In between all the EVP-promotion clusterfuck, perhaps one of the names got lost in the bunch. We’ve received word that the 10-year agency exec Mason Reed (maybe up there in greatest soap opera names ever), who’s now joining with CP+B’s L.A. office as EVP/managing director at said shop. During his decade-long stint, Reed worked on current and dead pieces of biz, Virgin Atlantic Airways,Hulu, Slim Jim, Method home cleaning products, Nike and Burger King. In his current role, Reed will turn his focus onto Old Navy and the MDC agency’s portion of the Microsoft biz.

 

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Author and journalist Susan Orlean (left) has written two nonfiction pieces that have been turned into films. She’ll discuss her new book, Rin Tin Tin, in Mediabistro’s first online Literary Festival & Workshops starting July 16. Other speakers include Rebecca Skloot, Jason Boog, and Jason Allen Ashlock. Register now.

Ok, here we go, sources familiar with the matter confirm that following the Eli Lilly account hullabaloo, Grey has soaked in another piece business in the form of Reliant, which we’ve been told was  originally a conjoined operation within the Grey/G2. From what we’ve been told by sources familiar with the matter,” We had a shared relationship with Grey on the Reliant business, which has been service[d] out of the San Francisco Grey office.” From what we’ve been told, it was the Reliant direct marketing business that was at hand. You might asscociate Reliant with the NFL team/stadium it owns and doctrines on mind.

After three months or so of reviewing, the University of Phoenix, which is an accredited college institution mind you, has tapped Arnold Worldwide as its new agency of record. If you remember, the Apollo Group-owned school previously worked with Pereira & O’Dell for nearly three years. Arnold’s Boston headquarters will oversee the work for University of Phoenix, which is set to debut this fall.

In a statement, Arnold Boston president Pam Hamlin says, “Adult education is a fast-growing market and University of Phoenix is the largest in the category. We’re incredibly excited to partner with them to help create a distinct and powerful brand message in a category that’s currently filled with ‘a sea of sameness.”

Believe it or not, 2012 marks a decade since Comedy Central canceled their robot fighting show, BattleBots. The show had it all, from destruction to hilarity to scantily-clad “correspondents” to cameos from Bill Nye the Science Guy. If you’re anything like me, and you consider these attributes the recipe for televised greatness, you were devastated when BattleBots went off the air.

So, understand that I’m a little biased when I call the above spot for Atlanta-based agency Fitzgerald+Co a wonderfully creative way to demonstrate the durability of Pergo floors. Not only do I get to see my old robot friends, but I suddenly have quite an affinity for a flooring product that I’d never heard of before. Of course, this begs the question: Do married women, who I assume are the ones generally responsible for making the purchasing decisions when it comes to flooring (as depicted in the spot), respond to BattleBots in the same way that I do?

The campaign also features a Facebook page where consumers can “Like” the video for a chance to win a new floor, learn more about the BattleBots featured in the spot, and browse different Pergo styles and key features. Credits follow after the jump.

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Somehow, yours truly was able to hit up three events last night (yeah, we know, it’s a hard knock life, but I’m getting old), the last being the CLIO Awards, which once again took place at the American Museum of Natural History way the hell uptown and under dreary skies in NYC. Regardless of the gloom, we felt rather uplifted from MC/plastic surgery advocate Joan Rivers and her self-deprecating humor. Despite what seemed to be laryngitis, the comedienne rallied on and made the requisite Kardashian jokes, showed off her starring spot in a BF Goodrich ad from the 1800′s and presented the Grand Clio to Volkswagen.

Please allow us to apologize for the shitty image, but then again, it was standing room only and our section was booked. Anyhow, it was heartwarming that outgoing Ogilvy & Mather chairman Shelly Lazarus spoke highly of one of her “best friends” and CLIO Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Piyush Pandey. With his brilliant Rolly Fingers-esque moustache and all, Pandey was humble even after Lazarus dubbed the 30-year O&M vet the “godfather of modern Indian advertising.” From then on, through the reels, multiple presentations, etc., we somewhat started to glaze over, so before you do, check out the full CLIO 2012 winners list here. By the way, we once again loved the Spinal Tap-ish labyrinth to get to the show, which gives us an opportunity to view taxidermy at its finest.

