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Reel Chicago is a daily digital magazine that covers the news in Chicago on all aspects of advertising, film, TV, media and production. The content is original, written by industry experts and contributing Op Eds
As the new dentsumcgarrybowen Brita spot Stepping Up relays, every day we have a choice, to keep our old habits or start new ones. The commercial was directed by Arts & Sciences Sean Meehan and edited by Cut+Run’s Steve Gandolfi for agency McGarryBowen. This is brilliantly illustrated by a young girl who forges a new … Continue reading “New Brita spot from dentsumcgarrybowen and cut+run”
mcgarrybowen, Chicago and Oscar Mayer cook up plan for Feeding America
Jennifer Zimmerman, Global Chief Strategy officer at mcgarrybowen, today announced changes in the agency’s U.S. strategic leadership. Jamie Shuttleworth has been promoted from Chief Strategy Officer of the Chicago office to U.S. Chief Strategy Officer and will have responsibility for leading strategy across the agency’s U.S. presence, currently with offices in New York, Chicago, and … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen announces new US strategic leadership”
Finessing a time-honored custom with environmental flair, Brita and mcgarrybowen Chicago are offering consumers a chance to celebrate National Ugly Sweater Day with a bright and cheesy new line that calls attention to the urgencies of climate change. Five of the agency’s in-house designers created sweater designs that blend traditional holiday kitsch with imagery of … Continue reading “Brita, mcgarrybowen help the earth with ugly sweaters”
Creative agency will unite operations around a unified brand umbrella and global leadership team mcgarrybowen announced today a new global structure designed to accelerate its commitment to its clients to deliver a best-in-class global creative offering. Gordon Bowen — Founder and Global Chairman of mcgarrybowen and Global Chief Creative Officer of Dentsu — will lead … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen announces a new global organization”
#DonateYourSmallTalk encourages people to mention foster care in everyday conversation FosterMore, a coalition of entertainment, media, business and philanthropic organizations working to deliver a better future for America’s foster care youth, kicks off today its #DonateYourSmallTalk campaign just in time for May National Foster Care Month. The premise for FosterMore’s #DonateYourSmallTalk is simple: talking about … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen creates new FosterMore campaign”
360 campaign featured a level of irreverence that enticed Zach Braff to come on board as narrator and director Hidden Valley Ranch’s new campaign “You Either Love It or You Really Love It,” which rolls out this week, is an exciting shift for Hidden Valley Ranch, as they celebrate the love consumers have for their … Continue reading “Hidden Valley’s campaign of love from mcgarrybowen”
A colorful campaign rouses the holiday spirit with DIY adventure and lovable crayon characters The Crayola characters are back this holiday season and are starring in two action-packed holiday spots. Stepping out into the real world and leveraging cinematic appeal and humor, they connect with kids and adults alike. In Rube Goldberg Machine, Scarlet, Gus, … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen creates holiday thrills for Crayola”
Grillo joins from Droga5 in new role to oversee mb’s New York, Chicago and San Francisco operations (New York — 6 December 2018) Pat Lafferty, U.S. President, mcgarrybowen (mb), announced today that Lucia Grillo has been named as the agency’s U.S. Head of Operations. Grillo joins the Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) agency from Droga5. In … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen names Lucia Grillo as Head of U.S. Op’s”
Crafty footage and sharp cuts help Stephen Curry and Anwar Jibawi weave a message into an absurd and enjoyable dinnertime sketch mcgarrybowen Chicago has helped Brita score more than two million YouTube views (and counting) with an effective and hilarious extended commercial titled, Home for the Holidays. Featuring NBA superstar Stephen Curry as himself and … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen scores with star-studded Brita spot”
“The job of creatives within this agency is to make me slightly uncomfortable.” —Kurt Fries Last Summer, veteran advertising creative Kurt Fries took over as CCO for mcgarrybowen Chicago. Reel Chicago sat down with the affable creative leader to see how the year’s been. Reel Chicago: So how did you get started in … Continue reading “Getting reel with Kurt Fries, CCO of mcgarrybowen”
Ian joins mb from Droga5 to lead creative at the New York flagship for clients including United Airlines, Subway, and Verizon (New York — 5 September 2018) Ned Crowley, U.S. Chief Creative Officer, mcgarrybowen (mb), announced today that Matt Ian has been named Chief Creative Officer for its New York flagship office. Ian will lead … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen NY names Matt Ian Chief Creative Officer”
After 100 years of making bacon and hot dogs, Oscar Mayer is paving the way in the burgeoning cryptocurrency landscape by introducing “Bacoin,” the first-ever cryptocurrency backed by the gold standard of Oscar Mayer Bacon. Last week, the cold cuts and meat company announced it is giving away a limited amount of Bacoin that fans … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen mints cryptocurrency backed by bacon”
A new spot for Hidden Valley Ranch by the Chicago office of mcgarrybowen flirts with the prospect of a cussword before pulling a switcheroo kinda thing. Family Shaker describes how food tastes awesome when it is sprinkled with the Original Ranch Seasoning Shaker, a handy new product that dispenses the classic flavor of Hidden Valley … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen spot for Hidden Valley Ranch is a BFD”
Laurel joined mcgarrybowen in 2009 and currently serves as President of the Chicago office. In addition to her agency responsibilities she continues to lead the Disney Parks and Resorts account. Prior to mcgarrybowen, she fine-tuned her skills during a ten-year stint at Fallon Minneapolis, working with such clients as EDS, Nikon, and Citi. Her efforts … Continue reading “Reel Women: Laurel Flatt, President, mcgarrybowen/Chicago”
Puppet master and stop-motion specialist join Tessa Films’ roster Meghann Artes and Toben Seymour have joined the directorial roster at Tessa Films. The duo arrives at Tessa Films with skillsets that are bound to overlap in both conventional and unconventional ways. Artes is a master of stop motion. Seymour is a master of puppetry. … Continue reading “Tessa, mcgarrybowen, Arc, Jenny Milkowski on the move”
Former WPP exec Angela Johnson is leaving the Windy City for the Big Apple. McGarryBowen U.S. President Simon Pearce announced that Johnson has been named President of the agency’s New York office, and introduced her to the NYC staff in a meeting Friday afternoon. “Angela has a rich background in bringing impressive, record-breaking results for … Continue reading “Angela Johnson named President of mcgarrybowen/NYC”
Dentsu Aegis Network announced the acquisition of Swirl, one of the leading independent digital marketing firms on the West Coast. Swirl will become part of global award-winning creative agency mcgarrybowen, expanding the 15-year-old agency’s capabilities in both digital and social-first marketing, branded content, and eCRM. Following the acquisition, Swirl will be named Swirl mcgarrybowen. Based … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen acquires digital agency, Swirl”
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or whatever you identify with came early for mcgarrybowen as Chief Creative Officer, Kurt Fries, posted on Linkedin that the agency had won The Planters Peanuts account from Leo Burnett. An agency spokeswoman confirmed the move to the Reel this afternoon. Mcgarrybowen President Laurel Flatt was clearly happy with the decision. “This … Continue reading “mcgarrybowen goes nuts for Planters”
McGarryBowen helped introduce Burt’s Bees Beauty, a new makeup line from Burt’s Bees, with a celebration of the female dynamic and a focus on wholesome ingredients. Spanning TV, print, and digital, I Am Not Synthetic combines a multicultural lineup of women with colorful shots of product and soothing images of nature in a campaign that … Continue reading “McGarryBowen creates a natural winner for Burt’s Bees”
McGarryBowen livened-up the flying experience for United Airlines’ customers by adding humor and excitement to the safety video that everyone is pretty much forced to watch before the plane takes off. The four-minute-long Safety is Global establishes an entertaining mood in seconds. A slow zoom on Rio’s skyline quick-cuts to a Carnival parade jumping along … Continue reading “McGarryBowen adds humor to United flights”
The US Open’s new “You In?” campaign is an ode to New York City, courtesy of McGarryBowen Chicago.
