17457: On The Fabrication Of Lola USA.

 

MediaPost reported Omnicom executed another erasure-mashup involving two White advertising agencies—180 US and adam&eveDDB NY—to launch Lola USA.

 

The Lola agency brand was already established globally, with Lola Madrid and Lola\TBWA in Brazil.

 

The Lola name derived from combining the Lo from Frank Lowe of Lowe & Partners and the La in Latino. Lowe & Partners was a White advertising agency that IPG merged with Mullen Advertising in 2015 to create MullenLowe—which was ultimately erased and absorbed by TBWA after Omnicom acquired IPG last year. Oh, and IPG is gone too.

 

Pity the drones who shuffle through constant merging, erasing, restructuring, redundancies, and RIFs—including endless revisions to org charts, business cards, email footers, and LinkedIn profiles.

 

An executive at the new Lola USA declared, “We’re unashamedly ambitious. From top to bottom, there’s something beautifully irrational about how driven this team is to solve hard problems for our clients. We’re hungry. We’re obsessed. And we won’t rest until our friends jealously text us about what we’ve created.”

 

But first, the team must figure out who, what, when, where, why, and how they are.

 

Lola USA Debuts, Combines 180 US And Adam&EveDDB New York

 

By Fern Siegel

 

Lola USA has debuted, combining 180 US and adam&eveDDB New York into a micro-network within Omnicom. Lola Madrid and Lola\TBWA in Brazil are also part of the company.

 

The new agency is led by CEO Agathe Guerrier and CCO JD Jurentkuff. Lola USA reports 50% of the agency is dedicated to creative roles.

 

“Many marketers are feeling the squeeze, with shrinking ambition driven by tighter budgets and uncertainty,” said Guerrier, the former 180 US CEO. “We’re here to position a new type of agency. One that combines the artisanal culture of an independent, with the depth of technology and connected capabilities only Omnicom can provide. An agency reimagined for the future, with consultative acumen and cultural edge.”

 

Clients include Porsche, adidas, Molson Coors, JetBlue and Disney. First work is expected in the coming months.

 

The agency specializes in brand and marketing strategy, creative campaigns, brand design, and social and editorial storytelling, supported by Omnicom’s AI capabilities.

 

“We’re unashamedly ambitious,” added Jurentkuff, a former 180 US TBWA\Worldwide and Apple agency executive. “From top to bottom, there’s something beautifully irrational about how driven this team is to solve hard problems for our clients. We’re hungry. We’re obsessed. And we won’t rest until our friends jealously text us about what we’ve created.”

 

Additional staff includes Kimmy Harvey as head of creative operations, with Mike Bokman and Jason Ashlock as ECDs. Mitch Horton leads as head of design. On the business side, Elliott Bastien is head of strategy, Laura Cona is Chief Growth Officer, Devon Hay is managing director, Caroline Jackson is Chief Client Officer and Margaret Coleman is head of account management.

17200: Stereotypical Storytelling…?

Oniria\TBWA in Paraguay is responsible for this ueno Bank campaign explained as follows:

 

To announce Paraguay’s return to a World Cup after 15 years, ueno Bank, the official sponsor of the Paraguayan national football team, launches a film where Paraguay’s comeback is told as a nightmare—a dramatization from the perspective of countries that faced tough matches against Paraguay in past World Cups.

 

Okay, but the use of cultural stereotypes is kinda scary.

17136: Mickey D’s OOH Campaign Rates Thumbs Down.

TBWA\ANG in Malta is responsible for this Mickey D’s campaign, boasting about the alleged brilliance of how thumbs typing on mobile devices organically create the Golden Arches “M” icon.

 

And what’s with reviving a tagline from the 1990s?

 

You deserve a thumbs down today.

16762: Omnicom Puts The Con In Consolidation.

 

Campaign reported Omnicom—like other White holding companies—consolidated creative White advertising agencies under a single banner: in this case, Omnicom Advertising Group. Gee, there’s a name that screams creativity.

 

The maneuver is not surprising, as Omnicom has coordinated the consolidation and commoditization of creative services for decades. The White holding company mastered Corporate Cultural Collusion, serving a buffet of White advertising agencies to clients, often avoiding a competitive pitch. Why, Goodby Silverstein & Partners was once presented as interchangeable with Fathom Communications. The fact that Zimmerman Advertising is part of the mashup says it all.

 

In recent years, Omnicom even proceeded to consolidate office spaces.

