14745: Pepsi Campaign From Egypt Is Road Kill.

Why is this Pepsi campaign from Egypt positioning the soft drink as safe for driving? Has Coca-Cola led to auto fatalities in the country?

14744: Crybaby Copywriter Confesses Contrasting Conditions.

The latest installment of the Digiday confessions series spotlighted a crybaby copywriter whining, “I have to fight to do my job.” Boo-hoo. Actually, the alleged copywriter appears to be very senior—probably a senior citizen—as he/she makes references to the “golden era of advertising” and the “‘80s and ‘90s” with a sense of fond remembrance and longing for the past. According to the confessor, the business today is so terrible because art directors receive greater respect. In contrast, copywriters must collaborate with multiple art directors and have their work constantly scrutinized by account people and clients. Um, art directors being tasked to present endless rounds of royalty-free stock photography options shows they get greater respect…?

Oh, and copywriters and art directors at White advertising agencies still get waaaaay more respect than the token minority running the mailroom—or the typical Chief Diversity Officer.

‘I have to fight to do my job’: Confessions of a copywriter

By Kristina Monllos

Copywriters used to be central to how an agency worked, but the rise of project models is putting a strain on the copywriter-art director partnership. When the work is primarily project-based, agencies are focused on making clients happy at all costs, lessening the role of a copywriter and making the art director more important. It’s causing a strain on the partnership, according to a copywriter at a creative agency who spoke to Digiday for the latest edition of our Confession series, where we exchange anonymity for honesty.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

What’s it like to be a copywriter at an agency today?

Going back to the golden era of advertising, there was a lot more weightiness to the role of the copywriter. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, it swung to that partner model. Now, it feels like the pendulum has swung even further. Art directors outnumber copywriters. That has reduced the role of a copywriter in a lot of ways.

How outnumbered are you?

I work with four different art directors. How are we that outnumbered? That’s how little they tend to think of copy. I can write a headline in eight seconds, that’s what they think. Yes, technically, that’s how long it would take me to physically type six words. And it does take a lot longer to design an ad. But it’s putting a toll on copywriters because we’re stretched so thin between all the different art directors and projects. On paper, they don’t think we should take that much time writing.

Do you have any examples of how the role of copywriter has been reduced or devalued?

One of the most frequent ones would be the way people flippantly treat copy. The account team may tweak something before they send it to the client. Sometimes I’ll get a brief from the client and project management that is like, “They want it to say this but they thought it sounded boring so they want you to zhuzh it.” I’m not a zhuzher. I’m a writer. I get that a lot. The client doesn’t take photoshop files and change them. We don’t give them access to that. So why am I getting revisions from clients that say, “Just change it to say this.” You’re messing with my work, and it’s not treated to with the same sort of value as the art director’s [work].

Why do you think that’s happening now?

We’re straying further from the agency-of-record world. We’re getting more into projects. It’s becoming more about pleasing the client to get the paycheck instead of creating something meaningful. It becomes a “we’ll just do what they want” mentality because no one wants to fight with the client. Instead of me writing something, it becomes me copy editing or proofreading it. We’re just swapping some words, or we’re trying to make it fit within a character count. That’s not my job. My job is to write things and to think of things; it’s not to make a client’s words sound fresher.

How does that shift change the work environment?

It’s stressful because now I feel like I have to fight to do my job. I have to constantly be reminding people that they can’t change my copy because that’s my job. They don’t think about the copywriter’s presence as being a creative one. They think well, the creative directors are going to come up with all the ideas, the art director will implement the idea and the copywriter will come in, slap a headline on it and call it a day.

How does that play out when it comes to being on-set?

[If] we’re over budget or there’s going to be too many people on set, the first person who’s cut is the copywriter. They always say things like, “Well, you’ve already written the script” or “It’s a photo shoot, you’re not needed.” They don’t think a copywriter’s presence is necessary. To them, it’s the art director that picks out the props, sets up the scene, picks out the wardrobe, points out flaws. Everything is about the art director when it comes to shoots. That’s where the biggest challenge is because people don’t understand that I’m not on set to write on the fly. I’ve never written a word on a set before. That’s not why writers are there. People don’t know why writers are there.

