Ad Agency

The Puerto Rico Association of Advertising Agencies suspended the membership of KOI advertising agency due to its president’s participation in the controversial chat messages that have rocked the administration of Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Nevares.

Before it became involved in the media industry, procurement worked effectively in manufacturing and distribution, ferreting out non-value-added costs, improving processes, closing factories, investing in suppliers, and eliminating complexity. The result: improved quality and lower costs. Exactly the opposite has occurred in the media industry.

UM, the global marketing and media agency network of IPG Mediabrands, announced the appointment of Deidre Smalls-Landau to the role of U.S. Chief Marketing Officer, effective immediately. Smalls-Landau will oversee UM’s strategic branding, platforms and initiatives, carrying over her previous responsibilities as global head of culture, to ensure a broader impact for the diversity-based cultural framework she spearheaded at the agency. Smalls-Landau will report to UM U.S. CEO, Lynn Lewis.

Chemistry has acquired a significant stake in Miami based Pinta.  The combined entity will have primary offices in Atlanta, Miami, and Pittsburgh, in addition to satellite offices in New York , San Francisco and Nashvill

Horizon Media Inc. has teamed up with the hip-hop star Pitbull to start a multicultural marketing agency called 305 Worldwide, part of a plan to invest in creative production and full-service marketing capabilities.

According to a story in the Wall Street Journal, the Justice Department (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have settled their turf war and initiated an antitrust review into companies in e-commerce, online retail and search.  The purpose of the probe is to examine whether or not companies such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook or Google’s parent, Alphabet, have unfairly stifled competition and innovation and, therefore, negatively impacted consumers.

The pioneering search-consultancy Roth Ryan Hayes uses a variety of shortcuts to help bring marketers and agencies together. However, some techniques work better than others.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Chris Shumaker, former CMO of the Martin Agency, FCB Worldwide, Publicis USA, and Grey NA. Chris has a wealth of knowledge about the RFP and RFI process, which he’s generously shared with us here.  by Mark Duval – The Duval Partnership

Relationships with agency partners can be complex. Marketers are not just buying widgets — they have a unique and constantly evolving need to build brands and communicate messages to an intended target audience. Agency partners must be able to adapt to meet those shifting needs while delivering a constant level of quality and service.

The other day I spoke with an agency owner who told me that they aren’t “doing new business” right now because they had just closed a large account. Some readers will understand immediately why that thinking is detrimental to an agency’s fiscal health (and if not, I’ll explain it shortly). It’s a fast way to shut down a conversation with me, given my work as an agency new business consultant—and it’s certainly not the first time I’ve heard it.  by Mark Duval – The Duval Partnership

The ANA has teamed with the Boston Consulting Group and Reed Smith on an initiative to understand the top concerns in-house agencies have for both creative content development and legal issues. Importantly, our work also provides strategies to address those concerns.  By Bill Duggan

When I read “Managing In-House Agency Creative Content and Legal Concerns,” the Association of National Advertisers’ new study with Boston Consulting Group and Reed Smith, one thought kept crossing my mind: Partnership is key.  by Marla Kaplowitz – president and CEO of the 4A’s

Casanova//McCann announced the relocation of their headquarters. The Hispanic integrated communications agency will now be based out of The Hive, an indoor/outdoor creative office campus, in Costa Mesa, California.

Marketers with in-house agencies say they are having difficulty keeping their creative teams energized, and are also concerned about their ability to attract top-tier creative talent, according to a new study.

This week, I’ve rounded up six valuable tips on pitching from agency insiders. Some come from industry experts who have previously shared their expertise on The New Business Blog and some were sourced from other online sources. All of them will help you win your next pitch. As we approach the time of year when major decisions will be made for next year’s marketing budgets, take a look and think about opportunities to improve your “pitch game.”  by Mark Duval – The Duval Partnership

Agency senior executives are coming to terms with changes in client needs.  “More growth” rather than “more creativity” is what they are hearing.  The agency of the future is starting to sound more like a consulting firm with media and creative capabilities than a traditional service-oriented agency that wins awards.

Casanova//McCann announced that it was the most awarded Hispanic advertising agency at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. This is the second consecutive year that Casanova//McCann has earned this recognition.

Shrinking media budgets, aggressive growth goals and ever-complex marketing needs are causing a shift in the brand-agency relationship. In their bid for self-preservation, brands are streamlining spending and in-housing capabilities.

It’s no big news that small agencies are winning in the current advertising ecosystem. Neither is it a huge secret why they are winning. But how should agencies—of any size—factor this trend into their positioning?  by Mark Duval – Duval Partnership

Richards/Lerma announced that Jorge “Rosie” Rosales received a first-place recognition at the 2019 American Advertising Federation Awards.