 

 

-The IAB has decided to establish an educational standard for digital media sales. link

-NYC/Czech Republic production company Savage has signed directing team Honest for US and global representation.

-Bacardi wants to adhere to “corporate responsibility,” will give back for greater good. link

-Facebook flexes its guns, increases IPO size. link

-Hoffman Lewis promotes a “new/expanded/classic” Prius (above).

-Lee Hirsch, director of the new doc Bully, signed with Moxie Pictures for his first-ever commercial representation.

 

Well, guess barely eight months was long enough for Mark Modesto to figure out that it was time to see what lies beyond MARC USA. Modesto, the 30-year Draftfcb alum who joined MARC’s Chicago operation last October as president, is now assuming the CEO position at Ryan Partnership, an integrated marketing agency that has offices in Wilton, CT, Chicago, San Francisco and Columbus, OH and is housed within the Hyper Marketing fold. Modesto isn’t going it alone, though, as his old MARC partner-in-crime John Immesoete, who served as ECD at said agency, is also joining Ryan Partnership as its new CCO. The MARC alums will officially join Ryan on June 4.

Anyhow, you might remember the name Zain Raj, who took over as president/CEO when SolutionSet and MediaWhiz merged last summer and then ultimately assumed the CEO title when SolutionSet/MediaWhiz joined forces with D.L. Ryan to form Hyper Marketing at the beginning of this year. Anyhow, check out the lengthy memo from Raj regarding the new hires after the jump.

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-According to reports, GM has pulled its $10 million campaign from Facebook ahead of the IPO, deeming its on the social network “had little impact on consumers.” Ewwww-a-niiiick!! link

-Wes Anderson explains to Slate why he digs directing commercials. link

-Hollywood-based prodco Luma Pictures has brought in former agency producer Vicki Mayer to run its commercial VFX department.

-Roger Federer and Credit Suisse unveil a making-of trailer for their new global campaign launching next week. link

-Being a Wayne Gretzky superfan won’t work in this marriage according to a new Mobile Mini campaign from Venables Bell & Partners.

-WPP/GroupM company Xaxis opened up new regional headquarters in Singapore.

-Speaking of the GroupM umbrella, media agency MEC celebrates its 10th anniversary today. link

 

 

 

This is not the best way to wind down the afternoon, but we must say that our hearts go out to the family and friends of Sonya Grewal, who passed away over the weekend. Grewal had spent the last nine months at DDB New York as a group creative director on Hertz, etc. and before that, served as a creative director at Y&R Chicago on nifty campaigns including the Hotels.com skydiving effort. Anyhow, here is a note from DDB NY CEO Peter Hempel:

“It is with profound sadness that I must share the news that over the weekend Sonya Grewal passed away.

Sonya joined us just last October and has graced us with brilliant work on every Account she worked on from Georgia Pacific , Frigidaire, Empire City and most of all Hertz. Not only was her work brilliant, but it was her approach that made her so clearly, from the very first day, one of us. If ever there was the embodiment of Talented and Nice, it was Sonya;  her eyes, most particularly, would dazzle even more than her winsome smile. To see her photo in front of her office today is to feel again just how much we are losing in her passing.

We had begun the day feeling so proud. Sonya’s work for Hertz had just been chosen to grace the cover of the next Archive Magazine. Then the phone rang and we learned she had gone, and that now the magazine cover would serve as homage and Momento Mori. As soon as we receive details from her family we will let you know.

Sonya is survived by her husband and, it would now appear by all of us.

Peter”

 

Perhaps James Joyce would be proud from the ether. Minneapolis-based ale brand Finnegans, which has been around since 2000 we’ve been told, has teamed up with fellow Twin Cities op Martin Williams to launch its own “confessional” of sorts on Facebook. Who needs a priest when an algorithm can play judge & jury and provide you with penance in the form of Irish Amber brew? We don’t know if you want to go all Michael Corleone and confess your deepest, darkest sins, but however you play, there’s brew involved as well as your Facebook friends. Feel free to give it a go, whether Catholic or not.