“ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE” is the Illinois Lottery slogan, except perhaps for the actual possibility of Northstar, hiring an Illinois production company for its Illinois Lottery commercials.
Northstar, the Lottery’s manager group, is maintaining the 25-year tradition of producing Illinois Lottery spots with non-Illinois production companies. The newest such non-state company is New York-based Humble.tv, which will be shooting here shortly to promote a gamble that if won, won’t pay off beyond $600.
With the state in the pathetic shape it’s in, the governor might mandates that work state government departments must be done with state-based suppliers. “Anything’s possible,” right?
NEW AT FCB CHICAGO is Max Geraldo of FCB Brasil joined FCB Chicago in his first position in the United States as SVP/ECD. At FCB Brasil, Geraldo created work for FedEx, Volkswagen, Nivea, Pepsi, Unilever and Nissan. He joined the agency in 2012 and led FCB Brasil to a Grand Prix in mobile for a Nivea Sun Kids’ Protection ad. The 2015 Nivea Sun Doll followed with two Gold, three Silver and three Bronze Lions.
VSA PARTNERS landed Chris Cancilla as an associate partner/ECD from Trisect, where’d been CCO since 2013 and ECD before that. At Trisect, he will focus on building integrated marketing programs for VSA’s B2B marketing clients, including CME Group, Mack Trucks and Cargill.
Earlier he’d been SVP/GCD at Y&R leading integrated campaigns for Sears, Hilton, Dave & Busters, and SVP/GCD for Arc Worldwide on McDonald’s and Visa.
AT R/GA CHICAGO’S OFFICE, a new addition is ECD and design specialist Dinesh Goburdhun, who leads all experience/visual design and copywriting work at the Chicago office.
Most recently he’d led his own consultancy firm after spending nearly seven years as an associate partner at design-driven VSA Partners as a senior digital and brand strategist. Earlier he’d been an associate partner at Chicago innovation consulting firm Gravity Tank.
TOM, DICK & HARRY is handling the recently launched ad campaign for Cresco Labs, the largest cultivator of medical marijuana in Illinois to raise awareness about why cannabis is being harvested in Illinois. The ad blitz, with an estimated budget of “seven figures,” encompasses broadcast, print, billboards and social media.
“EMPIRE WRITERS” Carlito Rodriguez and Malcolm Spellman were tapped to tell another music story, this one centered on the late Sugar Hill Records co-founder Sylvia Robinson, an influential rap pioneer and producer known as the “Mother of Hip-Hop.” And maybe it might also be filmed in Chicago.
LOOKING AHEAD — to Jan. 28, 2016 when Women in Film will hold its annual Chicago Focus Awards. Local honorees are Kathryn Hempel, Cutters Studio editor/partner, and artist, and Jean Batthany, SVP/ECD at DDB Chicago. National honorees are Chicago-based filmmaker Kris Swanberg and LA filmmaker, writer and improviser Megan Mercier.
The event takes place at the Ivy Room, 12. E. Ohio St.
A BUSY SEASON like this means that news abounds. Send yours to ruth@reelchicago.com
