2015).

From The Chicago Tribune…

Ernie Banks, legendary ‘Mr. Cub,’ dead at 83

By Fred Mitchell, Chicago Tribune

Ernie Banks, one of baseball’s most ebullient and optimistic ambassadors, died Friday, his wife, Liz, confirmed.

Known worldwide as “Mr. Cub,” Banks became the Cubs’ first African-American player on Sept. 17, 1953, and went on to become an 11-time All-Star and two-time National League Most Valuable Player (1958-59). His boundless enthusiasm and optimism personified what it meant to be a Cubs fan.

Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts released the following statement Friday night:

“Words cannot express how important Ernie Banks will always be to the Chicago Cubs, the city of Chicago and Major League Baseball. He was one of the greatest players of all time. He was a pioneer in the major leagues. And more importantly, he was the warmest and most sincere person I’ve ever known. Approachable, ever optimistic and kind-hearted, Ernie Banks is and always will be Mr. Cub. My family and I grieve the loss of such a great and good-hearted man, but we look forward to celebrating Ernie’s life in the days ahead.”

Mayor Rahm Emanuel also released a statement in praise of Banks.

“Ernie Banks was more than a baseball player. He was one of Chicago’s greatest ambassadors,” Emanuel said. “He loved this city as much as he loved — and lived for — the game of baseball. This year during every Cubs game, you can bet that No.14 will be watching over his team. And if we’re lucky, it’ll be a beautiful day for not just one ballgame, but two.”

Banks, who hit 512 home runs and had 1,636 RBIs, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

Renowned for his sunny disposition, Banks, 83, loved the game and often proclaimed: “Let’s play two!” even when the Cubs struggled to climb out of the National League basement. On Nov. 20, 2013, Banks was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom during ceremonies at the White House in recognition of his goodwill.

When first notified that he would be receiving the award, Banks said: “It means everything to me. It means life is just wonderful. When you do things to try to help people and share things, it really comes back to you. I try to do that. I love the players, love Wrigley Field, love all the players. … This award means a lot to me. It’s almost like the Nobel Peace Prize to me.”

In 1950, Banks began playing for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro leagues. After serving two years in the military, he joined the Cubs.

Banks’ best overall season was 1959 when he led the NL with 143 RBIs and hit 43 home runs. Defensively, he led all shortstops with a .985 fielding percentage. In 1960 he won a Gold Glove at shortstop. He hit more than 40 homers five times, including 47 in 1958. In 1955 he hit a record five grand slams. Banks played his entire career with the Cubs and is considered one of the greatest players of all time not to play in the postseason.

Banks played more games at first base (1,259) than he did at shortstop (1,125), but he is remembered more for his most productive younger seasons at shortstop.

“It was just a pleasure playing with Ernie. I can’t say it was a pleasure playing against him,” said former Cubs pitcher Milt Pappas, who also pitched for the Orioles, Reds and Braves during his 17-year career. “He was so genuine. He was just a great ambassador for the game.”

A statue of Banks’ likeness was unveiled near the corner of Clark and Addison outside of Wrigley Field at the start of the 2008 baseball season.

“When I am not here, this will be here,” Banks joked after the ceremony as he pointed to the sculpture.

“I wanted to finish my career with one team, in one city, one mayor, one park, one owner. I did that,” Banks said then. “The Wrigleys owned the team. We played all of our home games at Wrigley Field during the daytime. So my career was very unique and I am proud of it. I have been involved in the city of Chicago and with Little Leagues all around the city and suburbs. It was a fun and enjoyable time both on the field and off the field. Now I meet a lot of people who used to come out to Wrigley Field when they were kids and they are older now. They still remember those days.”

Banks was born in Dallas on Jan. 31, 1931. His father had just a third-grade education and his mother a sixth-grade education.

“But they were very wise,” Banks would say.

12428: Every Little Crony Helps.

Business Insider reported on the Tesco account being reassigned from Wieden+Kennedy to Bartle Bogle Hegarty, revealing there was Corporate Cultural Collusion involved. Turns out Tesco CEO Dave Lewis and BBH Global CEO Neil Munn are mates. Imagine that. Even the top White advertising agencies can’t win business fair and square on talent alone.