The buildings, bridges and food trucks of the Big Apple form a literal nighttime backdrop for footage of the event’s legendary action. As players and fans light up walls throughout the city, a voiceover declares, “Only New York can throw a party this big.”
We’re living in pretty crappy times. I have never watched so much CNN in my life just to look at talking heads debate 45’s latest move which I’ve already read about in the Washington Post, New York Times and on various friends Facebook feeds.
Congratulations are in order for well-liked and respected advertising veteran, Kurt Fries, as he has been promoted to CCO of Mcgarrybowen Chicago.
According to an Adweek article published last weekend, the agency is shuffling its U.S. creative leadership as Matthew Bull, chief creative officer in New York, has decided to leave the agency.
Tomorrow morning at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, McGarryBowen chief creative officer Ned Crowley will launch a new event format with a presentation titled, “A Bloody Mess — How Advertising Saved My Movie and My Sanity.”
Crowley will describe the four-month sabbatical that he took from his professional advertising job and devoted to completing a feature film on a small budget in early 2015.
According to McGarryBowen, who is hosting Crowley’s appearance, he chose a time of “tumultuous agency change and business upheaval” to make the foray into filmmaking.
Hot on the heels of Kraft Heinz’s removal of all questionable ingredients from their Oscar Mayer hot dog line — including nitrates, nitrites, by-products and other artificial preservatives — the food giant has launched a new ad campaign via mcgarrybowen, Chicago.
The goal: to get every American, from coast-to-coast, to try their new signature product. Dubbed For the Love of Hot Dogs, the campaign, which began May 1, was developed to reignite interest in the official food of summer.
McGarryBowen Chicago is back in the restaurant business, having lost Pizza Hut to Deutsch, New York, by becoming the Olive Garden’s new creative agency of record, after a three month review that started this summer.
Kraft Foods Group on Friday announced that it had slashed seven of its 11 agencies in a move to more efficiently consolidate its work, with Chicago-based Leo Burnett and McGarry Bowen among the four survivors.
The other two agencies sticking to the roster are MDC Partners’ Crispin Porter + Bogusky and Toronto-headquartered WPP’s Taxi.
These haven’t been the best months in the history of McGarryBowen. Though most of the bad news of late has been coming out of the ad agency’s New York office, the Chicago office hasn’t entirely shaken off the setback of losing its entire Anheuser-Busch account just months after the business came into the fold.
Of course it was too good to last. The (too) amazing roll that McGarryBowen/Chicago was on has come to a crashing halt.
McGarryBowen’s new business bonanza continued Wednesday. The agency’s New York office won the high-profile and prestigious United Airlines advertising account. According to a United spokesman, MB’s Chicago office, the agency’s only outpost beyond New York, may be used for meetings on occasion.
But the MB agency team attached to the United account will be based in New York. United, which is headquartered in Chicago, is expected to break its first ad campaign from McGarry at a yet-to-be-determined date in 2012.
Y&R has lost the Sears account, a mainstay of the agency for the past 18 years, but thankfully the big billing account will remain in Chicago, unlike all too many accounts that leave the city altogether.
Fast-growing McGarryBowen is now the lead strategic and creative agency for the Sears brand, having picked up an estimated $365 million in Sears billings and an estimated $125 million from Kmart.
Y&R will continue to handle other Sears assignments, such as creating campaigns for Sears’ Craftsman tools, DieHard automotive supplies and Kenmore Batteries.
Ending a 10-year run with Chicago-based Dentsumcgarrybowen, United Airlines announced Los Angeles-based 72andsunny will become the carrier’s Agency of Record. Campaign, who reported the story, says there was a review which began in February. United was reportedly seeking an agency which could provide “the most sustained, seismic disruption in the history of commercial aviation.” The … Continue reading “72andSunny lands United Airlines account”
High-end editorial boutique Cutters announces the promotion of David Rubin to Editor. The announcement was made by Cutters Studios President/Managing Director Craig Duncan and Managing Editor Grant Gustafson. Rubin landed an internship with Cutters immediately upon graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, leading to a position as Assistant Editor, mainly working for Gustafson. … Continue reading “Cutters promotes David Rubin to editor”
Cut+Run announces the addition of editor Jen Dean to its family of talent. A native Texan, Jen went from studying experimental cinema with Stan Brakhage and Phil Solomon in Boulder to assisting Hank Corwin for many years at Lost Planet. Both experiences proved invaluable as she became an editor in her own right, developing a … Continue reading “Editor Jen Dean joins Cut+Run’s award winning lineup”
STORY’s Ky Dickens got couples to reveal the magic and mishaps of their first kiss in a sweet campaign for Hershey’s. Conceived by dentsumcgarrybowen, and shot in Los Angeles and New York, the spots present couples of varying ages and ethnicities reminiscing about their initial smooch in front of a foil backdrop that recalls the … Continue reading “STORY’s real people share sweet memories for Hershey’s”
Craft creative agency, Tom, Dick & Harry Creative Co. (TDH), has hired Lisa Groot as Vice President, Account Director, Managing Partner Greg Reifel announced today. In her new position, Lisa Groot will lead several of TDH’s clients and play a significant role on the agency’s growth team. “The first time we met Lisa we felt … Continue reading “TDH welcomes Lisa Groot as VP, Account Director”
Lunchables, the brand known for bringing mixed up fun to mealtime, is here to help you navigate the school year on the right foot to make the new school rules and guidelines more fun and friendly. Today through September 11, families can call 1-877-BTS-RULZ for the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure experience that takes them on a mixed-up … Continue reading “Lunchables Hotline helps navigate mixed-up school year”
Aisle Rocket a Chicago-based marketing agency that unifies creative services, data and technology to drive results, announced today that it had promoted Noah Freeman to the role of Head of Product. Previously Freeman was the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Social Fulcrum, a leading social agency that was acquired by Aisle Rocket in 2019. … Continue reading “Aisle Rocket appoints Noah Freeman as Head of Product”
B-to-b agency gyro, a part of Dentsu Aegis Network, reportedly went through a round of layoffs at the beginning of May, according to AgencySpy. The report says approximately 5% of the team in gyro’s U.S. offices, including Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, New York and San Franciso, were affected. Apparently, Kash Sree, New York’s creative lead was … Continue reading “gyro lays off 5% of U.S. staff”
When will what passes for ‘normal’ return? When will agencies be able to mount more traditional shoots? How does one make up for the missing synergy of the edit suite? And who’s missing lunch? These were some of the questions kicked around by the six Chicago agency executives from the creative and production ranks who … Continue reading “AICP takes ‘A Look Forward: Agency, Production & Post’”
Congratulations to our friends at Leo Burnett and mcgarrybowen. Each agency took home three Gold statues from the American Advertising Awards which were announced April 28 virtually. Oh, and the agency at 35 West Wacker also took home “Agency of the Year.” Well done. Both agencies also took home awards in the “Best of” categories. … Continue reading “Burnett wins Agency of the Year from AAA”
