As mentioned above, we’ve received confirmation that JPMorgan Chase is rethinking its digital partnerships. A spokesperson for the global financial services firm tells us, “We’re currently undergoing a review of our digital agencies, which we routinely do to ensure their capabilities best fit the needs of our evolving business.” On the digital front, Chase currently works with Austin-based agency T3, which proclaims itself to be the brand’s “go-to digital agency since 2006.”

From what we’re hearing on the Spy line, though we’ve yet to substantiate this, T3 held a meeting last week announcing that Chase would not be renewing its contract come year’s end. We’ve inquired about this and will update if and when we hear more. In addition, we’re following up with the Chase camp to see if T3 has been invited to participate in the review, and should hear back on this some time this afternoon. Stay tuned.

Humans have a burning desire to verbally communicate with dolphins, especially when it comes to ad folk. First it was Megan Fox, Acer marine biologist, taking a scientific approach to dolphinspeak, and now we have a Dolphin Translator app from Green Works, the eco-friendly arm of Clorox, essentially creating the digital version of the Oxford English/Dolphin Dictionary. Created by Omnicom-owned Critical Mass, the dolphin-themed approach weaves its way into a campaign meant to help consumers avoid getting lost in translation when it comes to environmentally-conscious lifestyles.

As you’ll see on the Green Works website, you can type just about anything (up to 120 characters) into the translator to hear the dolphin version. What you do with the cute, squeaky response is up to you, unless you are already fluent in Flipper. Odds are, the dolphin noises will just sound like, well, dolphin noises: indistinguishable and vaguely babyish. But, if you’ve ever been curious how a dolphin would say tomato, then this is the app for you.

Credits and a behind-the-scenes video after the jump.

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We’ve received confirmation that auto/home/life insurance brand Liberty Mutual is putting its creative and media accounts into review. Both have been handled since 2005 by Boston-based Hill Holliday, which sources say will defend. HH isn’t commenting on the matter, but we’ve been told that the Liberty Mutual creative and media reviews will be handled separately. Sources add that Liberty Mutual has recently brought on a new CMO and the brand is looking more closely at the metrics and ” moving the sales number,” hence its move.

Some of Hill Holliday’s notable work for the brand over the years includes the Webby-winning “Responsibility Project” and the more recent  “Humans” campaign (spot above), which kicked off during last summer’s Olympics. As has been reported, Hill Holliday, which recently welcomed a new CEO, is also still vying for the Cadillac creative biz (no update as of yet on this).

The best part of the following video occurs in the first few seconds, when a woman’s jaw drops as she’s told she can buy Google Glass for 40 times the price of her Slurpie ($40.00). It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, for a product that normally sells for 1500 times the price of a Slurpie. Too bad the product on offer is obviously-knockoff “GooOgle Glass,” sold earnestly by comic Ian Fridance in a project by GS+P alum/man of many projects JD Beebe and Translation copywriter, Deanna Director.

I barely cracked a smile during this anti-ad. Maybe it’s just my sense of humor, but I think this idea is tired, and it’s hard to believe that anyone in NY has heard of Google Glass and believes they are the eyewear equivalent of an interstellar propeller hat.  If you want to poke fun of the new technology, check out whitemenwearingoogleglass.tumblr.com or watch SNL. Those comedic attempts are a bit more nuanced, and at least rooted in reality.

Well, we’ve just had a chat with Steve Bernstein, co-namesake/president of Kansas City-based Bernstein-Rein and we’ve received some clarification on what we’ve been hearing about aplenty on the Spy line over the last 24 hours. We have been told that B-R is still the de facto agency for Commerce Bank (not the one that morphed into TD Bank, but this one), though the chain is undergoing a “strategic change” and thus, a relationship chance with its agency (one that’s lasted approximately 14 years). From what Bernstein says, there will be no cuts, no agency shifts as of now but a “relationship change” as a result of Commerce’s move.

Yes, it’s cryptic, but that’s what we know so far regarding Commerce and B-R, the latter of which counts a staff of approximately 220. Second up to bat, we were receiving tips that Bernstein-Rein hired a “consultant to restructure agency.” Not quite, according to Bernstein, who tells us that Tim Williams, a Utah-based consultant out of Ignition who has been brought on board process to “survey people on how to improve.” Draw your own conclusions, but we’ve been told adamantly that there will be no restructuring as a result of Williams’ consultation.