 

Finally, Pioneer of Diversity John Wren tapped former TBWA Worldwide CEO Troy Ruhanen to serve as OAG CEO, completing the Caucasian cronyism consolidation.

 

Omnicom consolidates creative agencies globally under Omnicom Advertising Group

 

EXCLUSIVE: Led by former TBWA Worldwide CEO Troy Ruhanen, OAG aims to scale innovation and knowledge sharing across the holding company’s creative networks.

 

Omnicom on Tuesday (27 August) unveiled the Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG), a new structure that aligns its creative agencies globally under one leadership team.

 

Troy Ruhanen, formerly CEO of TBWA Worldwide, will lead OAG as CEO. Deepthi Prakash, international president and chief product officer of TBWA Worldwide, is promoted to COO of OAG, and Denis Streiff, CFO of TBWA Worldwide, is promoted to global CFO OAG.

 

OAG will oversee Omnicom creative networks including BBDO, TBWA, DDB and The Collective, which includes Goodby Silverstein & Partners, GSD&M, Merkley & Partners and Zimmerman.

 

In addition to TBWA US CEO Erin Riley, who is promoted to fill Ruhanen’s post as TBWA Worldwide CEO, Omnicom global creative agency leaders will report to OAG leadership.

 

This includes BBDO’s recently-promoted global CEO Nancy Reyes, DDB global CEO Alex Lubar and The Collective CEO James Fenton.

 

The new structure will take effect on January 1.

 

According to Ruhanen, OAG aims to bolster Omnicom’s agency brands while scaling access to tools, technology and talent that sits around the network globally.

 

“We know that certain talent are attracted to certain agency cultures, and our clients prefer to have lots of choices rather than just the one solution on offer. So, it’s really important that the agency brands are strong,” he said. “But we have the ability to use scale to our advantage.”

 

With the new structure, OAG leadership will be able to more easily identify and scale existing solutions, platforms or investments across its creative agencies and clients globally. For instance, if a team in Finland or South Africa has developed a cutting-edge platform or way of working, OAG can bring that to clients and teams around the world.

 

“There are a lot of innovations that bubble up in markets that you wouldn’t expect,” Ruhanen said. “It’s a matter of being able to identify those innovations and say, ‘OK, we really think that this is something that’s quite cutting-edge. Let’s move that around the world. Let’s start to educate people about this way of working.’”

 

OAG is a response to AI and digital transformation that has reshaped the creative industry and competitive landscape. Particularly for creative agencies, scaled access to investments in generative AI, data and other technologies is becoming a competitive advantage.

 

“It’s probably more relevant than ever to be able to benefit from our scale,” Ruhanen said.

 

Additionally, as clients seek more integrated and tailored solutions from agencies, OAG will help facilitate access to talent and teams across the network, while simultaneously providing talent with mobility across different agencies and client teams.

 

“In the past, a lot of us tended to hold on to the [talent] that we have because we were fighting for our personal brand success,” Ruhanen said. “How do we really look at getting the best talent for our clients, the best solution and collaborating together?” He pointed to his nearly nine years at BBDO and Reyes’ recent move from TBWA to BBDO as examples of Omnicom’s track record with talent mobility.

 

Omnicom does not plan to merge or sunset any agencies as part of the new structure, and will pitch solutions as OAG or as individual agencies, depending on the client’s needs. “We have far greater flexibility to be able to meet the needs of the client,” Ruhanen said.

 

The model follows a structure Omnicom has implemented in other disciplines, including Omnicom Media Group, Omnicom PR Group and Omnicom Health Group.

 

“The [creative] agency world really is—I wouldn’t say it’s the last area—but it’s close to being that,” Ruhanen said, adding that Omnicom’s creative agencies have already started to work this way behind the scenes.

 

While OAG will add leaders in specialist areas in the months to come, the intention is not to build a “holding company within a holding company,” Ruhanen said.

 

He added that he will judge his own and the group’s success by each of the individual agencies' success, and that as competitors merge agency brands and allow them to fade to the background, maintaining strong brands and cultures is a competitive advantage.

 

“This doesn’t come at the sacrifice of the agency brands,” he said. “It’s there to help them.”

16606: Mickey D’s Campaign Lacking Teeth.

The TBWA\Buenos Aires creative team responsible for this Mickey D’s campaign should be kicked in the teeth.

 

16602: Happy Meals, Unhappy Environmentalists.