The City of Chicago reigned supreme in 2019. Advertising agencies blended social justice with clever branding. Content creators reinforced Chicago’s reputation for inclusivity. Film studios entertained the nation while helping the local neighborhoods. And a handful of friends said goodbye. Below is a list of Reel Chicago’s top articles for 2019, separated by category and … Continue reading “The biggest stories of 2019”
mcgarrybowen is bringing consumers together with Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker in a new campaign for United Airlines. Anchored by a Star Wars-themed Boeing 737-800, Fly the Friendly Galaxy includes social outreach, outdoor advertising, a 30-second spot, and an in-flight safety video featuring appearances by characters like C-3PO, R2-D2, and the Stormtroopers. The … Continue reading “mcgarrybown creates a galaxy for United Airlines”
Blackhawks TV spinoff is a ‘little company with a big heart’ that pumps far beyond the world of sports Celebrating a decade of creating video content for clients such as the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Cubs, Google, Amazon, and Reddi-wip, Banner today announced the re-launch of its business under the direction of new leadership that expands … Continue reading “Banner unveils branding and leadership re-launch”
‘3 PM Slump’ delivers the kind of quick humor that is destined for internet memehood Office workers succumb to a corporate form of zombification in Slump, a new spot by mcgarrybowen for P3 Portable Protein Packs. Stricken by the energy sapping late afternoon, they drop like dominoes in the elevator, at their desks, and all … Continue reading “mcgarry creates instant classic with new P3 campaign”
mcgarrybowen and the US Tennis Association enlist Billie Jean King to encourage fans to share highlights of the female athletes who inspire them mcgarrybowen and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) have developed a win / win / win situation for female athletes, sports fans, and women around the world. Beginning on Opening Day of … Continue reading “#WomenWorthWatching aims to level the playing field”
The cold-cut giant will offer samples of its new treat while rolling through Manhattan in the Wienermobile Fueled by gastronomic inspiration (and a little bit of provocation) from recent developments in condiment-flavored frozen deserts, Oscar Mayer has announced that it will debut a cold and robust new treat, the Ice Dog Sandwich, in August. Partnering … Continue reading “McGarry helps Oscar Mayer debut Ice Dog Sandwich”
FCB Chicago is proving the agency is determined to support and build their in-house production studio, Lord + Thomas. The name harkens back to FCB’s original founders, Lord & Thomas, a Chicago ad agency founded in 1881. Erika Pflederer has left her position as Group Managing Director of Production at mcgarrybowen after eight years to … Continue reading “FCB hires Erika Pflederer to grow in-house studio”
Anheuser-Busch offers beer at the same price that the team from mission control paid in 1969: 35 cents Budweiser is offering drinkers a chance to celebrate Apollo 11’s successful return to earth in the same way that the crew from mission control did a half century ago: with 35-cent beers. Consumers can enjoy the discount … Continue reading “Budweiser launches Apollo 11 promotion”
Chicago-based production studio celebrates five years of creativity Design-driven production studio Almost Gold is excited to unveil a major expansion of both environment and talent. In addition to production, animation, and motion graphics capabilities, Almost Gold now offers editorial, color, finish, VO recording, and audio mix in its newly completed East Wing. The expansion comes … Continue reading “Almost Gold shines with major expansion”
The creative agency and the Chicago healthcare center offer dignity, inclusion and resources through new “Culturally Competent Healthcare” campaign mcgarrybowen Chicago abetted the Howard Brown Health Center in a monthlong takeover of four Red Line cars that went into effect this month. Dubbed the “The Pride Train,” the cars are filled with ads featuring headlines … Continue reading “mcgarrybown’s powerful new work for Howard Brown”
Award-winning ‘great Chicago guy’ who mentored many and cut high-profile ads for Budweiser and McD’s to receive posthumous honor The late Bob Carr, an award-winning editor and co-founder of the Chicago post boutique NuWorld, will be inducted into the Post Hall of Fame at the 2019 AICP Post Awards, set to take place here on … Continue reading “Bob Carr to be inducted into AICP Hall of Fame”
“Since making our way to Chicago in 2014, we have really enjoyed being a part of the creative community.” —Tara Holmes NYC-based creative studio Nice Shoes has expanded its Midwest presence by opening a stand-alone space in Chicago’s vibrant River North district. The studio will be led by Senior Colorist Ron Sudul and Color Assistant … Continue reading “NY-based Nice Shoes expands into Chicago”
mcgarrybowen helps legendary spokes-pitcher break through a giant wall of ice and snow in new video As the world prepares for the epic final showdown of fire and ice, Kool-Aid Man is preparing for an epic showdown of his own — with a giant wall made of ice and snow. A video of the legendary … Continue reading “Kool-Aid Man Krashes epic video premiere”
The April 1 rollout of Kraft’s new “mixed-up” sandwich-building breakfast item launched rumors across the web When Kraft shared a teaser of its new Brunchables item via Twitter on April 1, people immediately began wondering if it was an April Fool’s joke. The activity was part of a social campaign by Kraft and mcgarrybowen that … Continue reading “mcgarry helps Brunchables fool the internet”
NUT-rition teams up with Laura Dern, mcgarrybowen, Whitehouse, and Another Country to shine a light on pay inequality on National Equal Pay Day NUT-rition is a brand that believes women should demand more — more from their snacks and more from their lives. But women today face bigger issues than finding the right snack. On … Continue reading “Kraft puts gender pay gap into nut bags”
The mcgarrybowen creative leader and SheRunsIt Working Mom of the Year describes how she is “still figuring it out” Susan Betteridge has made a profound and positive impact on a lot of people since moving to Chicago from Grand Rapids nearly two decades ago. Besides clients and coworkers at mcgarrybowen, where she has been a … Continue reading “Reel Women: Susan Betteridge, Group Creative Director”
It all started when the award-winning actor / writer / director bumped into executive producer Chris Karabas on the street Globally acclaimed production company RSA Films is pleased to announce renowned comedy director and actor Zach Braff has signed on for commercial representation. Braff’s first work with RSA is a Hidden Valley Ranch campaign via … Continue reading “Zach Braff joins RSA Films”
A big activation follows-up on the wildly successful “Love It or You Really Love It” campaign while paying homage to HVR super fans You can never take your love of ranch too far, so on National Ranch Day — Sunday, March 10 — mcgarrybowen and Hidden Valley Ranch will be creating the biggest bottle … Continue reading “mcgarry’s giant Hidden Valley Ranch concept”
The Chicago shop captures the legendary rapper and the iconic pitcher at their holiday best in the new anthem, “All I Really Want For Christmas” In a new spot by mcgarrybown, Kool-Aid Man and Lil Jon unleash a musical collaboration that is well on its way to becoming a Yuletide classic. All I Really Want … Continue reading “mb, Lil Jon, and Kool-Aid man make Yuletide history”
A new spot from mcgarrybowen New York transforms “Rhapsody in Blue” into a multicultural melody of hope United Airlines new commercial, World Orchestra, is a multicultural jam of touching elegance. Created by mcgarrybown New York, the 30-second spot brings together people and music from all corners of the globe. There are no words spoken other … Continue reading “United Airlines “World Orchestra” plays a global tune”
