Grey

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.

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Sources familiar with the matter confirm that Draftfcb New York EVP/group creative director Augé Reichenberg is leaving the agency after a 15-year run. We’ve been told that Reichenberg (pictured) is joining up with New Jersey-based Publicis Groupe agency Rosetta, will be running creative for its healthcare unit and, in the process, will be reuniting with former partner and current CCO Gary Scheiner. Prior to Draftfcb, Reichenberg enjoyed a nine-year run at McCann.

In addition to the aforementioned senior creative’s departure, Draftfcb has also lost Nanci Silverman, who spent the last five years at Draft, to Grey, which she officially joined on May 1 and now serves as EVP/group account director on the WPP agency’s Darden portfolio including Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Longhorn Steakhouses. Silverman replaces Michele Kay, who is “taking early retirement” according to Grey.

We’ve been told the parting was amicable, the pair is moving on to “greater opportunities” and to second that emotion, here’s a statement from Draftfcb NY CEO Dana Maiman, who says, ““We are so happy for both of them as are our clients. We wish them tremendous luck.”

A month after Natalia Schultz resigned as chief talent officer at Grey NY, the agency has found her replacement in Lisa Fabiano, who you might remember held the same title at Enfatico and Euro RSCG Worldwide prior to that. For the last year, Fabiano has served as general manager at New York marketing firm, HNW. Check out Grey NY president/CCO Tor Myhren and managing director Michael Houston‘s message to staff regarding Fabiano’s arrival verbatim after the jump.

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Sources familiar with the matter confirm that following a review, Grey has picked up the advertising business for Pfizer’s Emergen-C brand (one of our favorite cure-alls). Pfizer, if you recall, acquired Emergen-C’s parent company, Alacer Corp, just a few weeks ago. The Emergen-C account will be handled by Grey Healthy People, the health & wellness division launched by the agency last fall.

Tipsters tell us that New York-based Burns Group was also in the review, but that hasn’t been confirmed as of yet. As a result of the win, Grey expands its longstanding relationship with Pfizer and more specifically its Consumer Healthcare division, which has been a client since 1995. The agency already works with PCH brands including Robitussin, Alavert, Advil Cold and Sinus and Preparation H.

 

After spending just a year as VP, creative director at Grey New York, Carl Rogers is leaving the agency and heading back to his native UK. Rogers, whose last day at Grey happens to be today, served as a global digital CD on Pantene and also worked on accounts including Ketel One, Olive Garden and Pringles during his brief stint.

Prior to Grey, Rogers spent two years across the pond as creative director and head of copy at Critical Mass Europe, leading global digital communications for Rolex, Gucci, Adidas and P&G brands. During his career, he’s served as lead copywriter at Dentsu Amsterdam and StrawberryFrog. From what we’ve been told, Rogers has nothing concrete set but will be interviewing for a few ECD positions on his home turf.

 

 

Well, guess you can chalk this up to a sibling rivalry of sorts. G2 has confirmed that it’s no longer sharing the Eli Lilly account with Grey, the latter of which has fully taken over the business (Grey has worked with Eli Lilly since 1997). In the past, G2 had handled relationship marketing, direct and digital while Grey was responsible for the advertising.

Sources familiar with the matter are also telling us that while Grey will manage the account, it might have to outsource G2′s previous responsibilities on the pharma brand’s business to a third-party agency because of a lack of skill set. Of course, we’ll wait, see and let you know if and when we find out more.

Word direct from the bird tells us that Grey New York chief talent officer Natalia Schultz has resigned to pursue other opportunities. Schultz, who if you remember mourned the loss of showing off her shoe collection when Grey NY’s office went open space, worked at the WPP agency for a decade and and worked on the biz dev/account side prior.

From what we’ve been told, Grey will name a new chief talent officer come early April.

Grey Group announced the appointment of Alain Groenendaal (pictured) as president/CEO of its Latin American market, which covers 18 markets. Groenendaal, who had already served in the same role at Grey’s Wing unit for nearly four years, will succeed Ricccardo Ferraris, who will focus on Grey’s operations in Brazil. During his career, Groenendaal served as managing director at Miami’s La Comunidad for three years and spent time on the new biz side at Leo Burnett Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, on the Wing side, VP, head of strategy Andrew Speyer has been promoted to managing director at the agency, which he’s worked at for two years.

The E*Ttrade baby has been a divisive figure in advertising. As marketers, it can be easy to hate the cocky, talking infant. But, many in the financial industry can’t seem to get enough of the little guy (close relatives of mine included). It must be working for E*Trade and Grey NY, because five years after the baby’s first appearance, he’s still being used at the company spokesperson in all-important Super Bowl ads. It seems much longer than five years, doesn’t it?

Anyway, one of two Super Bowl spots for E*Trade from Grey NY finds the baby giving his father advice about planning for the future. It’s part of a push from E*Trade to highlight the company’s other, non-trading products and services. As the baby reps his favorite brand’s new offering of financial consultants, he’s interrupted to see a toddler acquaintance “speed-dating” newborns. It’s kind of an unsettling image, no?

In a statement, E*Trade Financial Corporation CMO Nick Utton previews the baby’s new direction away from pixelated webcams. “We’re focused on building on our momentum by ensuring the campaign remains memorable and iconic, and also says something new about E*Trade’s offerings,” he says. “This year’s approach features the Baby interacting with people facing important real-life events that trigger a need to consider investing.”

E*Trade’s second Super Bowl spot, “Best Man,” follows after the jump.

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Don’t sound the death knell for Possible Worldwide just yet. Though the Austin office might have disappeared and some of its top execs have defected in recent months, the WPP interactive operation is still thriving according to a memo penned by Tor Myhren and Michael Houston, president/CCO and managing director, respectively, of sister agency Grey New York. It appears that a “strategic partnership” has been formed between the sibling shops and as part of Grey NY’s increased focus on digital, the agency promoted five-year vet Doug Livingston (pictured) to EVP, director of digital integration while also solidifying its digital leadership. But why spoil the rest, read on in full after the jump.

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