Month: November 2016

Omnicom’s agencies – TBWA, DDB and BBDO – won a combined total of 82 awards during the 30th edition of the Epica Awards. It was a gratifying result for Omnicom after a battle between DDB, BBDO and Leo Burnett for the Network of the Year title, which was finally won by Leo Burnett from rival holding Publicis Groupe.

But DDB was close behind with some truly groundbreaking work. In particular, DDB Brussels won Epica’s very first Design Grand Prix with its “Simplified Stories” entry – a streamlined book designed to make reading easier for Alzheimer’s sufferers. AdamandeveDDB won Golds for its “Tiny Dancer” and “Man on the Moon” spots for retailer John Lewis, while DDB Group Germany won Gold for an innovative campaign that used Facebook to combat breast cancer. 

TBWA scored no less than 8 Gold awards. Heimat Berlin led the charge with three gold winners: for the Hornbach spot “You’re alive, do you remember?”, the surreal “Way of the Master” for Das Handwerk (a German craft association) and the animated spot “The Letter” for retailer Otto.

TBWA\Istanbul won Gold in the hotly-contested Social category with its anti-homophobia film “Gay Turtle”. TBWA\Raad in the United Emirates scored Gold twice with an innovative print solution for Go Sport, which digitally effaced the heads and bodies of soccer players, leaving just their clothes and boots on the page. “It’s all about the gear,” read the copy. TBWA\Hakuhodo in Japan created the “intelligent parking chair” to promote Nissan’s advanced technology.

BBDO New York also made a big contribution, scooping Agency of the Year with 19 awards including one Gold – for its stylish spot “La Pursuit” for Grey Goose vodka. Other BBDO Golds were the romantic “Sarah and Juan” spot for Extra Gum, from Energy BBDO, and a moving campaign featuring Down Syndrome sufferers working in an animal care centre, from BBDO Russia.

Epica celebrated its 30th edition at the Panama club in Amsterdam on November 17. Epica is the only global creative prize awarded by journalists from the marketing and communications press.

(Source: AdForum)

Omnicom’s New McDonald’s Agency Launches as “We Are UNLIMITED”

BBDO New York’s Brian Nienhaus Tapped to Be CEO

(November 17, 2017) – Chicago, IL – Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) today announced the launch of “We Are UNLIMITED,” the new full-service advertising agency for McDonald’s in the U.S. Unlimited, as the agency will be referred to, integrates strategic, creative and analytical capabilities to deliver across all communications touch points – from online to mass, to in-restaurant, to intercompany – from one, integrated agency team. The agency also includes embedded teams from The Marketing Store (TMS), Facebook, Google, Twitter, Adobe,the T Brand Studio of The New York Times and others.Brian Nienhaus has been tapped as CEO, and will lead the team of  aprroximately 200 brand practitioners based in Chicago. He will report directly to DDB North America Chief Executive Officer Wendy Clark. 

Deborah Wahl, Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s, commented, “Whether it’s a social post, an anthemic film or in-restaurant messaging, we are confident that analytically inspired, creatively driven thinking and work from Unlimited will help shape McDonald’s marketing in completely new ways to break new ground and fuel increased business impact.”

Wendy Clark stated, “Brian’s experience leading integrated teams that span digital, social, sponsorships and traditional advertising working across multiple Omnicom sister agencies, many of whom are part of Unlimited, has uniquely qualified him to take the reins as CEO of this agency.”

“I’m incredibly honored to assume a leadership role in changing the way agencies deliver client solutions. To do so in partnership with McDonald’s, one of the world’s most iconic brands, and the stellar team we’ve brought together, is both exciting and humbling,” said Nienhaus.

Nienhaus comes to Unlimited from Omnicom’s BBDO New York, where he led the AT&T corporate brand and Business Solutions accounts. Prior to that, he led Team Sprint, a multi-agency, data-led integrated team devoted to Sprint communications at Digitas Chicago. Earlier in his career, he spent six years with Cramer-Krasselt leading accounts as varied as Hilton, Hyatt, Zantac, Glaxo, Merck and Under Armour. Throughout his career in advertising, Nienhaus has worked for some of the largest global agencies on a broadarray of brands, including Ford, Nokia, Microsoft, 3Com, Gateway, Challenge Butter and Sara Lee.

In addition to Nienhaus, the leadership team at Unlimited will include John Hansa, Executive Creative Director; Graceann Bennett, Chief Strategy Officer; Chip Knicker, Chief Digital Officer; Jon Ellis, Chief Production Officer; Linda Poe, Chief Financial Officer; and Ursula Ostrom, Senior Vice President.