Working with a jury of pros from the likes of Quriosity, The Mill, and The Onion, MIFF and AICP present the popular program Nov. 6 (Chicago — 22 October 2018) The Midwest Independent Film Festival, in partnership with AICP Midwest, has announced the program lineup for the 2018 Advertising Community Shorts Night, an annual event … Continue reading “Midwest Indie Fest reveals Ad Community Shorts lineup”
With an abundance of simple yet passionate drama, the agency and the client add life to the #CareEnough initiative mcgarrybowen helped Hallmark Gold Crown travel down roads rarely taken by creating four new spots in support of the online and retail gift company’s #CareEnough initiative. Ranging from 30 to 120 seconds, the series features a … Continue reading “mcgarry brings ‘heartfelt authenticity’ to Hallmark spots”
The integrated house adds a pair of Senior Producers who have completed projects of all sizes for dozens of top tier brands (Chicago — 3 October 2018) Dictionary Films U.S. managing director Chris Rossiter today announced the promotion of Cody McGuire to senior producer and the addition of senior producer Joe Kirkendall to the company’s … Continue reading “Dictionary promotes Cody McGuire, adds Joe Kirkendall”
The pair of lensmasters brings cinematography, tabletop and stop motion expertise to the production company’s growing roster (Chicago — 26 September 2018) One at Optimus, the production arm of leading production and post house Optimus, today announced that Jamieson Mulholland and Jay Patton have signed with ONE as directors. “We’re thrilled to welcome Jamieson and … Continue reading “One at Optimus signs directors Mulholland, Patton”
The film and commercial vet will relocate from Chicago, where he was a mainstay at Filmworkers Club (New York — 24 September 2018) Senior Colorist Fred Keller is heading home; the veteran post production artist, a mainstay of the color scene in Chicago for the past dozen years, is going back to New York as … Continue reading “Click 3X adds Senior Colorist Fred Keller”
Agency adds nine creatives across several clients and disciplines (Chicago — 20 July 2018) – OKRP is expanding its creative department with the addition of nine new employees including two Creative Directors, four ACD’s, a senior AD, a digital visual designer and a designer with individuals coming from such agencies as … Continue reading “OKRP welcomes new creative team”
“Real-Time Taxi Top’s” 125 taxi cabs and 45,000 data points show how convenient it is for New Yorkers to reach United flights at Newark Airport mcgarrybowen won a pair of Lions from the Cannes Festival of Creativity for its work on the United Airlines Real-Time Taxi Top campaign. Real-Time Taxi Top uses GPS real-time … Continue reading “mcgarryb’s dynamic United campaign wins at Cannes”
(Chicago — 20 April 2018) As marketing decision-makers behind major brands are reinventing the relationships with their advertising agencies, Secret Fort, a Chicago-based company, has been busy forging a “refuge for marketers.” Quietly launched in 2016 by industry veterans, Secret Fort is reinventing the traditional agency model. Why? Because today’s clients are asked to do … Continue reading “Secret’s out: clients find refuge in Chicago’s Secret Fort”
RSA Films promotes Chris Karabas to executive producer Before the promotion, Chris Karabas was the Midwest representative for RSA Films. In his new role, Karabas is expected to utilize RSA Films’ resources to branch out into multiplatform storytelling – especially social media. Previously, Karabas worked for Shafer Antelis Music in the early 90s, was a … Continue reading “Karabas, “Real Prayers,” “Make Out Party,” and more”
Ewan McGregor joins RSA as commercial director RSA Films president Jules Daly announced Monday that “The Force” is now with RSA as former Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ewan McGregor, has joined the Ridley Scott-owned company. The acclaimed film, theatre and TV actor, who won a Golden Globe this year for Best Actor in FX’s Fargo, joined for … Continue reading “Ewan McGregor, Backyard, Whitehouse industry moves”
Omnicom’s dedicated McDonald’s unit, We Are Unlimited, deepened its creative team with the addition of six new hires. Executive Creative Directors Chris Moreira and Mark Schöller left Saatchi & Saatchi New York to work on McDonald’s U.S. account, reporting to Chief Creative Officer Toygar Bazarkaya. “We are building a new agency model, which … Continue reading “We Are Unlimited expands and deepens creative team”
The Chicago Advertising Federation announced the winners of this year’s American Advertising Awards in a video posted to YouTube yesterday. Chicago’s largest shops were represented equally in the results, but mcgarrybowen emerged with the highest honors, winning Agency of the Year as well as Best of Show for Oscar Mayer’s For The Love of Hotdogs. … Continue reading “Chicago Advertising Awards 2018 winners”
Burrell among Chicago shops on Ad Age’s annual A-list While some were out shopping for mattresses or watching Marvel’s Black Panther for a third time on President’s Day, Ad Age dropped its annual “A-List” issue of the best agencies, and some Chicago shops made the list. We’re not surprised. We’ve been covering them all year. … Continue reading ““A-List” Burrell, Russell Stover, Zapwater, box office”
United Airlines’ new advertising campaign for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic team is a fantastic combination of marketing, production, and support. Superheroes, created by mcgarrybowen’s New York office, celebrates the efforts of six employees and six athletes who will help the U.S. travel to and compete in the 2018 Winter Games, beginning on February 9 … Continue reading “United debuts Olympic / Paralympic campaign”
Matt Miller, President and CEO of AICP, announced yesterday that Robin Shenfield, Co-Founder and CEO of The Mill, will serve as Chairperson of the 2018 AICP Show: The Art & Technique of the American Commercial. As Show Chair, Shenfield will oversee the AICP Show Committee, which is responsible for promoting and marketing the AICP Show, … Continue reading “Mill CEO Robin Shenfield to chair 2018 AICP Show”
The Escape Pod promotes Celia Jones to Chief Executive Officer Celia Jones has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer at The Escape Pod. Jones, who joined the Chicago-based independent agency as Brand Director in June 2016, will concentrate on growth, integrated capabilities, new revenue, and recruitment. She will report to Norm Bilow, Co-founder and Managing … Continue reading “Escape Pod, Cutters, Periscope: hires and promotions”
It seems like 2017 began with the February passing of Ruth Ratny, the founder of Reel Chicago. The film, music, advertising and production communities honored her memory with remarkable passion, the whole time continuing to demonstrate the dedication, creativity, and support that made her so proud of the city. The ensuing months were full of … Continue reading “2017 Year in Review”
In 2017, we launched Reel Ad of the Week (RAW), a regular feature that showcases the commercials coming out of the Midwest and, perhaps more importantly, celebrates the people who get it done. When Reel Chicago expanded to cover agencies in LA, so did the content of RAW. In no particular order, here are a … Continue reading “Best of “Reel Ad of the Week””
Award-winning production and post facility Cutters Studios hired or promoted a trio of talented women within the ranks of its Chicago office over the summer. Associate Producer Natalie Stone graduated from Columbia College in 2013 with a degree in Post Production and several credits — including producer, editor and director — on the award-winning documentary … Continue reading “Promotions and appointments at Cutters Studios”
Longtime Chicago post house Cutters Studios announced the promotion of Dustin Kaufman to the position of editor, and the immediate launch of a new satellite studio in Kansas City, which Kaufman will lead.