12427: Hershey’s White Shops Bliss.

Adweek reported Hershey is searching for more White advertising agencies to add to its roster. Given that the current stable features dead horses—Arnold and Havas—it’s safe to say the exercise will not require high creative standards.

Anna Lingeris, senior manager, brand public relations and consumer engagement at Hershey, provided comments to confirm a cluster-fuck is coming.

“We’re not looking to replace Arnold and Havas, which have been doing a great job,” said Lingeris. “But we have over 20 advertised brands, and we’re looking to supplement.” Yes, more opinions and committees are sure to improve the advertising communications.

Lingeris also said Hershey is currently meeting exclusively with U.S. White contenders, but global capabilities might be important—especially in markets such as China. Oh boy, that means Crispin Porter + Bogusky is a shoo-in!

Additionally, Lingeris admitted ignorance surrounding the number of new White agencies that could be enlisted or how brand assignments would be shifted between shops. And Hershey is not letting a consultant run the process. In other words, there’s no solid plan or vision for proceeding.

Two things are certain: 1) There will be no “chocolate” contenders in the competition, and; 2) Hershey is nuttier than a mishmash of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds, MR. GOODBAR and REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups.

Hershey Will Add to Its Roster of Creative Agencies

Ready to expand beyond Arnold, Havas

By Noreen O’Leary

The Hershey Co. has launched a search to expand its agency roster beyond Arnold and Havas Worldwide.

The confectionery giant is in the early stages of meeting with agencies, confirmed Anna Lingeris, senior manager, brand public relations and consumer engagement at Hershey.

“We’re not looking to replace Arnold and Havas, which have been doing a great job,” she said. “But we have over 20 advertised brands, and we’re looking to supplement.”

Lingeris said the search is focused on U.S. contenders, but given that some of them have global networks, the parameters of the expanded-roster assignments could become global. The company has made global growth a major priority, especially in markets like China.

While worldwide media spending was not immediately available, in the U.S. alone Hershey spent more than $650 million in 2013 and $565 million in the first nine months of last year, according to Kantar Media.

Lingeris also didn’t know yet how many new agencies could be brought on board or how brand assignments at Arnold and Havas would be shifted once additional shops are retained. Hershey is not using a consultant in the process, and Lingeris said the search has already been winnowed to a group of contenders.

Hershey’s U.S. account, which Arnold New York won in 2005, is the office’s largest client, accounting for some 40 percent to 50 percent of revenue, sources said. Havas Worldwide has handled digital and a considerable amount of global business.

Hershey has been reviewing its communications relationships with partners in recent years. In late 2012, the marketer launched a media agency review, with that business shifting the following year to Interpublic Group’s UM. Last summer, Hershey completed a PR agency review, signing up a number of firms after previously working with agencies on a project basis.

12426: Why AgencySpy Will Die.

A recent MultiCultClassics post examined the Adweek Blog Network, pointing out how the updated AgencySpy was fucked up on multiple levels. A recent AgencySpy post confirmed the contentions, as one of the editorial chimps—Patrick Coffee—tried to explain what was going on with the site. In a Q&A format, monkey boy included the following:

Did you kill the comments forever??

Agency PR people will be very disappointed to learn that the answer is no. It’s true that Disqus has been inconsistent this week, but it should be back to normal by next week — and as soon as it starts behaving, you can resume commenting as you see fit…with the understanding that we can delete and blacklist you if you get especially nasty or impersonate other people.

This statement underscores the ignorance of Coffee and crew, as well as ensures the inevitable demise of AgencySpy.

First, the disclaimer about the chimps’ prerogative to “delete or blacklist” comments and comment creators is pathetic. If AgencySpy wants to dictate such rules, why not make it public and specific versus simply allowing the chimps to make editorial judgments on their own?

Second, the new layout demonstrates the stupidity of the site owners. As everyone knows, AgencySpy exists for comments. To hide the comments and require visitors to scroll through useless content to access them shows the designers have zero UX skills. More importantly, it proves the site owners do not grasp the basic appeal of AgencySpy.

