Agency Spy

This week, Launchpad is hiring a digital account supervisor, while Engine Digital is seeking a new vice president of business development. MTV Scratch is looking for a director of digital creative and strategy, and Watson & Company is on the hunt for a project manager. Get the scoop on these openings and more below, and find additional just-posted gigs on mediabistro.com.

• Digital Account Supervisor Launchpad Advertising (New York, NY)
• Vice President, Business Development Engine Digital (New York, NY)
• Director, Digital Creative & Strategy MTV Scratch (New York, NY)
• Project Manager Watson & Company (New York, NY)
• Associate Media Director Hill Holiday (Boston, MA)

For more job listings, go to the Mediabistro job board, and to post a job, visit our employer page. For real-time openings and employment news, follow @MBJobPost.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

-GSD&M offers us a SXSW survival guide. Could be useful, attendees. link

-Perfect Fools and Hasan & Partners offer us “Kauko,” which is purported to be the world’s first internet-controlled cafe (above). link

-For those not feeling Valentine’s Day (and we’re sure there’s more than a few), here’s a site for you. link

- New York/San Francisco-based prodco Bodega signed director and one-time JWT and DDB creative Dave Merhar for commercial representation.

-Zeno Group helped Seattle’s Best Coffee launch a “yearlong marketing program” that includes a Facebook app. link

-Smith Brothers Agency welcomed former Draftfcb management supervisor Courtney Mortimer as account director in its San Francisco office.

-Ernst & Young launched a global media review. link

-Did you take part in today’s Apple protest? link

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Oh well that’s a curious headline, isn’t it. Who’s the thief? Not important, because it rhymes and you’re reading this so now onto the point. We want to know what you think about planners.

Their weeks-long brief writing process has been proven enough that the practice is now an industry standard. And from a business perspective, there’s a lot that can be billed against with planning — research, time, bodies, and of course the decks, which can go a long way to selling through campaigns. So you might not like it, but those planners are probably helping pay your check.

And at the end of the day, this is business, and each day, it’s losing ground to industries that do a better job of quantifying results. There’s an argument to be made that planners help advertising get a step closer to legitimacy. That is, assuming your planner is actually doing his or her job.

There are quite a few agencies out there bucking the planner trend while others still rely quite heavily. But what do you think?

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The fabricated holiday that is Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and, of course, the agency world is cashing in. Since we’ve already seen the W+K contribution, why not showcase other agencies who want to reach consumers who are stuck in Cupid’s crosshairs.

Durham, NC’s own McKinney has launched a web app called “Meet Me in the Photo Booth” that lets users invite a partner into a virtual photo booth (webcam necessary), take a few pics and share them on Facebook and Twitter or even print. The agency is also running a little contest where those who tweet their best pics to @mckinney can have a chance to snag a big box of chocolates in time for Valentine’s Day. So, we guess the winner gets to save a few bucks there and still comes out looking like a star.

Then there’s Y&R Singapore’s effort for Kirin beer called the “Beerbro-quet.” If your man, woman or friend prefers booze over flowers (and remember, it’s the thought that counts), why not indulge them with a 10-pack of Kirin Ichiban mini-cans?

Finally, this one’s been making the rounds, but Blast Radius is helping its client Starbucks turn Valentine’s Day into another augmented reality experience via a little “Cup Magic.” See demo below:

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

In this episode of “Cubes,” we tour the Manhattan offices of Seamless, the popular online food delivery service.

The Seamless headquarters boasts an interactive Google Earth “weather wall,” blood pressure-lowering chairs, a game room with foosball and ping-pong, and a bunch of other cool features.

For more mediabistroTV videos, check out our YouTube channel, and be sure to follow us on Twitter: @mediabistroTV

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Just a week after we reported about some buzz that Matt Bonin was leaving the West Coast and TBWA\Chiat\Day LA for a job on the East with Ogilvy, the latter agency has confirmed his move. O&M has officially announced that Bonin is joining the New York office in the newly created role of chief production officer.

