Crispin Porter & Bogusky

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 at the agency.  Anyhow, during his eight year stint at CP+B,which saw him crisscross the Atlantic to establish the agency’s European client services, Erich 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.”

 

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In case you haven’t already heard about the layoffs that hit CP+B, which we’ve been told affects “less than five percent” of the agency’s global workforce, here’s the full statement from CEO Andrew Keller:

“This has been a strong year for CP+B in a lot of ways.  We’ve expanded our operations in LA and in London and we’ve won some exciting new accounts.  It’s no secret, however, that the economics of this business are changing.  To continue as an industry leader, we are adjusting our operating model to be leaner and more flexible than ever. As we restructure towards our vision, we have made the difficult decision to lay off 43 of our 900+ employees. Our two main responsibilities are to our clients and to our employees. Being fiscally prudent and financially sound is critical to both.  Our industry is undergoing a dramatic reinvention, economically and in other ways, and we embrace the opportunity that comes with change.”

We’ve mentioned that this kind of staff shift was possibly going on at CP+B in recent months, but guess we can say it’s now finally official. We’ve been told that layoffs were made across departments.

 

So, we have word that Ken Slater, who has last served as an ACD on the Jell-O biz among other things, has left the agency. From what it turns out, he left the agency last week, but during his two years as an ACD/art director, Slater worked on campaigns including this. Slater spent nearly six years at CP+B, moving up from an interactive designer to ACD on campaigns..wait, but there’s also this.

In October, CP+B Los Angeles and London took over AOR duties for UK-based betting/e-gaming service Paddy Power. Like our commentariat, we admittedly found this news a little dull. But, we did get to give mention to Paddy Power’s old agency, Big Al’s Creative Emporium, and all of the silly names for the different parties involved in the story were just a little too bizarre to ignore.

Well, as the above TV spot proves, the weirdness isn’t ceasing. As Paddy Power’s brand head Adam Perrin said when Crispin won the business, “We were blown away by the freshness of CP+B’s approach and their use of resource across the United States and Europe.” Was CP+B’s “fresh” idea marketing Paddy Power Bingo’s “Home Free Hotline,” as a way to make a quick escape from romantic encounters gone awry? It certainly seems that way.

So, gamblers, are you going to pick your online betting service based on its ability to blow up your mobile? Credits after the jump.

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CP+B’s chief exec does indeed put his balls on the line with the agency’s holiday effort that lets you virtually fire a cannon at him and other agency folks. Should you hit your target, the Crispin camp will make a donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of America.  If pelting GSD&M staffers with snowballs wasn’t enough of a stress reliever for you, perhaps this will do the trick and you’ll be helping out a good cause in the process. You only have a few hours, so fire away (or at least get in line to) here.

 

We know you were totally aching for a follow-up to our Noah Will post from earlier this week, so we’ll satisfy you folks by letting you know know that the creative will be joining Crispin Porter + Bogusky as senior copywriter next week. Will joins from Olson, where he spent four years served and eventually moved up to ACD just about a year ago today. During his career, Will has spent time at the formerly known as Wongdoody and Jung von Matt.

Update: Guess it’s a busy day in Boulder as Crispin has also promoted Steve Babcock to executive creative director. Babcock has been with CP&B for four years and most recently served as VP/CD on the Best Buy account and was the lead on the team involved with the Ozzy/Bieber holiday campaign among others for the retailer. Prior to CP+B, Babcock served as a creative director at StruckAxiom.

According to the Crispin camp, Lowe alum Tom Markham is heading to Boulder to serve as “the most senior ‘hands–on’ interactive creative” and will work across the agency’s client roster (a Matt O’Rourke replacement perhaps?). During his seven years at Lowe Worldwide, Markham worked primarily as global digital creative director on Unilever but also made the rounds in Auckland and Sydney as interactive CD for Vodafone and others.

In a statement, CP+B CCO Jeff Benjamin gushes about the new hire, saying, ““We’re the luckiest ad agency in the world. Everyone in the industry is looking for senior creative talent and getting someone as great in the digital space as Tom is a huge win for our clients and our team.”

Perhaps CP+B’s taking a cue from its former leader and current Fearless fellow, Alex Bogusky, with its new effort called “72 Hours for Peace.” This morning, the agency “surprised” over 300 students at Hyper Island in Sweden with the announce of their three-day event, which calls for the Islanders to team up with CP+B creatives and come up with at least 60 ideas for global peace by this Friday, the 18th.

We’re on Swedish time here, so now they actually have just under two days and six hours to complete their mission. Here’s a basic schedule of the 72 festivities in case you’re still interested: Today, the Hyper kids are undergoing something called “creative exploration,” tomorrow they’ll be getting wisdom from social entrepreneurs and global organization and pitch a handful of ideas to their peers, and by Friday, they’ll be uploading videos that outline their peace plans. Can they actually accomplish their goals and come up with substantial plans or should we just play cynic like always and just write them off as hopeless idealists? Guess we’ll find out soon enough. You can keep track of the 72 Hours event here.

CP+B has undergone a bit of a management makeover in its Toronto office as Subtej Nijjar, or “Sub” as he’s known, has been promoted to president. Nijjar (right) has spent the last year as VP, director of cultural & business insights at CP+B Toronto, though his time there dates back six years when he joined what was then zig Ideas as strategic planner. During the last few years, Nijjar has taken the lead on a variety of CP+B’s North American accounts including Best Buy and Domino’s and played a role in helping the agency win the Under Armour basketball biz.

Along with the Sub bump, CP+B Toronto VP/CD Michael Murray has now been named executive creative director. Murray has spent the last three years as creative director on accounts ranging from Virgin Mobile/Radio to IKEA. Prior to rejoining CP+B Toronto in 2008, Murray served as a senior copywriter at TAXI for two years.

Meanwhile, CP+B Toronto is losing two notable higher-ups including CEO Shelley Brown and ECD Aaron Starkman (who Murray is replacing). Brown was appointed CEO just 18 months ago after spending nearly eight years as president. No word yet on why they’re leaving exactly (though Chuck Porter says in a statement that “We remain great admirers and friends of them both”), but now, the entire CP+B network will be led by one CEO, which of course is Andrew Keller.

 

So, sources familiar with the matter have sent us a memo from Andrew Keller that has made the rounds in the CP+B camp, which announces that Bill Wright and James Dawson Hollis, offline creative directors that somehow transitioned into the digital business, are leaving the agency. Where to, you ask? Well, Ogilvy West to serve as ECDs. After the jump, check out the memo regarding the pair, who worked on Kraft (“Pudding Face”), Jell-O (“Jiggle It” app), etc.

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