Social-networking
giant hires Burnett,
Wieden, BBDO, Ogilvy
and Droga5 to save
its tarnished image
Face it, after all of its privacy missteps, election interference, hate group accounts and other controversies and just plain boredom, Facebook’s reputation has been going down quicker than a cheesy poof in Cartman’s hands.
Now the social-networking giant is trying to do something about it. Without Mark Zuckerman stepping down. According to The Wall Street Journal, who first broke the story, Facebook has hired not one, not two, not three but FIVE agencies to help polish its tarnished internet cred.
Joining Chicago’s Leo Burnett, which will focus on Facebook Messenger, will be Wieden + Kennedy, BBDO, Ogilvy and Droga5. The moves come about nine months after former HP CMO Antonio Lucio took on the post of global marketing chief at Facebook.
The report says, Wieden will focus on the Facebook app, Ogilvy on Instagram, BBDO for WhatsApp and Droga5 for corporate brand and reputation work.
“Today we’re sharing our plans to enlist new lead creative agencies for each of our Apps, as well as implement diversity and inclusion requirements across these partners,” Facebook said in a statement. “This reflects significant change, not only in our shift to focus on direct-to-consumer marketing, but also in our agency ecosystem and engagement model with the intent to build strong, accountable, world class partnerships.”
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Leo Burnett President and CCO Britt Nolan said, “Partnering with Facebook throughout the years has really helped Leo Burnett establish our leadership as a digitally enabled creative agency. Now, we’re thrilled to be shifting that partnership and putting our talents to use for them. We’re proud to count Facebook as a client and looking forward to taking our relationship to the next level.”
Additionally, the brand is requiring its agencies to put plans or programs in place to drive diversity and female representation at their companies. Lucio had similar requirements and diversity initiatives for his agency partners at HP.
On the production side, Facebook has announced its support of Free the Bid to increase the number of females behind the camera. The company also plans on hiring at least one production assistant per shoot in New York or Los Angeles from nonprofits that offer job skills to underrepresented minority groups, such as Manifest Works, Made in New York, Veterans in Media and Entertainment and Lights! Camera! Action!
Source: The Wall Street Journal