Third, if the true goal is to transform AgencySpy into a legitimate trade journal, then the chimps must be replaced with competent reporters. Plus, someone will have to strategize a fresh perspective to offer. Given the fact that Adweek has struggled to be relevant over the years, it’s odd that anyone in the Adweek Blog Network might believe introducing a poor-man’s version of a trade journal is a good idea. It’s Advertising 101: If you don’t have a unique selling proposition, you won’t succeed.

Oh, and if you insist on letting the chimps rule—as opposed to hiring writers capable of delivering original content—don’t be surprised when visitors fling poop and abandon the smelly zoo.

12425: Havas Delivers Cronyism.

Adweek reported Havas Worldwide gobbled the Edible Arrangements account without a review. The AOR appointment was fueled by a past professional relationship between new Edible Arrangements CMO Rob Price and Havas Worldwide CEO Andrew Benett. “There’s something to be said for relationships,” stated Benett. “But it wasn’t just a relationship. We earned it.” Spoken like a true Corporate Cultural Collusion enthusiast. But that’s to be expected from someone enjoying the privileges of a White advertising agency running on nepotism, cronyism and other assorted isms. Heaven forbid Benett should think talent might influence an account assignment. Havas and its new client have an edible arrangement—and it’s a big bowl of bullshit.

How Havas Worldwide Won the Edible Arrangements Account Without a Pitch

A former client and some solid project work made an RFP unnecessary

By Andrew McMains

Score one for leveraging past relationships.

In 2010, when Havas Worldwide CEO Andrew Benett was CEO of sister shop Arnold, that agency pitched and won CVS’ creative account. The retailer’s chief marketing officer at the time was Rob Price.

Flash forward to 2014: Price becomes president of Edible Arrangements and hires Havas to handle some projects, based in part on his familiarity with Benett. The agency completed the projects at the end of 2014, and now the retailer has handed the shop its entire creative account without a review.

“There’s something to be said for relationships,” Benett said. “But it wasn’t just a relationship. We earned it.”

Had the projects not gone well, he said, Havas obviously wouldn’t have won the whole account.

The assignment includes traditional and digital ads and some public relations responsibilities. Media spending on the brand exceeded $22 million in 2013, down from about $29 million in 2012, according to Kantar Media.

As lead creative agency, Havas succeeds The Richards Group, which had worked on Edible Arrangements since 2013. Media responsibilities are not shifting and remain at Horizon Media in New York.

Havas’ New York office will manage the business. Its first work as lead shop will be a Valentine’s Day campaign that will break early next month.

12424: Young Lions, Old Concept.

This Cannes campaign from Koenig & Partners in Ecuador inadvertently underscores the problem with awards shows; that is, the participants appear to be exclusively White (although maybe the individuals depicted were intended to be Ecuadorian). The heavy references to Caucasian-Eurocentric history extend the exclusivity. Hell, recognizing Young Lions is technically exclusionary too—and the pierced and tattooed characters are so contrived. To top it all off, it’s another example of award show advertising that doesn’t deserve to win an award.

From Ads of the World.

12423: Us V Them R Jackasses.

Campaign reported on an initiative from Anomaly London Executive Creative Directors Oil Beale and Alex Holder that ultimately shows: 1) Anomaly is a shitty creative shop, and; 2) Beale and Holder are ignorant assholes.

The dim-witted duo shat out Us V Them “to start a movement, one that engages and galvanises as much of the creative community as possible to fight bad guys.” The first villain to face the wrath of Us V Them is Big Tobacco.

Okey-doke.

First, the video for the maiden effort is a poor man’s version of a Truth concept. To call it uninspired and unoriginal would be an understatement. Despite Anomaly’s contention that it’s not an advertising agency, the place continues to produce crap that looks and smells like advertising excreted from the buttholes of the most hackneyed adpeople in the field.

Second, why the hell is Anomaly attacking Big Tobacco? The shop just picked up the Johnnie Walker account and has serviced Budweiser too. Sorry, but Big Tobacco is just as heinous as Big Booze. To condemn one while conspiring with the other demonstrates hypocrisy of the highest order.