In times where ESG has become a business imperative, TBWA\Buenos Aires thinks it’s cool to create a Mickey D’s commercial that dramatizes the paper-wasting mass production of Happy Meals boxes…? A single recycled symbol cameo in the 1.5-minute video is hardly promoting corporate responsibility. Gotta believe Greenpeace will not smile over this spot.

16580: Take A Pass On Password Security Campaign.

 

TBWA\Peru is responsible for this BCP campaign raising awareness for strengthening the security of passwords. If the creative hacks behind the concept had any self-respect, they’d wear bulky hoodies to hide their identities like the cyber criminals symbolized in the advertisements. 

 

16295: Confronting Chronic Catcalls At Cannes…?

 

Adweek published a lengthy perspective from TBWA\London CEO Larissa Vince, who boldly advocates for confronting sexual harassment at Cannes. Um, why not start at the source—White advertising agencies?

 

Sure, White women might find themselves experiencing unwanted advances, inappropriate propositions, and worse behavior at the ultra-exclusive French soiree. But—like everything else in life—they don’t have it nearly as bad as women of color.

 

Of course, White women and White men will not hesitate to turn the scenario into a Cannes crisis, creating a smokescreen to avoid earnestly addressing systemic racism in Adland.

 

Confronting Sexual Harassment at Cannes

 

It’s on us to ensure our people feel supported, protected and able to fully immerse in the joy of the festival

 

By Larissa Vince

 

It’s that time of the year again: the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. A time for us to come together and celebrate all the outstanding creative work of our peers from the past year. A time to reconnect with the people who inspire us and give us the fuel to keep creating well into next year. It’s also, unfortunately, a time for us to reflect on an ongoing, real problem of sexual harassment at the festival.

 

An unwanted and scary advance in a restroom. A proposition in a cab, initially offered in good nature. A display of an unmentionable part of the anatomy. These were three stories of sexual harassment at Cannes that were fired off in less than a minute in conversation with a colleague. With the recent All In Census revealing that the number of people experiencing sexual harassment in adland has dropped from 5% in 2021 to 2% in 2023, these stories serve as a stark reminder that this behavior still exists. And that while this is progress, until that number is zero, we all still have work to do.

 

While this goes on at every industry conference, the “away from home,” “drunken fun in the sun” element of Cannes makes it a breeding ground for this behavior—when in actual fact, it should be a proving ground. The five-day festival is the largest gathering in the creative marketing community; it can be the litmus test of how far we’ve come, home to not just the best creative in the world but also the most up-to-date thinking on the most important issues of the industry. We need to become ambassadors of change, inspiring others to follow suit and collectively work toward eradicating sexual harassment.

 

Get educated and trained

 

One of the first steps is to complete the timeTo training—I have taken it and would encourage all senior leaders to do the same. TimeTo is an initiative set up by NABS, The Advertising Association and a few other senior industry figures in the U.K. to help tackle sexual harassment in advertising. It provides regular, interactive and educational training for agencies and employees, delivered by an expert trainer in a two-hour session, that gives practical guidance on stopping sexual harassment and increases understanding on what is and isn’t acceptable in the workplace. Completing this training means we can be equipped to navigate complexities, recognize signs of potential harassment and take immediate action to address and prevent it, in Cannes and beyond.

 

But the work should have started long before anyone has even thought about packing the sunscreen. As senior leaders we need to demonstrate a commitment to creating a safe and respectful workplace culture all year round. This starts from our own actions: We need to model appropriate behavior, adopt an open culture and address any reports of harassment promptly and impartially. This requires ongoing commitment, awareness and active engagement from all people in leadership positions.

 

This also means looking outside our own businesses at what we can offer and looking at supporting and utilizing resources like timeTo and NABS: These organizations provide education as well as confidential support to individuals who experience and witness sexual harassment. We should be sharing this information with staff, letting them know the training is available, and everyone should have this education as well as the knowledge that there’s support and it’s important to seek help when needed.

 

Once you have done the above, you can start providing resources and educational materials that raise awareness about sexual harassment, consent and bystander intervention. Offer guidance on how to recognize and respond to potential harassment situations.

 

Create a safe space for safe talks

 

It is vital that you encourage open dialogue; without this, people will continue to be too confused or too scared to come forward. Create opportunities for open conversations about workplace culture, boundaries and respectful conduct. Ensure employees feel comfortable discussing their concerns or seeking guidance without fear of judgment and regularly communicate your commitment to maintaining a safe and inclusive work environment.