“Dustin is extremely creative and visionary, but he is also one of the most driven, determined, hard-working individuals I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” Cutters partner and editor Matt Walsh shared. “He cannot help but create amazing things, no matter what circumstances surround him. He is also extremely fast, and hungry.”
While most of the Emmy Awards broadcast audience will be on the edge of their seats watching House of Cards duke it out with The Handmaid’s Tale and Westworld, there will be another audience – advertisers and their agencies – who will be watching, with baited breath, to see who will win the Emmy for outstanding commercial.
No doubt, Laurel Flatt earned the “Advertising Woman of the Year” title that the Chicago Advertising Federation bestowed upon her last week.
Since becoming president of Chicago’s McGarryBowen two years ago, she has helped the mid-sized agency get a spot on the Chicago Tribune’s “Best Places to Work” list and receive recognition as Advertising Age’s “Comeback Agency of the Year.”
Flatt credits many people for the success.
TWO FREELANCE VFX DESIGNERS were hired by design-driven company Sarofsky: Visual effects and finishing artist Cory Davis and designer Dan Tiffany, Erin Sarofsky and EP Steven Anderson announced.
For the past two years, Davis has been an integral contributor to Sarofsky’s title sequences for a number of Marvel Studios, from “Ant-Man” to its latest work for the $130 million, just-released “Doctor Strange,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
The 7th annual Ad Community Shorts Night at the Midwest Independent Film Festival will screen Tuesday, Nov. 15 instead of its regular First Tuesday Nov. 1 date, deemed as being too close to Nov. 8 election night. They are:
“Hell,” John Malkovich reads Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” while illustrations depicting humans’ worst atrocities animate edited, graphics by Ryan Gilbert and sound design by Brian Leitner.
The feature getting rave reviews as it makes the festival rounds is a notable first for both writer / director Ned Crowley, more famously known as McGarryBowen’s US chief creative director, and Cutters’ senior partner/editor Chris Claeys.
“We did ourselves proud last night,” says Tom Duff, AICE Chicago chapter president, “not only in award-winning but in putting on a great show” – the 15th annual AICE Awards at Navy Pier with an audience of 500.
Chicago had had three top winners out of the Awards’ 33 categories.
Best of Chicago was awarded to Beast’s Angelo Valencia for DigitasLBi spot for Whirlpool.
The Colonie won twice: Brian Sepanik for GrubHub / Tandem, Inc., in the Dialog / Monolog / spoken Word category and Keith Kristinat for 71 Degrees North / Chevy Trucks in the Spec Spot category.
IT’S A WELCOME HOMECOMING for the massive Clorox portfolio of brands, globally, which has moved back to FCB after a 20 year run with DDB, following an account review that began last December.
The account spent $269 million on measured media on its main brand in 2015.
The household product giant ended its 71-year relationship with FCB’s San Francisco office in 1996 when it consolidated its business at DDB. It was billing $71 million at that time.
THE TOP 2016 REGGIE AWARD, the Super REGGIE, selected from among 70 agency and brand winners for the best in marketing, went to FCB Chicago for its Valspar Paint’s “Color for the Colorblind” campaign, at April 20 ceremonies at the Westin Hotel attended by more than 300 guests.
Local agencies scoring 10 top prizes among 23 categories were Starcom MediaVest, four: two Golds and a Silver for REI and a Silver for Delta Faucet.
Arc Worldwide, three: A Bronze for P&G’s Always Discreet campaign, a Silver for Alcon and a Bronze for 3M.
Legendary longtime Avenue Edit talent Terry Kaney will be inducted into the AICE Hall of Fame at the AICE Awards May 12, in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier where 81 editors will be honored in 27 categories.
At the American Advertising Federation 2016 ADDY Awards last Wednesday night, Energy BBDO was the top winner with a record-setting 93 awards topped by earning the Best in Show for a Ziploc plastic bags poster campaign.
A MCGARRYBOWEN CONTINGENT and Comma Music’s Managing Director Bonny Dolan are heading for SXSW for a Thursday, March 17 panel called “Inside Out: How Did This Song Get into That commercial.” Dolan shares the stage with the agency’s ECD Michael Straznickas, CD/writer Dave Reger, music producer Brandy Ricker and Steve Ross, director of content production.
Bradley Bischoff, a staff commercial editor at agency McGarryBowen’s in-house facility, has been steadily producing notable short films — leading up to his first feature this fall — with the ultimate goal of being a full-time filmmaker.
Chicago isn’t known for automotive advertising, so perhaps news that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is reportedly adding FCB and DDB to its agency roster could be the start of something big.
FCB CHICAGO continues to increase its creative assets with the VP/creative director team of copywriter Kathleen Waille and art director Marisa Groenweghe rejoining the agency from nine years at DDB Chicago.
As of today, Cutters’ Another Country has opened its fifth room, Sound 5, to accommodate the expertise of post audio veteran Peter Erazmus, who joined the audio company last May alongside engineers John Binder,
ENERGY BBDO’S NEW SPOT in its wildly successful Wrigley gum’s “Give Extra, get Extra” campaign, is “The Story of Sarah and Juan,” a 2-minute video currently playing on You
FCB CHICAGO’S NEW EVP/ECD is Susan Treacy, with more than 20 years of agency creative experience, who moved over from six years as Leo Burnett’s EVP/CD, where she oversaw a suite of P&G brands including the two-time Cannes-winning “Mean Stinks” platform for Secret Deodorant.
GREENHOUSE, Leo Burnett’s nimble, in-house digital studio is now an official agency offering, having been formed earlier “to meet the demand of content production across a brand’s digital channels.”
Agency producer par excellence Lisa Burke, who’s spent her entire career producing commercials for many of the world’s biggest brands and best directors, has moved to the vendor side of the business.
