Only a couple weeks ago we were talking about the slow but sure effort to establish a real and lasting sense of community within Chicago’s advertising industry. In large part
THE ILLINOIS FILM OFFICE hired seasoned location scout Raul Esparza as assistant managing director/location manager, replacing Todd Lizak who officially retired in January. He was asked to return to the
It was a lovely evening for a graduation. It really was.
Nearly 100 people gathered on the verandah at the Museum of Contemporary Art Wednesday night for the formal graduation of
The changes keep on coming at the Northstar Lottery Group, the private management entity Illinois governor Pat Quinn selected in the fall of 2010 to run the Illinois Lottery. Northstar
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,
WOMEN IN FILM has invited me to be their guest speaker Tuesday, May 22 at its Annual Membership Meeting when it convenes at the Rock Bottom
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
One hundred to 200 guests who turn up at an industry event is standard, 300 is darn good – but the 650 people who work as crew members attending last
Events uptempo during the second half of April (accelerated no doubt by Mars and Mercury, planets of creativity and communications going direct) also gives us a choice of more than one
DIRECTOR ANDREW DAVIS made his mark as a rising star in 1978 with his first feature, “Stony Island,” about the fictitious Stony Island band, a fusion of rock, blues and
It’s been a long time coming. But recently-appointed Illinois Lottery superintendent Michael Jones has made it happen. Finally, the Lottery’s marketing game plan is going in a different direction. A markedly
It’s ready to go. And it will definitely mark a new era in Illinois Lottery advertising. On Monday, the Lottery unveils its first ad campaign from Downtown Partners/Chicago and its
February gets underway with a burst of worthwhile screenings and other events, starting with a sneak preview Friday night, Feb. 3 of co-producers Boris Wexler and Julian Grant’s comedy feature
In a stunner that is sure to have major ramifications for Downtown Partners/Chicago, sources say Walgreens is launching an ad agency review. That could mean big problems for Downtown Partners/Chicago,
And then there was one — the winner. As first predicted days ago, Downtown Partners/Chicago, in conjunction with digital partner Critical Mass/Chicago, has prevailed in the review to select a new ad
With just days to go before the Illinois Lottery and its private manager Northstar Lottery Group are expected to name a new ad agency of record for the Lottery, a startling
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
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
“It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” says Steve Morrison about his new position as VP/general manager/editor of Foundation Content. He will assume
It still isn’t over. Anyone who followed the quick, but torturous process to pick a private manager to run the Illinois Lottery knows it was not pretty.
There were lots of