 

This has to run though the entire business and cannot be a top-down approach. Empower HR teams to enforce your sexual harassment policy. If this isn’t joined up, it quickly falls apart. Ensure HR professionals are equipped with the necessary resources, training and support to handle complaints effectively and impartially.

 

Be an advocate for employees

 

One of the biggest issues and drivers around sexual harassment is alcohol consumption, which is high on the list at Cannes. Acknowledge that alcohol consumption can sometimes contribute to situations where boundaries are crossed or harassment occurs. Encourage responsible drinking and remind employees of the importance of maintaining personal boundaries, consent and respectful behavior while attending social events or parties during the festival.

 

Remind staff to not let their guard down simply because it’s Cannes. Encourage them to do the opposite and be more vigilant; this includes not walking home alone, prearranging home transport and getting taxis. Empower your people to look out for others who may be in distress. Encourage them that if they see something that’s not right, report it and help people if they look like they are in an uncomfortable situation by simply asking if they are OK.

 

Similarly, teach setting personal boundaries. If they feel even slightly uncomfortable in any situation, reassure them they can remove themselves without the worry of creating awkwardness or upsetting others, especially senior people. As leaders, we have to acknowledge everyone has different comfort zones and levels for what is and is not acceptable.

 

We hold the power to shape the work environment. This can significantly impact our people. It’s on us to ensure all the measures are in place and that our people will feel supported, protected and able to fully immerse themselves in the joy of Cannes. Together, let us practice a culture of respect and inclusivity, making Cannes a celebration of safety and empowerment in the advertising industry as well as a celebration of great work.

16226: TBWA\Worldwide\Human\Heat\Shield.

 

TBWA\Worldwide sent out a press release announcing the promotion of its North American Chief Diversity Officer to its first-ever Global Chief Diversity Officer. Of course they did. It’s not exactly a breakthrough move for a White advertising agency self-promoted as the Disruption® company, given that most firms appointed high-level Human Heat Shields at least two years ago. The elevated executive will continue to run the allegedly original DEI by Design heat shield, which isn’t even mentioned at all in the diversity section of the corporate website. Yawn\Eye-Roll\Whatever.

 

TBWA\Worldwide Doubles Down on DE&I with Elevation of Aliah Berman to Global Chief Diversity Officer

 

NEW YORK, April 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TBWA\Worldwide today announced the promotion of Aliah Berman to Global Chief Diversity Officer.

 

A new role within the business, the elevation of Berman personifies TBWA’s commitment to furthering DEI throughout the entire employee and brand experience. Formerly TBWA’s North American Chief Diversity Officer, the wider remit will see Berman lead the global vision, strategy, and execution of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives working in partnership with the company’s market leads and parent company Omnicom.

 

Since joining TBWA in 2021, Berman has led the strategic development and implementation of TBWA’s DE&I by Design framework – a blueprint for collective responsibility and engagement that considers every facet of the organization and provides a roadmap for growth. With the mission of creating an inclusive environment that celebrates diverse perspectives both in the workplace and in our creative work, TBWA\North America has meaningfully advanced our DE&I work with Berman at the helm.

 

Troy Ruhanen, Global CEO, TBWA\Worldwide notes, “As a creative company we play an important role in telling authentic stories, in advancing equity in how we do business, and in crafting images that have great influence in the world. Aliah has been instrumental in helping us make strides in our diversity, equity and inclusion commitments. At the global scale, as we continue to push forward and create solutions to long-standing challenges in our diversity, equity and inclusion work, there is no better person to lead these changes than Aliah.”

 

“As the daughter of immigrants, from a young age I was keenly aware of the systems that either supported or discounted various groups. This realization, along with ideas on how to promote inclusion, spurred my passion for advocacy. I’m driven to improve the experiences of people who are often on the margins and to achieve a more equitable workplace and society. I cannot think of a better place to continue igniting change than across the TBWA collective.” Aliah Berman, Chief Diversity Officer, TBWA\Worldwide.

 

Berman’s efforts have also been recognized externally, with industry publication Campaign US awarding TBWA an Inclusive Workplace badge as part of its 2023 Agency Performance Reviews. The badge encompasses diversity programs and initiatives, employee representation, retention and turnover rates, flexible practices and progressive benefits.