What does a writer do on set? Why do they need to be there?

You’re not only making sure that everything is executed correctly or that the words coming out are the correct ones, but you’re also making sure the story is being told in a cohesive manner. You’re having conversations with the art director and the creative director to make sure that it’s feeling like you want it to feel. It’s not just what you’re seeing but about the mood that’s being encapsulated. The problem now is that the art director is put on a pedestal. The writer’s [role on set is] you stand there, represent and chill out. You raise a finger if you see something going awry or if the photographer is accidentally forgetting to leave room for copy. The art director leads the charge, and you’re not supposed to say anything unless it’s going off the rails.

That sounds like it would fracture the relationship between the art director and copywriter.

Correct. The biggest eye-opener for me was that someone once referred to my partner as my boss on a set. They thought my partner was the one in charge of me and the whole production. That’s my partner. We are equals.

Do you think that perception has a greater impact on the copywriters?

My role has become confused within the industry. People don’t quite understand what I’m supposed to do. Even I don’t understand what I’m supposed to do half of the time. When there’s a lack of understanding about your job role, it creates frustration and animosity. This industry has such a high turnover rate, especially for junior creatives, because they get in there and they’re like, “I’m treated like shit, so I’m not going to do this anymore,” and they leave.

14743: A Laborious Look At Labor Day.

Happy Labor Day!

14742: Finland Frantically Finding Friendly Females For Foreigners.

In Finland, Mannerheim League for Child Welfare seeks volunteers to befriend “immigrant women”—which is probably code for women of color. It’s enough to inspire a mass migration out of the country.

14741: For Good Times, See The Work Of Ernie Barnes.

From The Los Angeles Times…

Ernie Barnes’ ‘Sugar Shack’: Why museum-goers line up to see ex-NFL player’s painting

By Makeda Easter | Staff Writer

At the California African American Museum’s retrospective dedicated to late artist and former NFL player Ernie Barnes, “The Sugar Shack” is an undeniable star.

Visitors often form a line around the painting, said the show’s curator, Bridget R. Cooks, associate professor in the departments of African American studies and art history at UC Irvine. They all wait for their moment with Barnes’ work, a piece that entered pop-culture consciousness after appearing on the 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and as the cover art to Marvin Gaye’s 1976 album, “I Want You.”

“The Sugar Shack” transports viewers to a jubilant black club. Vibrant, dancing partygoers and musicians fill the 3-by-4-foot canvas. Most have their eyes closed, a signature in nearly all of Barnes’ paintings, referring to his oft-stated belief that “we are blind to each other’s humanity.”

As a neo-mannerist who referenced the late Renaissance period of Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, Barnes painted the figures in “The Sugar Shack” as exaggerated and elongated forms, one man’s arms joyously nearly reaching the top of the canvas, another woman’s curvy legs stretching halfway across the dance floor. Barnes’ expressive style helps viewers identify with the rhythm and sensuality of the painting, Cooks said.

One central figure in the painting is a woman in a yellow dress and white shoes, dancing at the front of the tall stage, her back to the viewer. She’s a character who appears in artworks throughout Barnes’ career.

It’s easy to get lost in the revelers, but a closer look reveals unexpected details. Nestled in a corner between the stairs and the stage is a black man in a blue uniform, sitting with a newspaper at his feet. Unlike the rest of the figures on the canvas his expression is downcast. He seems to be an outsider.

Cooks isn’t certain if he’s working security or if he’s an off-duty policeman relaxing with the music. But she compared the figure to Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1981 work “Irony of the Negro Policeman.” “He’s representing law and order and we don’t think about the police being, especially today, friends of the black community,” Cooks said.