ENERGY BBDO’S MARK TAYLOR’S abrupt departure as chief creative officer was announced by president/CEO Tonise Paul at an office meeting Friday, who cited his leaving for unexplained “personal reasons.”
Last week definitely was not a good week for Chicago advertising, with major accounts moving to New York agencies and leaving the Chicago ad market bereft of $420 million in billings.
Kellogg’s is moving its U.S. Special K brand from Leo Burnett, to JWT New York. Bud Light is leaving Energy BBDO for Wieden + Kennedy New York.
LEO BURNETT trumped the Chicago International Film Festival TV awards by scoring 18 – or almost half — of the 40 television commercial awards presented last Wednesday at a ceremony at the Hyatt Magnificent Mile Hotel.
PRODUCER BOB TEITEL is scheduled to be back in his home town this August on the feature dramady, “Southside with You,” the story of Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama’s first date on a summer afternoon in 1989.
FOX TV IS SO PLEASED at the cooperation, professionalism and ease of working here on the smash hit “Empire,” that it sent production of two pilots here. They started shooting last Monday at Cinespace Studios and city neighborhoods and will wrap Friday, March 27.
Both pilots have women protagonists for a change of pace.
OLIVER PLATT (“The Big C”) is the latest lead actor to join the ensemble cast of “Chicago Med,” the upcoming planted spinoff series of “Chicago Fire.” He will play the intelligent head of psychiatry, Dr. Daniel Charles, while S.
Young & Rubicam starts the New Year with departures and promotions. New co-executive creative directors and a new global talent director were announced to succeed two executives who left the agency over the holidays.
If Chicago’s visual media industry is ending 2014 with a big smile of satisfaction from a profitable outpouring of work, then 2015 will have everyone positively beaming like the sun.
Seven more organizations are starting the New Year with new looks, staff and ideas.
The advertising community gave generously to the Off the Street Club Holiday Luncheon, as demonstrated by their record-breaking contributions of over $570,000 raised exclusively through the annual sell-out event attended by 760 guests Dec. 4 at the Swissotel.
Donations are expected to continue pour in through the holidays.
DAVID SELBY, SCC MANAGING PARTNER / PRESIDENT is the recipient of the Chicago Ad Federation’s 2014 Silver Medal Award, which honors a distinguished member of the Chicago ad community for their creativity, contributions to advertising and the community and accomplishments.
Agency organizers of the Off the Street Club’s Holiday Luncheon Dec. 4 at the Swissotel anticipate raising $500,000 to sustain OSTC for the year ahead. With 19 agencies currently behind it, 1,000 guests, revenue from $10,000 prize raffle, a silent auction and donations – they’re confident of reaching their goal.
NBC’S CHICAGO-SET “SHAMELESS” will have two units filming around the city for a full five days starting next Monday, Aug. 25, for the sixth season of the comedy series about the twisted Gallagher family, headed by single father Frank (William C. Macy).
SMASHING PUMPKINS’FRONTMAN Billy Corgan will become the star of a reality TV series – not about music as one would expect, but wrestling. Corgan is the creative director of Lockport-based Resistance Pro Wrestling League and
Cutters Studios and its design division Flavor were among four post houses that came away with top awards from the AICE Awards gala presentation in New York last Friday – one of them being “Best of Chicago” for an IBM spot edited by Michael Lipper for VSA Partners.
Out of AICP’s annual 2014 AICP Show and AICP Next Awards Shortlist of 212 nominees for excellence and expertise in commercials, only five Chicago agencies in eight categories are up for awards.
Cutters is doing Chicago proud in the 2014 AICE Awards by having scored seven nominations, out of 90 US/Canadian nominees in 30 categories. Cutters and Beast, with two finalists, compete for the Best of Chicago, and Cutters/Detroit made it into Best of Detroit.
The AICE Awards presentation will be made at Gustavino’s in New York, May 15.
The April 10 Chicago International Film Festival Television Awards will spotlight a Chicago-set and produced show by honoring actor Jesse Spencer, who plays Lt. Matthew Casey on NBC/Universal’s hit show, “Chicago Fire,” produced by Dick Wolf Films and heading into its third season.
BOB BLISS CREATIVE’S “CHICAGO’S MAGICAL PIANO” is a 4-minute YouTube holiday delight – a Christmas-decorated piano at Union Station that magically bursts into just the right song to interact with the passerby, from a little girl playing “Chops Sticks” to Santa himself, who cautions the piano to soften its volume while he strides by, a bag o
Comma’s Larry Pecorella, national president of the Association of Music Producers, announced the 2014 AMP Awards for Music & Sound show will be held in New York next spring.
AMP is the only US industry forum recognizing excellence in music and sound for advertising and branding. “And it serves as an advocacy and standard-setter for the commercial music industry, like AICP and AICE for postproduction,” he said.
Agency producer Peter Hullinger started his new postproduction career Wednesday, Nov. 13 as executive producer of Beast editorial, Method visual effects and Company 3 color, the Chicago branch of LA-based Deluxe Entertainment. He had been a senior producer at Y&R for the past two-and-a-half years.
Hullinger leads a staff of 25, including four editors and two producers for Beast.
CUTTERS’ DICTIONARY FILMS division this week added Jon Moore, a former agency ECD/art director to its current directorial roster of six. He was with Leo Burnett for more than 20 years before joining mcgarrybowen, with Ned Crosley, as its first creative team when the agency opened here in 2009.
“Production was my favorite part of working on the agency side,” Moore says. “I thought, why not make the leap and put my art direction skills, literally in motion.”
THEY’RE BAAAACK! Director Michael Bay’s “Transformers 4” starts filming Friday in familiar territory, near where 2010 “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” was shot. McCormick Place will be the site of Friday’s filming and parts of King Drive will be the background for an action scene.
The folks at Energy BBDO are lifting a bottle of Bud Light instead of traditional champagne to toast the winning of America’s biggest beer brand. The agency is the fourth Chicago agency to handle the account since the brand launched 32 years ago.
Out of the 59 entries from among some of the top post companies in the 12th annual International AICE Show, three editors from two post companies were selected as AICE finalists: Red Car’s Kevin O’Rourke, for Madison Museum of Contemporary Art spot and Utopic’s Ryan Gilbert and Joe Minich for NBC5’s “City,” both 60s.
A trio of the city’s top sound designer/engineers opened the doors to their own company last week in the best possible way, with new business under their arms.
SUM 1 Audio Post and Sound Design is the new business of partners Robert Marshall and Ben Keller, 15 and 12-year veterans, respectively, of Cutters’ division, Another Country, and Shawn Ballman, who has operated his own solo audio company, Soundslave, for many years.
The Chicago Ad Federation boasted it had 350 submissions for the recent ADDY Awards from local agencies and those entries were carefully considered by 25 top creatives from national pedigreed agencies.
As a result of all this vetting, and no doubt based on the sheer volume of entries from Leo Burnett, it should have been no surprise that the Publicis giant had a colossal haul of 62 awards, including six out of the seven ADDY Bests.