In a statement, Ogilvy North America CCO Steve Simpson says, “Matt has done in practice—and to wonderful effect—what many agencies are still attempting notionally. He knows how to pull all the levers of production, at all the right times, in the service of the idea. Matt’s arrival accelerates the work we have done at Ogilvy in working in a more fully, deeply integrated way and—beyond process–he will be central to our efforts to develop new kinds of content.”

We’ve been through Bonin’s resume before, but in case you need a refresher, he spent around five years at CP+B, working on integrated production models for BK, VW and Microsoft. Following his stay in Boulder, Bonin moved on to Trailer Park, Tool and finally Chiat LA before heading out to our neck of the woods.

O&M tells us that he will start at the end of the month.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Crispin Porter + Bogusky has promoted Steve Erich to managing director. You might remember Erich from four years ago when he was named a partner/group account director four years ago following Rob Strasberg‘s exit from the agency and move to Doner.  Anyhow, during Erich’s eight year stint at CP+B,which saw him crisscross the Atlantic to establish the agency’s European client services, the exec helped oversee accounts including American Express, Old Navy, MetLife and Kraft and also aided in the re-launch Burger King in the US.

Prior to Crispin, Erich worked on the account side at the likes of TBWA\Chiat\Day, what was then VitroRobertson as well as the Martin Agency. From what we’ve been told, the managing director post at CP+B’s HQ is “basically a new position.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It looks like the one and only Paul McCartney is on the promotional trail, having released his peculiarly titled album “Kisses on the Bottom” this week. Macca as they call him is not only gearing up for a tour, but also took a day or two in London last month to shoot this spot that’s part of the ongoing Harman/JBL “Hear the Truth” campaign from Southfield, MI’s own, Doner. Sir Paul’s rather timely, new single, “My Valentine,” is the featured tune and we have to say, the man himself lo0ks pretty good for almost-70. Despite the low-key mood, we’ll take this over Maroon 5 any time. Look for this spot featuring McCartney in all his smooth, romantic form to break on the telly during the Grammys on Sunday.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Well, it probably won’t make up for yet another Patriots Super Bowl fumble, but perhaps regular Padma Lakshmi sightings could bring some folks in Boston a little cheer. Digitas is trying to lure Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio and the rest of the gang from Bravo’s Top Chef to film their tenth season in Beantown via a social media campaign called “You Gotta Try Boston.”

As you’d expect, the Digitas effort includes a Facebook site (nearly 600 likes and counting) where visitors are (obviously) raving and posting photos/links about Boston’s restaurants, dishes and the like. Of course, Twitter also comes into play and Digitas is asking folks to tweet about what makes Boston the best with the hashtags #topchef and #yougottatryboston. If you’re so inclined to join in on the conversation, go here.

Speaking to the site called, yes, Wicked Local, Digitas ECD Rob Rizzo says that the campaign idea was hatched a couple of weeks ago and regardless of the outcome, he hopes that some of the smaller, low-profile restaurants around town gain notice. We’re big fans of Top Chef, but to be honest, we’re not willing to go all in on a Boston season next year.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

You work at an agency, and for some reason you have the word ‘executive’ in your title. This causes you alarm because you’re only 23, but let’s not get mired in details. You need to impress the boss, a goal that is only hampered by the fact that you have no idea what the fuck you’re doing (don’t worry, neither does anyone else), and that every time you talk someone threatens to fire you. You better get some tools, fast. Luckily, you have a smartphone. Here’s the quintessential app list for you, Mr./Ms./Mrs./pansexual advertising account executive.

1. CNBC Real Time

As an advertising person, you make decisions (haha, no you don’t) based on real time info. Strategy, research, data; these are more than just words you remember from high school and sometimes hear in meetings, they’re actual things people create/do/collect as part of their jobs. But not you, because you’ve got CNBC Real Time.