Finally, B-R has announced that it’s reunited with longtime client Hostess (well, since 2005), the maker of Twinkies and Ho-Ho’s among other products that went bankrupt not so long ago but has miraculously risen from the dead thanks to both Apollo Global Management and Metropolous & Co. We’re being told that B-R’s new work for the brand will launch mid-summer.

As you may have read/heard, Volvo has announced that its launched its global creative review, but here’s a quick follow-up to the initial report. First off, here’s a statement from Robert LePlae, Arnold global CEO who assumed his post at the agency last summer and whose agency has been invited to defend, regarding the automaker’s move: “There’s new global leadership at Volvo who are rightly coming in and looking at all aspects of the business, specifically the centrally created advertising in Amsterdam. I’m new too at Arnold and we’ve done our own assessment. This leaves us eager and confident for the opportunity to show Volvo what we can do.”

Sources familiar with the matter add that while Adage reported that it was a global review, they say that Volvo’s move affects the centrally created advertising in Amsterdam only (which serves as central contact on the account for Arnold). The North American work out of Boston, and other local markets around the world, meanwhile, is not under review.

So, here we go with some more clarification, this time concerning the state of GlobalHue in the aftermath of Verizon deciding to review its multicultural biz a few months ago. Well, first of all, we checked directly with Verizon and here’s a statement from a spokesperson that may help clarify things: “We are not done with the RFP review process and cannot comment until we complete all aspects of it. We are eager to complete this as quickly as possible.”

And now, back to GlobalHue. Despite tipsters’ comments that the agency’s New York hub sent a letter to all staff telling them that the office is closing in 90 days, sources familiar with the matter tell us that no matter what path Verizon takes, the office is “not closing at any point.” Here are some specifics: We’ve been told that due to the ongoing Verizon review, GlobalHue is required by NY state and federal law to send a letter to all NY-based employees.  As required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) of 1988, and the New York State Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 2008, the purpose of this letter is to give 90 days’ advance notice of potential layoffs to employees.

According to sources, while GlobalHue NY awaits Verizon’s decision, the agency has picked up a few other multicultural accounts including the NBA. Of course, we’ll be keeping an eye on things, but there’s your second status update for the day.

Notice we said C+K, not C-K to clarify and reiterate. Anyhow, yes, six months after launching a rather peculiar, pre-Valentine’s Day spot (above) for Zoosk, San Francisco-based Camp + King has been officially named agency of record (minus review) for the online/mobile dating site. As the parties involved and YouTube stats can attest to, Havas-supported C+K’s spot for Zoosk has racked up over 14 million views since its launch. Regarding Zoosk’s decision to continue in its relationship with Camp+King,  the brand’s president/co-founder Alex Mehr says, “Zoosk is a young, energetic brand with big plans. We felt that the team at Camp+King mirrored these qualities and are as excited as we are about building our brand in the US and globally.”

This marks the first agency of record relationship for six-year-old Zoosk, which has been working on a project basis up until now. C+K, which also works with Old Navy and Capital One, will debut digital video for its newest client come July. Check out a more recent clip if you so choose after the jump.

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Hey, did you know that Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos tacos now come in a Cool Ranch variety? Of course you did, and you and your 20-something-year-old friends are probably celebrating in a parking lot or pool hall right now according to this spot from DraftFCB. “By golly, what a wonderful new offering,” you thought to yourself. “I should throw a Doritos bag containing a taco to my similarly aged friend across town. That is what I shall do.” And then you did.

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Sure, 72andSunny and Samsung have had some fun comparing the latter’s smartphones to Apple’s in recent years, but in the last several months, it seems like the brand’s finally getting over their complex and showcasing the product line on its own. First, they highlighted the Galaxy S4 with a graduation-centered campaign. Now, they’re showcasing new features for Father’s Day with “hip dads in action.”

In “Swaddle Master,” a befuddled father learns the tricks of the swaddling trade via Smart Pause YouTube. With “Quick Snooze” (below), meanwhile, the same cardigan-wearing dad watches the game with his little one at the end of the day. As his eyes droop shut, the game pauses. He reopens them and it picks up where he left off.

Though this creative work may not go viral or win awards, showing the practical (and less glamorous) application of the S4’s features will perhaps win the hearts of young parents everywhere. On a special occasion like Father’s Day, maybe hitting your target audience is enough?

Credits after the jump.

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