Barnes was born into a working-class family in segregated Durham, N.C., in 1938. He painted “The Sugar Shack” from a childhood memory — sneaking into the Durham Armory, a venue that hosted segregated dances and that still exists today. “This was a place where you could go as a black person and see Duke Ellington and see Clyde McPhatter,” Cooks said. Barnes, who died in 2009, recalled in a 2008 interview that the experience was the “first time my innocence met with the sins of dance.” After being drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1959, Barnes played professional football for teams including the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers until 1965, before pursuing his passion for art.

In the early 1970s, Barnes settled in L.A.’s Fairfax district. He became interested in Jewish culture and was impressed with how much the community knew of its history, Cooks said. “And he really wished that black people had the same type of cultural education.” Inspired by the “Black Is Beautiful” movement, he premiered his exhibition “The Beauty of the Ghetto,” 35 paintings depicting everyday scenes from black life, in 1972.

His work during the time, including “The Sugar Shack,” was about “showing blackness as beautiful and even exaggerating form,” Cooks said. “It’s not about trying to hide the curves of your body or the facial features that you have. It’s about showing them, even exaggerating them and making it not even just OK but something to really be celebrated.”

“The Sugar Shack” ascended into pop culture by chance.

After Barnes played a game of basketball with Gaye, the soul singer caught a glimpse of Barnes’ painting in his car. “He went crazy and he was like I have to have this,” Cooks said.

Barnes augmented the painting to include references to Gaye’s music, and the work became the cover of his “I Want You” album in 1976. That same year, Barnes painted a “Sugar Shack” duplicate, which is on display at CAAM. According to a note written by the artist, he created the second painting because the first “moved around, uninsured” and out of his control.

In the 1970s, producer Norman Lear commissioned Barnes to create original paintings for the Jimmie Walker character J.J. in “Good Times,” the sitcom about a black family living in a Chicago housing project. In later seasons “The Sugar Shack” was the backdrop for the show’s credits.

The painting became part of American national memory, something of a mythical object, Cooks said. The curator believes Barnes would have found “The Sugar Shack” selfie lines at CAAM to be meaningful.

“It’s wonderful to see how much respect the painting commands,” she said. “People really understand this is a painting that in some ways belongs to everyone.”

14740: Cicloferón Thinks People with Sickness Are Savages.

This Cicloferón advertisement from JWT in Mexico demonstrates that pharmaceutical advertising sucks worldwide.

14739: Papa John’s Continues To Do The Wrong Thing.

Advertising Age reported Papa John’s—allegedly in an effort to clean up its damaged image—named a former Arby’s president as the new CEO. So, to offset the troubles ignited by Papa John’s Founder John Schnatter using the N-word, they hired a guy whose last name is Lynch. Perfect.

In An Ongoing Effort To Turn Around Papa John’s Tarnished Inage, The Pizza Chain Names A New CEO

Arby’s president, Rob Lynch, will take over as Papa John’s chief executive

Struggling pizza maker Papa John’s International Inc. appointed Arby’s President Rob Lynch as chief executive officer, naming an outsider as it further breaks from its controversial founder John Schnatter.

Lynch, a fast-food industry veteran, will replace Steve Ritchie. It’s the biggest shakeup since activist shareholder Starboard Value set its sights on the pizza company. In a statement, Chairman Jeff Smith cited Lynch’s “proven record transforming organizations and realizing the growth potential of differentiated brands.”

Papa John’s, which operates about 5,300 locations globally, has been facing slowing sales, with revenue declining 12 percent in 2018. Schnatter, whose image had once been deeply ingrained with the company’s marketing, agreed earlier this year to resign from the board and dismiss a lawsuit related to his departure last year as chairman. Papa John’s woes grew last summer after the founder used a racial slur on a conference call, which he said was taken out of context.

“A new management team is usually a pretty good opportunity and you’re seeing it reflected in the stock price now,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Mike Halen said.

Papa John’s shares rose as much as 7.6 percent Tuesday in New York, the biggest intraday gain in six months. The stock had already climbed 10 percent this year through Monday’s close, after declining the past two years.