If Beale and Holder want to identify real bad guys, they need only gaze into the nearest mirror. Hey, why chase after the scoundrels of society that are already being battled by creative forces? Display true courage and confront the diversity dilemma that has plagued the US and UK advertising industries for too long. Let White adpeople like Beale and Holder lead the charge against discrimination and exclusivity for a change. Now that would constitute a bona fide anomaly.

Oli Beale and Alex Holder seek fellow creatives to tackle major social issues

By James Swift

The executive creative directors at Anomaly London are inviting fellow creatives to band together and use their skills to “fight bad guys” and have released their own ad targeting the tobacco industry.

Oil Beale and Alex Holder have launched a website for their independent crusading initiative, which they have called Us V Them.

They hope to establish a creative community whose members will meet every few months to pick a cause or target and can work anonymously if they choose.

Beale and Holder have already made Big Tobacco the target of Us V Them’s first work.

To address the problem of children smoking, they created a film called I Can’t Wait Till You’re Legal, which is designed to be shared with teenagers on their 14th birthday.

It opens on a fictional tobacco executive who, addressing the camera, gives a speech about counting the days until the teenager is “legal” before launching into a creepy rendition of Happy Birthday.

The film, which is not backed by any brand or organisation, was directed by Sara Dunlop through Rattling Stick.

Beale said: “The creative industry’s stock in trade is bringing about behaviour change.

“If we use those skills for good, we can make a valuable contribution to addressing some major social issues.

“With Us V Them we want to start a movement, one that engages and galvanises as much of the creative community as possible to fight bad guys.

“I don’t mind if we’re seen as idealists or naive, this is our way of at least trying to make a difference. This is about doing something useful.”

Beale and Holder joined Anomaly from Mother in 2013. Some of the pair’s most high-profile campaigns include ‘Make Them Pay’ for Elle magazine, which encourages women to find out how much they were paid compared with male colleagues.

They also worked on the Kaiser Chief’s customisable album, The Future Is Medieval.

12422: Hillary Clinton’s Mad Politics.

Advertising Age reported that Hillary Clinton is likely tapping advertising executives—specifically, GSD&M Chairman Emeritus Roy Spence and Coca-Cola Marketing Executive and former GSD&M Director of Client Services Wendy Clark—to help craft messages for her potential presidential campaign.

Now, it’s not uncommon for politicians to employ adpeople to help persuade and woo voters. For example, Hal Riney hatched the iconic “Morning in America” commercial for Ronald Reagan in 1984. Ad Age opined the following:

Should Ms. Clinton run, her purpose would be to leverage her strengths as an experienced political pro with a large base of female support, while crafting a message that appeals to a wide swath of Americans tired of politics-as-usual. Ms. Clark, a political outsider who has worked on mass-marketed brands, might bring valuable experience to the table in that endeavor.

If Ad Age’s supposition is accurate, one has to wonder about Clinton’s initial choices from adland, especially in regards to the goal of concocting “a message that appeals to a wide swath of Americans…” Sorry, but the overwhelming majority of White advertising executives are culturally clueless, rendering them incapable of effectively and honestly addressing the true, diverse American public.

Consider the fact that Spence masterminded the inane “3 a.m.” commercial during Clinton’s 2008 bid for the Democratic nomination. The spot received lots of criticism and ridicule—and most importantly, it failed to move Clinton ahead of Barack Obama. Additionally, Spence is among those wonderful folks who gave you Annie the Chicken Queen for Popeyes. In short, GSD&M is hardly the home of inclusive, enlightened thinkers, which makes enlisting Spence and Clark a pretty risky and probably reckless decision.

This isn’t the first time MultiCultClassics has wondered about the use of advertising executives as political strategists and executioners. Indeed, do representatives of an industry that continues to make diversity a dream deferred and denied deserve to service a presidential candidate? If Clinton really wants to speak to “Americans tired of politics-as-usual,” she ought to reconsider business as usual with modern Mad Men and Mad Women.