Fire up this app when you need to impress that client with your counting skills (standing record for an account exec: 147) or when the boss lady walks by. Read the words you find in this app, and literally repeat them verbatim during meetings for an extra dose of savvitude. Whip out CNBC-RT in the elevator when you want to make that girl from strategy think twice about letting you have her digits, because nothing says “Do Me” like quarterly earnings reports and IPO valuations, am I right? I’m right.
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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

-Domino’s has launched a digital/direct review in the U.K. link

-In today’s odd couple pairing, Slash and Betty White team up to promote a new “LAIR” exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo as part of a campaign from Allen & Gerritsen (above).

-The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation picked local shop LevLane as its strategic marketing and communications firm.

-Publicis Groupe says the GM media account accounted for only 0.5 percent of its business. link

-Look for a complete Arby’s relaunch, ads, logo, menu and all, in Q3. link

-Apple will announce the iPad 3 in March. link

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

-PMH and fellow Minneapolis-based operation Pixel Farm collaborate on a new campaign for Mattel’s Barbie (above). link

-GigaOM and paidContent have now joined forces. link

-Anomaly is opening up shop in Toronto. link

-Have you seen Google’s Chrome for Android beta clip yet? link

-Susan Credle, Pete Favat and Andrew Keller are among the familiar names in the 2012 AICP Show Curatorial Committee. link

-Carter Murray is taking over for Tom Sebok as Y&R New York CEO. As part of Y&R global CEO David Sable‘s restructuring of the Big Apple branch, BrandBuzz will also be merged back into Y&R NY and Wunderman Seattle’s Sean Howard will be moving to the NY office to serve as GM.

-Publicis & Hal Riney and Mullen are the final two combatants for the U.S. Cellular biz. link

-Lee Clow and other L.A. agency folks share the spotlight in a pub called Our South Bay. link

-McDonald’s shamrock shake is going national. link

-Viacom and Amazon are close to forming an alliance against Netflix, too. link

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

We’ve been hearing about it for the past few hours on the Spy line and now we’ve received word straight from the source that it’s true that Goodby, Silverstein + Partners is cutting staff today. The numbers are all over the place according to tipster comments (we’re hearing in the hundreds and words such as “staggering” have been used), but the agency co-namesake wouldn’t divulge specifics. Read his note to us verbatim below:

“Today, we at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners have begun adjusting the size of our staff in the wake of losing Sprint and parting ways with Hewlett-Packard.  We don’t divulge the number of people or the percentage of our staff affected, but it’s commensurate with the numbers you’d have for accounts this size.

It pains us immensely to do this stuff, but we have a responsibility to the people here to maintain a healthy, vigorous company going forward.  We will have that, and are confident about the work we are doing right now on all fronts.

It is an emotional day.  These people are not just co-workers but friends.  As always in these situations, we will help them find other positions with an open heart and no doubt welcome many of them back someday.

Thanks for respecting their privacy about all this in the meantime.

Sincerely,

Jeff Goodby

Co-Chairman

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners

San Francisco”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Considering the concept of the clip and sensitivity of things at present, we’re relieved this was not actually entered into Draftfcb Chicago’s all-agency “ideas” competition that, as some of you may know, has included a pony in the past. But this knockoff of Cash Cab, which was actually shot last fall and was shown at the agency’s recent Town Hall meeting, features staffers who rode DFCB Chi’s right elevator one Friday morning being confronted by a game-show host who looks like the stand-in for Gabe Kaplan on Welcome Back, Kotter. Like the aforementioned Discovery Channel show, questions were asked, money was at stake and as you can see, figuring out what AOR stands for isn’t easy.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

And now, here’s a little lunchtime filler for you tech geeks who want to wax nostalgic for a few minutes. As you’ll see above, a bunch of folks from R/GA decided to take a look back on the technologies that either played an instrumental part in their upbringing or were just hard to ignore at the time. Whether it be the original Nintendo, a Commodore, floppy disks, a 14.4 modem, beepers or chatting on ICQ, pretty much all the bases from yesterday are covered in this purposely antiquated-looking video called, yes, “Retro Tech.” It sure has an I Love the 80′s feel to it, don’t it? Now, who wants to take us on in Duck Hunt?