Starboard has invested $250 million in Papa John’s since February. Smith, Starboard’s CEO, became chairman of the pizza maker when it took the stake. The pizza maker’s shares fell 29 percent in 2018 and 34 percent in 2017.

Lynch joined Inspire Brands-owned Arby’s in 2013 as the roast-beef sandwich chain’s chief marketing officer. Before that, he worked at Procter & Gamble Co. and Yum! Brands Inc. as vice president of brand marketing for Taco Bell. He was appointed president of Arby’s in 2017 overseeing marketing, operations and development.

Pharrell’s hat

At Arby’s, Lynch led the chain’s heavy meat-focused marketing and bold ad campaigns that poked fun at vegetarians. Arby’s has more than 3,300 restaurants across the world. In 2014, Arby’s hit social-media marketing gold when it started a back-and-forth with recording artist Pharrell Williams over Twitter over his hat, which resembles the restaurant chain’s logo. “We luckily got our first big win just from being tuned in when we saw Pharrell wearing an ‘Arby’s hat’ at the Grammys! We quickly sent a tweet to Pharrell, and our conversation went viral,” Lynch said in an interview with Marketing Land.

Starboard is known for its turnaround of Olive Garden owner Darden Restaurants Inc. Smith’s proxy fight to replace Darden’s directors included a nearly 300-page Power Point presentation that called for several specific changes at the Italian-dining chain, including adding salt to the water when cooking pasta. Smith took over as chairman of Darden and the company embarked on an effort to improve its lagging performance that included spinning off its real-estate portfolio.

Ritchie, Schnatter’s one-time protege, took over the role of Papa John’s CEO in January 2018 when his boss stepped down. That came a few months after Schnatter went after the NFL for its handling of football players dropping to one knee in protest during the national anthem. Ritchie also worked as a delivery driver and store manager before becoming operating chief in 2014 and president in 2015.

Schnatter, long the largest shareholder, has been reducing his stake in Papa John’s, recently selling shares worth more than $30 million, according to a filing. Schnatter still controls almost 17 percent of the company’s shares, while Starboard holds about 15 percent.

Papa John’s, battered by steep competition from pizza competitors and the explosion of food delivery options, recently announced former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal as an investor and board member. Same-store sales fell 5.7 percent in the latest quarter in North America. To keep struggling franchisees from going out of business, the company has been offering them royalty reductions and funding for advertising.

In Tuesday’s statement, the company reiterated its full-year outlook of a decline of 1 to 4 percent for North America same-store sales. It also maintained its forecast for international comparable sales of flat to up 3 percent.

Separately Tuesday, Arby’s owner Inspire Brands named Jim Taylor president of the sandwich chain, replacing Lynch. Taylor had served as Arby’s chief marketing officer.

—Bloomberg News

14738: Popeyes “Louisiana Fast” Tagline Is Slow In Reality.

This Popeyes Cajun Sparkle Boneless Wings & Tots commercial features Annie the Chicken Queen and two White women—which makes the spot a divertisement of sorts. It also begs the question as to why Annie is usually interacting with White people in the overall campaign. Popeyes likes to hype its home of Louisiana, a state consistently ranking among the top ten with high Black populations. So shouldn’t Annie spend more time in the ‘hood?

14737: Ogilvy And Cadbury Create Candy Ass Divertisement.

Ogilvy in India presented the Cadbury Unity Bar to celebrate the diversity of the country’s people—although the White chocolate appears to be on top.

For Ogilvy, there’s the White chocolate bar.

14736: By The Light Of The Silvery—And Whitened—Moon.

This Egyptian campaign for Pure Beauty tells women they can shine like the moon—thanks to skin whitening cream. Pure Beauty is pure bullshit.

14735: Ad Council Delivers Dumb Editorial Divertisement.