 

DEI by Design Overview

 

DEI by Design is a roadmap to implement infrastructure that ensures long-term sustainability, accountability and collective responsibility for DE&I. The work is focused across three pillars – Culture, People and Work – to ensure DE&I is embedded across the entire business enterprise. To reinforce DEI as everyone’s responsibility, Berman hosts cross-agency training on an array of topics including Providing Equitable Feedback, Breaking Bias, Leading with Empathy, Introverts & Extroverts and Recognizing and Addressing Microaggressions. Under Berman, TBWA\Worldwide now hosts an annual DE&I Forum where North American clients are invited to learn about our DEI goals, progress and lessons learned.

 

To learn more about TBWA, visit https://tbwa.com/

 

About TBWA\Worldwide

 

TBWA is The Disruption® Company. We use creativity to help businesses challenge the status quo and capture an unfair share of the future. Named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019, Adweek’s 2022, 2021 and 2018 Global Agency of the Year and AdAge’s A-List 2022 Network of the Year. We are a disruptive brand experience company that uses Disruption® to help businesses address their challenges and achieve transformative growth. Our collective has 11,000+ creative minds in over 40 countries, and also includes brands such as Auditoire, eg+ worldwide, GMR, The Integer Group®, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Juice Network, Be Grizzlee and TRO. Global clients include adidas, Apple, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton Hotels, McDonald's, Nissan and Singapore Airlines.

15967: TBWA Presents Performative, Patronizing Propaganda.

Advertising Age reported that TBWA created two new roles—and filled them by promoting women of color—to enhance recruitment and retention. Of course they did.

 

It’s always amazing that White advertising agencies think it’s possible to better recruit and retain employees by dumping the duties on people who represent segments—in this case, Black and Latinx females—that are among the most underrepresented in the industry. Now, that’s disruption^® delegating diversity.

 

Or, more likely, bona fide bullshit.

 

TBWA’s Talent Retention Strategy Includes New Roles

 

The agency appointed a chief learning and development officer and executive director of global recruiting

 

By Gillian Follet

 

TBWA today announced two new roles designed to counter high levels of employee turnover within the ad industry and difficulties recruiting creative talent.

 

Rhonda George-Denniston was named chief learning and development officer, and will be tasked with spearheading the agency’s talent development and retention strategies. Monica Torres was appointed executive director of global recruiting, and will be responsible for directing TBWA’s global recruitment initiatives.

 

The ad industry continues to deal with workplace shuffling stemming from the pandemic and “Great Resignation,” as several agency leaders have reported challenges in finding and securing talent.

 

TBWA conducted a global study earlier this year that revealed creative talent reports higher levels of burnout and dissatisfaction with their work-life balance than the global average: Only 55% of creatives reported being content with their work-life balance, almost 10% lower than the global benchmark of 64%.

 

“The pandemic definitely highlighted the need and importance of [workplace] fundamentals and ways to connect with each other and having the tools you need to get your job done,” said Amie Miller, TBWA’s chief talent officer. “You expect certain things, and those are the fundamentals, and without those—the magic, the experience, the feelings, the emotion—those things can’t happen.”

 

These “fundamentals” that employees expect from their workplace include robust employee development programs and opportunities for internal recruiting and mobility, Miller said, which inspired the agency to establish new positions that oversee these areas. Both George-Denniston and Torres have already contributed to initiatives in these departments in their previous roles at TBWA, Miller said.

 

George-Denniston has worked at TBWA for over two decades, and recently led the launch of TBWA\U, a learning platform that offers on-demand courses for agency employees. Torres, meanwhile, has led recruitment efforts at the agency’s New York office since 2017, overhauling the recruitment and interview process in an effort to eliminate bias in hiring decisions.

 

TBWA already runs several employee leadership and development programs for workers at all levels of the company, from C-suite executives to mid-level managers, Miller said. The agency’s newest initiative, TBWA\Bursary, partners with schools such as Miami Ad School Europe to help junior employees complete training programs offered by the schools. Expanding this program to include additional schools is one of George-Denniston’s highest priorities, she said in an email.

 

“Our industry is constantly changing,” George-Denniston said. “We have to be intentional in how our people develop and grow to meet their personal and our organization's goals, and that’s a discipline in itself—it requires a dedicated team to plan, design and execute the experiences and opportunities that will empower people to thrive.”

 

Torres will focus on uniting the agency’s network of offices around the globe by “[sharing] learnings and best practices between them,” along with increasing opportunities for employees to move into new roles within the agency, she said in an email.

 

“By encouraging our people to stretch beyond their existing teams, we’re able to keep our top talent engaged within the collective—providing opportunities for growth and excitement that ignites innovation and creativity,” Torres said. “And just as important, we become talent magnets—a collective that people want to work with and for over the long term.”