It’s that time of year. The time when so many advertising professionals — creatives in particular — start salivating at the thought of all the awards they will collect for a year’s worth of work presumably done well. Exceptionally well done.
WHEN THE MILL officially opened its Chicago branch Monday, March 4, executive producer Jared Yeater was very pleased in two regards. The first, he had fulfilled his goal of staffing the Chicago branch with 12 staffers — The Mill employees who transferred from its London headquarters and branches in New York and Lo
THE GENE SISKEL CENTER of the School of the Art Institute never fails to delight when it comes to its annual fund-raiser, with a luminous Hollywood actor, director and producer, who, says SAIC, “advances the art of cinema.”
Continuing in this tradition is the June 15 “A Summer Soiree with Gwyneth Paltrow,” at the Ritz-Carlton. The versatile Oscar winning actress will be presented with a Renaissance Award celebrating her career.
EFFECTS MAKEUP SPECIALIST, Westmont-based J.
AFTER A SHORT STINT at McGarryBowen where he worked on the equally short-lived Bud Light account, executive creative director Mike Roe returned to Energy BBDO the start of the New Year. Roe had been with Energy BBDO for eight years, departing in February, 2012 for a top position on the Bud Light creative team. Then, last August, McGarryBowen lost the account to Translation Advertising without a review and Energy BBDO was delighted to welcome him back..
Surprised?
Yeah, we’ve been surprised by a lot of what Sears is up to, at least so far as its television marketing efforts are concerned.
We’ve been surprised the most by how aggressive Sears suddenly appears to be at a moment when almost all the experts already had written off the department store behemoth as all but a goner.
Could this be the last gasp? The final great push to find out if there is any life left in a company that had seemed nearly comatose for the past decade?
COMING AND GOING. Visual effects specialist Sam Gierasimczuk felt right at home when he returned to the Filmworkers building to join Vitamin as associate creative director. Earlier, he’d been with Filmworkers’ production division Lift, which he helped build from the start, for 3.5 years as ACD. Lift moreorless dissolved when Lift CD Jason White left to co-found Leviatian in mid-2009.
People come. And people go. And at Young & Rubicam/Chicago, one chief creative officer came and another went in very short order this week. Very short order Indeed.
Let’s hear it for the little guys. If it wasn’t for the little guys — by that we mean the smaller shops that are part of the warp and woof of the local ad industry — where would we be as an ad community at this point in time?
The beer business has been in the headlines with the recent switch of MillerCoors’ Coors Light and Coors banquet brands departing Draftfcb for new Cavalry agency; DDB’s loss of Bud Light to McgarryBowen and a short time late its subsequent loss of the account.
So it comes as a happy coincidence that the 55th Advertising Woman of the Year is MillerCoors’ Jackie Woodward, VP/media & marketing services, cited as “a woman in the advertising profession who has provided outstanding leadership.”
So. Here we go. We’re now barely 12 weeks into the new adventure in beer advertising that is the Chicago-based Cavalry agency. We don’t want to overstate the matter, but to a large degree, the immediate fate of American beer advertising may rest in the hands of two gentlemen entrusted with the formidable task of determining how the Coors Light and Coors Banquet beer brands will be marketed in the months — and perhaps years — to come.
“Scrooge & Marley,” a modern and gay version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” signed Tony and Emmy-winning actress Judith Light as the film’s narrator and recorded her in New York last week, reports executive producer Tracy Baim of Sam I Am Films (EP of 2009’s “Hannah Free,” starring Sharon Gless) and publisher of Windy City Times and other GLBT m
Fletcher Camera & Lenses’ new Michigan address will be the Michigan Studios (formerly known as Raleigh Studios) in Pontiac. The official move-in date is Aug. 1, following its departure from Studio Center (formerly known as Grace & Wild) in Farmington Hills, where Fletcher Detroit had been located since 2008.
Tom Fletcher calls the studio – once GM’s truck assembly plant, “one of the nicest stages in the world – a fantastic facility for production. We’re excited to be out there.”
A CONTINGENT OF SOME 50 ADFOLKS from Chicago and another 15 from Detroit and Minneapolis will descend on the South of France for the 59th Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, June 17-23, to learn from world’s greatest communicators and hopefully come home with a precious Gold Lion to show for their work.
One of the few independent agencies of substance, the autonomous Chicago office of HY Connect, has expanded its Michigan Avenue offices to accommodate larger staff and growth as a consequence of sizeable new business. The agency known for nearly 80 years as Hoffman-York changed its name April, 2011 to better reflect its contemporary model of integrated services.
Energy BBDO is the host of this year’s Chicago Portfolio Night, when aspiring advertising creatives get a golden opportunity to have their work reviewed by 45 of Chicago’s star creative leaders who always have an eye out for rising talent, May 23 at the 410 Club in the Wrigley Building.
How many hits can we take? Year after year, for more than a decade, Chicago’s ad industry has suffered body blow after body blow — leaving most to wonder how long this business could survive such a pummeling.
Well, the good news is there still is an ad industry in Chicago. And it still has signs of life. But the bad news is the bad news obviously is not over. Not by a long shot.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CARRIE HOLECEK left Bridges Media and crossed over to Larry Bridges’ Red Car post facility to become its newly appointed managing director.
Red Car’s executive producer Jon Desir, who also carried the managing director title, will continue to handle EP duties. Desir says the team approach he and Holecek will employ is a new one for the company.
For the first time since the organization was formed in 1998, the national Assn. of Music Producers recently elected a Chicago-based president.
Larry Pecorella, creative director and partner in Comma Music and Particle sound design, is leading the some 80 music companies AMP members nationwide that represent the sound of music in advertising.
With national headquarters in New York, AMP is similar to AICE in that it establishes guidelines for standards and practices throughout the start-to-finish process of creating high-quality advertising music and sound design.
Fourteen commercials produced by Chicago agencies and one production company are on the AICP Shortlist of 230 spots that are competing for a final slot on the prestigious annual AICP Show Reel and NEXT Awards.
When the curators meet to make their final decision, the number of spots will shrink from the Shortlist’s 10 entrants in each of 23 categories, to from one-to-three spots per category.
Leo Burnett is usually always the biggest winner of double digit awards for TV commercial excellence in the international competitions it enters throughout the year and the 48th annual Hugo Awards for Television Excellence was no exception.
Out of 132 winners from throughout the world for spots and TV shows who took home Silver Hugos, Gold and Silver Plaques and Certificates of Merit, Leo Burnett needed a special cart to lug home its 19 prizes.
Tim Pontarelli has landed. After more than a year off that he spent reflecting on life and the world of advertising and freelancing, Pontarelli is signing on at Energy BBDO/Chicago as a group creative director.
He will work on the Lay’s business that was recently moved without a review to Energy BBDO from Juniper Park/Toronto.
It will be interesting to see what he can do with a packaged goods client such as Lay’s after he made an indelible mark on the Hallmark account during his many years at Leo Burnett.