Adweek published a patronizing perspective from Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman that is actually a divertsity discourse. Sherman blathered about the imperative for inclusiveness in campaigns, calling for fair representation of female sub-segments including body image, sexual orientation, generational, etc. “Consumers crave more inclusive ads,” declared Sherman. Of course, the Ad Council has a history of partnering with White advertising agencies, which ultimately perpetuates the very issue Sherman is pontificating against. It’s enough to make a Native American cry.

How Marketers Can Create More Comprehensively Inclusive Strategies

Consumers want to see themselves reflected in ads

By Lisa Sherman

Young. Attractive. Thin. Able-bodied. Straight. White. Cisgender.

For decades, almost everyone who appeared in ads conformed to these traits. Marketers believed that ads showcasing “beautiful” people—by traditional standards, anyway—would compel consumers to buy their products.

But consumers today don’t want to buy from picture-perfect, homogeneous models. They want ads that reflect the real world, featuring people who look like them and reflect their lived experience.

Some brands are adjusting their marketing strategies accordingly, but they need to consider all angles. It’s not enough to add a few token minorities or plus-sized models. Customers won’t be compelled by half-hearted approaches to diversity. The most effective ad campaigns feature a genuine commitment to diversity and equality.

For too long, marketers have ignored wide swaths of society. More than half of Americans don’t feel their lifestyle is represented in ads, according to a May 2017 survey. A separate analysis of spring 2019 fashions ads revealed that only 11% of campaign castings went to plus-size women. Less than half of a percent of models were openly transgender or non-binary.

Consumers crave more inclusive ads. Consider a study from Cambridge University in which audiences found marketing content more compelling when they shared traits like skin color, size and age with the models. As one of the lead researchers said, “It’s not necessarily enough to show one component, which is similar. People really wanted to see someone who represents them in all three factors.”

Eight in 10 parents like to see diverse families in marketing content, according to a recent study of more than 2,000 people. More than four in 10 millennial parents are likelier to buy something from brands that embrace diversity. And about half of moms pay closer attention to ads that feature a real mother instead of actresses or models.

Some businesses have already launched powerful, effective campaigns that fully embrace diversity.

Take Project #ShowUS by Dove. To improve diversity in ads and media, the company is working with Girlgaze and Getty Images to build a library of stock photography with more realistic images of women. Thus far, the campaign has compiled more than 5,000 images with all types of women. And one of the campaign’s main videos, for example, features a variety of people: a black woman with natural hair, an Asian woman with imperfect skin, a white woman in a wheelchair, an older white woman and a non-binary model. This is a depiction not of the advertising fantasy world of old, but the diverse reality we actually live in.

Or consider take “A Coke Is a Coke,” Coca-Cola’s 2019 Superbowl ad. In the ad, animated figures of all different professions, races, sizes and walks of life drink Coca-Cola. Toward the end, it notes that “Different is beautiful.” The message is clear: Everyone is unique but can still come together to enjoy a refreshing beverage.

“First Shave” by Gillette also illustrates a commitment to diverse narratives. The ad depicts a father showing his son how to shave, a typical rite of passage. However, there is a break from the norm: the son is transgender. By incorporating this unique perspective within a timeless tradition, Gillette successfully celebrates diversity.

Consumers are increasingly demanding that the brands they interact with demonstrate an authentic commitment to diversity. Companies must meet that demand by featuring the full spectrum of races, ages, genders, sizes and other core identities in their marketing or risk being left behind.

14734: Publicis Groupe’s Team One Is A Losing Team.

AgencySpy posted about Team One—the Publicis Groupe shop created to exclusively service Lexus—experiencing layoffs this month. Does anyone doubt the shrinking White advertising agency will ultimately change its name to Team of One? That is, the place will inevitably reduce to being staffed by a single employee.

Team One Went Through a Round of Layoffs This Month

By Erik Oster

Publicis Groupe’s Team One, the holding company’s agency founded as a dedicated unit for Lexus, went through a round of layoffs earlier this month.

An agency spokesperson confirmed that the agency had parted with around 3% of its full-time employees. The agency’s website boasts the office has “500+ people,” which would place the number let go at 15 or above. Team One’s LinkedIn page claims it employs 201-500, putting the lower end of an estimate in single digits.