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Near the bottom of the world lie the Falkland Islands, a South Atlantic archipelago made up of over 700 individual islands.

Two of the Falklands’ major resources are landmines and wool, the former due to a 150-year ownership conflict between Argentina and Britain and the latter due to a surfeit of sheep. In fact, very few informational materials about the Falkland Islands exist outside of those focusing on either the war or on the islands’ diverse wildlife. That’s why two American documentary filmmakers, Vern Cummins and DDB Chicago associate producer Jamie Gallant, are attempting to be the first to make a film that focuses on the over 3,000 people that call the Falklands home.

Their project, titled 51º South, is currently looking for some financial support. For the pair to fly Chicago to New York to Santiago to Punta Arena, Chile to the island chain, as well as pay for the cost of insurance and transportation around the island, Vern and Jamie estimate they need about $10,000 to make their project to come to life this summer. So, what’s the hip way to ask for a handout in the 21st century? Kickstarter, of course! On Kickstarter, Vern and Jamie are already over half way to their goal with 71 backers pledging more than $6,000. With 18 days left to finance their exploration, you can help kick-start the pair’s dream by pledging your donation here and visiting the film’s official website here.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The CP+B-aided reinvention of Domino’s continues as the pizza chain is heralding the launch of its new Facebook platform called Think Oven, which serves as both a suggestion box (or “Idea Box” as they’re calling it) and an outlet for Domino’s to dish out projects for its consumer base to take part in.

First up to bat on the Think Oven project list? New uniforms. Yes, it appears that Domino’s is looking to update the ol’ blue and red-based outfits and is looking for your best ideas. The two best visual and written submissions will each win a cool $500, so why not channel your inner Project Runway designer. If you need a prettier explanation of what Think Oven is, see visual presentation above. Deadline for the uniform project, by the way, is March 4. In conjunction with the Facebook launch, Domino’s has also rolled out a new TV spot that tells the tale of how the brand’s new Parmesan Bread Bites came to be. Hint: The product idea wasn’t hatched at corporate HQ. Check it after the jump.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

As our Super Bowl post-game coverage winds down, we give you this write-up from Don Seaman, TVB’s manager of marketing communications, which is the non-profit trade association of America’s commercial broadcast TV industry. Here, the exec discusses his interesting, rather busy Super Bowl viewing experience.

I’m a Giants fan.  I also work in the media industry.  But it pains me to admit that up until Saturday, mine was  among the 30 percent of homes that still don’t have HDTV.  With the Giants in the Super Bowl, it became a moral imperative to experience the game in the best way possible, at least from my own living room.  After all, I had a responsibility to the TVB to make this some cutting edge viewing research.

The thing is, in 2012 watching the game on your living room HDTV isn’t the only “best” way to watch the game anymore.  And no, I didn’t spring for the full 3D TV experience.  It’s bigger than that.  Today, you can virtually have an “all-access” pass to the Super Bowl while still being hundreds of miles from the stadium.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

-Bell Canada is giving five cents towards mental illness every time this tweet is RT’d. link

-BBH New York is helping BBC viewers “Touch the Stars” in a new campaign promoting the network’s iPlayer iPad app (above). link

-Massachusetts-based firm Rice McVaney Communications opened up an office in Redmond, WA and hired Goodby alum Nick Gesualdi to run it.

-PepsiCo’s digital/social media director Bonin Bough is leaving for a gig at Kraft. link

-Pinterest is blowing up according to comScore. link

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The University of Phoenix has confirmed that it’s  ready to review its creative account and expects to issue an RFP for national advertising work later this month. Since the end of 2008, the Apollo Group-owned higher learning institution has worked with San Francisco shop Pereira & O’Dell, which beat out the likes of Mullen, Arnold and EVB for UofP’s AOR duties at the time.

We’ve been told by an Apollo/University of Phoenix spokesperson that P&O’D has been invited to participate in the review, though some spies are whispering that the agency will not defend the account. We’ll keep you posted as things develop.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.