John Hansa, Executive Creative Director, joins the agency from Leo Burnett Chicago, where he was responsible for running the creative portion of the McDonald’s business. He brings over 27 years of award-winning advertising experience on a variety of blue-chip accounts.

Graceann Bennett, Chief Strategy Officer, is an experienced planner and thought leader who has led brand strategy at four major global advertising agencies, including Ogilvy. She has stewarded successful integrated creative campaigns for Dove, Volkswagen, Guinness, Wonderbra, and even a world religion.

Chip Knicker, Chief Digital Officer, joins Unlimted from Accenture, where he managed their North American eCommerce practice. During this time, he managed the eCommerce delivery organization from a client delivery, staffing, recruiting, and people management perspectives.

Jon Ellis, Chief Production Officer, has over 20 years of experience working in digital, new media, and traditional broadcast production. He joins Unlimited from DDB, where he served as Executive Integrated Producer. He has produced integrated campaigns for brands including Capital One, State Farm, Wrigley, and McDonald’s.

Linda Poe, Chief Financial Officer, spent nine years with Element 79, an Omnicom agency, as the company’s Controller. She joins Unlimited from Fathom Communications, where she has been the agency’s CFO.

Ursula Ostrom, Senior Vice President, Group Director, will be embedded in Unlimited from The Marketing Store (TMS), where she served as s Senior Vice President, Account Director. She has 15+ years of both above and below the line marketing and advertising experience.  Her expertise in both the development of business driving strategy coupled with execution of work has crossed multiple industries with a diverse list of clients including McDonald’s, Disney, Bayer and Alberto Culver.

Nienhaus said, “Along with these key executives, we have hired dozens of associates and are well on our way to being fully staffed by January 1, 2017. Indeed, the future looks Unlimited.”

To learn more about the new agency, visit weareunlimited.com.

BBDO’s award-winning haul includes the Special Prizes for Best Multi-Market for Snickers by AMV BDDO, Tim Broadbent Prize for Best International for Speeding (New Zealand Transport Authority) by Clemenger BBDO Wellington; and The Channon Prize for Best New Learning for the Economist by Proximity BBDO London and UM London. They also picked up four Golds for Guinness by AMV BBDO, Snickers by AMV BBDO, Speeding by Clemenger BBDO Wellington and The Economist by Proximity BBDO London. This is in addition to two silvers for Pepsi Max by AMV BBDO and Sainsbury’s by AMV BBDO.

While adam&eveDDB (with Manning Gottlieb OMD) picked up the Grand Prix and a Gold for John Lewis; a Gold for Save the Children; a Silver for John Lewis Insurance (with Manning Gottlieb OMD); a Silver for Wall’s and a Bronze for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

The Special Prize for Effectiveness Company of the Year goes to the organisation that accumulates the largest number of points from at least two papers in any one year of the Effectiveness Awards. The points comprise Gold – 6; Silver – 4; Bronze – 2; Grand Prix – 3; Channon Prize – 2 and Special Prize – 1

Effectiveness Network of the Year is awarded to the agency network that has had at least two shortlisted papers from at least two agency offices with the largest number of points.

In total, 11 gold, 13 silver and 15 bronze prizes, along with nine special prizes were awarded.

The full 2016 IPA Effectiveness Awards winners list:

Special Prizes: 

Grand Prix – sponsored by Thinkbox

John Lewis, The gift that keeps on giving: John Lewis Christmas advertising, 2012 – 2015 by adam&eveDDB and Manning Gottlieb OMD

Best Commercial Effectiveness for Good (President’s Prize) – sponsored by Outsmart

Dove, Beautifully Effective: How Dove turned cultural resonance into ROI by Ogilvy

Effectiveness Network of the Year

BBDO

Effectiveness Company of the Year

adam&eveDDB

Best Dedication to Effectiveness (The Simon Broadbent Prize) – sponsored by Radiocentre

Unilever

Best Multi-Market – sponsored by Ipsos Connect

Snickers, Thinking like a Hollywood blockbuster by AMV BBDO

Best Small Budget – sponsored by MARSH

Narellan Pools, Diving into big data for Narellan Pools by AFFINITY

Best International (The Tim Broadbent Prize) – sponsored by Warc

Speeding (New Zealand Transport Authority), Mistakes by Clemenger BBDO Wellington

The Channon Prize for Best New Learning – sponsored by Newsworks

The Economist, Raising eyebrows and subscriptions by Proximity BBDO London and UM London

For a full list of winners, please visit IPA.co.uk