“On occasion, we make adjustments to our staffing mix based on agency business requirements as well as the business requirements of all our clients,” Team One CEO Julie Michael said in a statement. “Our business relationship with Lexus remains healthy and productive.”

A source close to the matter characterized the staffing adjustments as related to the changing scope and nature of the agency’s client relationships, as the agency evolves to focus more on data, personalization and technology to meet clients’ changing demands. The source characterized the changes as a shift by the agency into investing more in data sciences, tech and studio resources, leading to reductions in other areas.

Team One expanded its data team with the arrivals of Emily Sanford as management director, digital, CRM and data application and Dr. Bharath Gangula as executive director, data science and advanced analytics back in June.

Around a year ago, Team One reportedly went through a round of downsizing as Lexus sales dropped. Lexus reported a sales decrease of 5.4% for this July, compared to the same period in 2018 but it’s unclear if this had any impact on its approach to advertising and marketing. Back in March, Team One hired TBWA\Chiat\Day creative director Kirsten Rutherford as executive creative director for the Expedia account.

14733: Annie The Chicken Queen Is Now Diabetic…?

Oh shit! Annie the Chicken Queen is hawking Ozempic. Guess all the eating at Popeyes led to type 2 diabetes.

14732: Clio And BBDO Los Angeles Celebrate 60 Years Of Exclusivity.

The self-indulgent garbage depicted above—produced by Clio and BBDO Los Angeles—is described as follows:

As part of The Clio’s yearlong 60th anniversary celebration, they are unveiling six decades of (advertising) history immortalized in one masterpiece.

The masterpiece-of-shit shows over six decades of Whiteness in the advertising industry. It would be more creative and appropriate to display a blank white canvas.

14731: Predicting A Wreck For Women Drivers And SafeAuto.

AgencySpy posted about Joan being selected as the White AOR for SafeAuto. The pitch allegedly involved seven White advertising agencies. Based on the quality of past campaigns, the win indicates Joan and a handful of other mediocre shops are desperate for billings.

SafeAuto Chooses Joan as Agency of Record

By Minda Smiley

SafeAuto has named Joan as its agency of record, following a review.

The state minimum auto insurance carrier previously worked with Greatest Common Factory. According to Joan, seven agencies participated in the pitch.

As agency of record, Joan will be tasked with leading SafeAuto’s strategic thinking, as well as producing video, audio, design and digital creative. The agency will also help manage special projects and partnerships.

“We’re really excited about this new partnership and the opportunity to revitalize the SafeAuto brand. We believe in SafeAuto’s inclusive mission which aligns so closely with ours, and we’re lucky to be working with such a wonderful team,” Joan co-founder and CEO Lisa Clunie said in a statement.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Joan to help us better connect with the people we serve day in and day out,” added Sloane Stegen, SafeAuto’s consumer demand director. “SafeAuto is dedicated to helping Americans stay safe and legal on the roads. Our goal is to offer reliable and dependable insurance without all the unnecessary bells and whistles, and help our customers keep their hard-earned money in their pockets. We know Joan will be able to share our message with the people that matter.”

Joan added four members to its creative team earlier this year. The agency went through a small round of layoffs in May, though it did not appear to be linked to any specific account shift.

The agency also recently went through a rebrand and moved into new offices.

14730: Publicis Groupe Buys More White Women For Divertsity.

Adweek reported Publicis Groupe bought Rauxa, which technically means the White advertising agency is no longer woman-owned. Of course, Publicis Groupe will count the acquisition as a boost for divertsity.

Publicis Groupe Continues Acquisition Spree by Obtaining Rauxa

It was the industry’s largest independent woman-owned agency

By Erik Oster

Publicis Groupe just made another major acquisition.

Mere months after acquiring data company Epsilon for $4.4 billion, the holding company has announced the acquisition of full-service independent marketing agency Rauxa.