Downtown Partners/Chicago is out. Sources report the powers-that-be at Downtown Partners/Chicago have changed course and decided not to participate in the agency review drug store behemoth Walgreens launched just weeks ago.
That review, about which ad trade publications have mostly kept mum because they are not up to speed on it, promises to be one of the spring’s biggest.
When post producer Lauren Shawe returned to Chicago after seven years in New York, Leviathan’s Chad Hutson, recognizing how the quality of her internet, visual effects and post experience would fit in, hired her for a freelance experiential project.
When that assignment was flawlessly accomplished, Shawe was officially added to Leviathan’s full-time staff of 17 last week.
When Nathan Brown was in college in St. Louis, he was told that if he wanted to get into advertising he should drive up to Chicago, pick a company that sounded interesting and just walk in the door in the hope of getting an informational interview.
The door Brown decided to push open was Cutters and the person who happened to greet him at the door was Brian Bullock, director of CGI, who graciously spent the next hour-and-a-half showing him around and fielding his barrage of questions.
To say 2011 whizzed by is an understatement. The year about to end was — everything considered — a pretty good year for the Chicago advertising industry. At least compared to the three or four years that came before it.
Fewer accounts — of major significance anyway — left town, though a couple of big ones changed their local addresses. Hello, Bud Light and S.C. Johnson! Management changes prompted a few surprises too, none perhaps more so than Mark Modesto, who popped up at Marc USA/Chicago.
Did someone mention turnaround? Yes, for the first time in a very long time, there are substantial signs of a discernible, hope-engendering turnaround in the fortunes of Chicago’s beleaguered advertising industry.
Two very positive events over the past seven days certainly suggest it might be a mistake to turn one’s back on the ad business here and leave it for dead, as we might have been tempted to do a couple of years ago.
So far so… well, so not according to plan. The race to find a new ad agency for the Illinois Lottery has just begun, and already so much has happened that wasn’t necessarily expected to happen.
But first the latest development. Tuesday morning, more than 12 hours after Illinois Lottery private manager (the first ever) Northstar Lottery Group was expected to name the four semifinalists for the Lottery ad account, the list finally was revealed.
And guess what?
So the race is on to find the new ad agency of record for the Illinois Lottery. And from what we know now, it promises to be one of the most interesting races ever run for a piece of business here in the, uh, great state of Illinois.
Representatives from more than 50 agencies showed up last Thursday at the Gene Siskel Film Center in the Loop to hear newly-named Illinois Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones and Northstar Lottery Group vice-president of advertising and marketing Jessica Powell talk about the process of picking a new ad agency for the Lottery.
EVERYONE HERE who worked on the Chicago-set, Chicago-filmed “Boss” – all the unions, the Cinespace owners, all of us who believe in our industry and want to see it thrive – will be ecstatic hearing the rave reviews the show is starting to garner.
This is what worries us. McGarryBowen, with offices in New York and Chicago, in recent months has been pegged a super hot ad agency by marketing media reporters (ourselves included) for its string of big account wins.
Among the big wins that have just landed on MB’s client roster are the troubled retailing behemoth Sears, the troubled burger chain Burger King and United Airlines, now the world’s largest commercial carrier.
Who knew? Chicago’s very own Rich Stoddart is a big fan of big ideas in advertising.
Late Monday, Stoddart, president of Leo Burnett North America was openly crowing about the concept of the big idea in his statement attached to the announcement that Burnett/Chicago has picked up the Fifth Third Bancorp account. Olson/Minneapolis was the previous agency of record.
It’s over for DraftFCB. As many had suspected from the moment we announced last Christmas Eve that S.C. Johnson was launching an agency review, the Racine, Wis.-based home products company is ending its relationship with DraftFCB, a remarkable marketing marriage that spanned nearly 60 years.
Early Friday morning, S.C. Johnson said it will split its advertising account, believed to be worth upwards of $1 billion in billings, between BBDO and Ogilvy & Mather, long considered the frontrunner to get the account.
ORLANDO, WHERE THE exceedingly-hyped Casey Anthony case has gone to the jury for deliberation, isn’t the only town on high-profile verdict watch these days. Chicago has a couple of major agency reviews in progress that are sure to generate plenty of ink too when a decision is finally reached.
We refer, of course, to the S.C. Johnson review, where a verdict should come first. DraftFCB/Chicago is the incumbent on that account, but the agency is viewed as a long shot to retain the business with upwards of $1 billion in billings.
IT’S A NEW DAY at Euro RSCG/Chicago. That might not sound like a big deal. But it really is, considering where Euro was as recently as last year when the agency looked to be falling backwards to the near corpselike state that threatened the agency’s very survival seven or eight years ago.
Last year, the agency was making little or no progress in winning new business and was even having trouble holding on to its handful of existing general market clients, including the high-profile Valspar paint account (now gone).
THE DAY OF RECKONING DRAWS NEAR. We refer, of course, to the decision regarding the fate of S.C. Johnson’s billion-dollar advertising account. Final pitches are done, and discussions, sources say, are underway to iron out what is sure to be a complicated contract with the agency that lands — or retains — the humongous account.
We’re back. Just like that. Ruth Ratny, a longtime chronicler of the Chicago advertising, post production and film industries, has asked us to write a column for ReelChicago.com.
So we are. We spent the last 10 years writing about advertising, radio and television for the Chicago Sun-Times. It was a period of major transition in those industries in Chicago. There is a continuing story here and, of course, we want to be part of reporting on it.
SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST LEWIS LAZARE was abruptly fired Friday from his 11 year post as ad/marketing and local broadcasting columnist – a serious blow to the adbiz here, despite mixed feelings about the writer himself. He was one of four writers, also with lengthy tenure, who were axed, presumably as part of a money-saving staff cutback.
“ARE YOU THE ONE?” is the question the State of Illinois is asking in a cross-platform campaign to alert men to get tested to combat the spread of HIV.
The campaign, consisting of broadcast, print, outdoor and online, is designed to bring people to the state’s website, gettestedillinois.com, to learn where state-run HIV testing sites are located.
All elements of the campaign were created by SPI-tv’s Rogelio Gazga.
ACTOR MATT DILLON will portray Leonard Chess, the legendary founder of the South Side Chicago blues label Chess Records, in Sony/BMG Film’s “Cadillac Records.”
Written and directed by Darnell Martin (“Prison Song”), filming of the 1950’s story is set to begin in January in New Jersey and Chicago. Jeffrey Wright also stars.
Chess, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, scoured the South, checking out the various blues scenes and selling records from the back of his Cadillac.
JASON ROSIN, former Local 600 business manager, starts his new job Jan. 23 as business manager of IA Studio Mechanics Local 491, with a membership of 550.
Rosin will headquarter in Wilmington, N.C. and cover North and South Carolina, mostly in the film-busy cities of Wilmington, Charlotte and Charleston, and Savannah, Ga.
Rosin, who was appointed, replaces Ben Adams, moved up to the IA’s rep in Florida. Interestingly, Adams and Rosin got to know each other when Adams worked as a DP in Detroit.
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