“With the acquisition of Rauxa, Publicis Groupe is further delivering on the promise of driving one-to-one consumer engagement at scale for clients. The addition of Rauxa’s strategy, data, tech, media, creative and production expertise further enhances our data-driven creativity offerings and scaled capabilities across investment, strategy, insights and analytics, data and technology, commerce, performance marketing and content,” Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun said in a statement.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Rauxa’s net revenue was around $70 million at the time of the acquisition.

With the acquisition, Rauxa will become part of Publicis Media in the U.S. and continue to be led by founder Jill Gwaltney and president, CEO Gina Smith, who will report to Publicis Media Exchange (PMX) global CEO David Penski and Tim Jones, CEO of the Americas for Publicis Media.

Founded in 1999 as a team of four, Rauxa has since grown to a team of over 320 in the U.S., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Orange County and Dallas, becoming the industry’s largest independent woman-owned agency along the way. Its client roster includes Verizon, Samsung, Alaska Airlines, Vans, Celgene and over 20 other brands. Publicis Groupe also counts Verizon and Samsung among its client roster.

“People ask me, ‘What does it mean to be women-led? How does that differentiate?’ I’d say it gets to [our] core values: mentorship, transparency and care,” Gwaltney told Adweek. “The care we give to our clients and the care we give to our people, that is going to stay and that’s one of the things that [Sadoun] liked about Rauxa and one of the reasons he said, ‘Rauxa’s going to stay Rauxa.’”

Gwaltney explained that implementing Smith, who she said first joined the agency as a receptionist out of college, as CEO in 2016 was a key milestone for the agency and has led to explosive growth. She explained that previously, a holding company acquisition was not something she had considered, but that she was looking for opportunities for Rauxa to grow further.

“One of the nice things is that we got to date Publicis before we married them because we were working on some clients together. It’s really important to me that cultures match. It’s about taking care of employees, doing the right thing and providing this incredible service to clients,” Gwaltney said, a point Penski seconded.

She explained that her father was a mentor while she spent 20 years working with him in the printing business and that his first lesson to her was “figure out what customers need and help them get it done,” which was instrumental in shaping Rauxa’s philosophy.

Penski explained that Rauxa would boost the network’s CRM and personalized creative offerings, areas where he said Rauxa performed “as well as anyone.” He also cited Rauxa’s dedication to client service and client engagement, new business acumen and managerial style, and said that the company added different, but complementary, offerings to existing Publicis Media entities while also boosting it geographically in locations where its presence hasn’t been as strong.

While Rauxa has been on Publics Groupe’s radar for around five years, Penski said the agency particularly stood out as a potential acquisition over the course of the past year or so. The two parties started discussions at the end of last year.

It helped that Rauxa beat Publicis on a couple of new business wins this year alone.

“How they look at a client is so similar to Publicis that it’s a very easy fit for us to bring in,” Penski told Adweek. “We believe across a number of our large ‘Power of One’ clients that Rauxa is the right partner to bring in [to drive organic growth].”

“We’re in a place where we have the team to really deliver on that promise of creating personalized experiences for our brands,” Gwaltney said. “Now we’re ready to show it off to the world, and Publicis makes those introductions for us, … and they also have the power of all these additional capabilities in media, for instance, that help us team up with some of the clients that we have, for a greater offering.”

14729: Annie The Chicken Queen Concept Needs Help.

For Popeyes’ new Parmesan Ranch Double Dippers, Annie the Chicken Queen appears to be serving as the help in what looks like an exclusive Whites-only club.

14728: Dream Flight, Nightmare Air Disaster.

It kinda looks like these folks are dreaming of airline crashes.

14727: Absolut Absolutely Loves Hip Hop Big Time.

For Absolut Juice to use Lizzo is lazy.

14726: Brazilian Campaign For Genetic Testing Fails.

Not sure what this Brazilian campaign is trying to communicate. Absolutely certain that Brazil is in no position to be promoting such a patronizingly progressive platform.