Austin-based GSD&M Idea City promoted four of its execs to SVP posts, perhaps most notably David Matathia to SVP/chief strategist. Matathia, who’s been with the agency for six years, worked his way up from planner on accounts like Southwest Airlines, PGA TOUR, United Health Group and BMW to eventually account head for BMW where he helped Idea City win the automaker’s global business. Matathia will be in familiar territory at his new post as he’ll now lead the agency’s planning department and continue to steward the BMW team.

Joining Matathia on the promotion front are Marianne Malina, a 10-year Idea City vet who will serve as SVP, group account director on Kohler and Southwest Airlines, and Scott Moore, now SVP, group account director on the ACE Hardware, Caesars and Horseshoe accounts. Meanwhile, John McGrath was promoted to SVP, communications at the agency.

Via The Statesman

More: “Crispin Nabs GSD&M’s BMW Lead Creative”

Jay Russell, GCD at GSD&M is leaving to go to Crispin Porter Bogusky. Heading off with him is partner Mitch Bennett (Update: Russell as CD, Bennett as ACD). Russell is the CD on BMW and according to a source is well liked by the client.

Tied to the move is speculation that the departure could mean Crispin is making a bid for BMW, but we’re reminded that the client recently awarded GSD&M their global account.

Asked if the agency is planning a move on BMW, a CPB representative responded “As a policy, we never discuss anything related to new business &#151 in or out.” As if they’d have answered that anyway. But the question remains: which car company will Crispin go after? This move certainly hints that the agency is gearing up with car-minded creatives &#151 though we have heard Russell will be working on other accounts once at CPB.

More: “Audi Sticks it to BMW, Meredes, With Help From Venables Bell”

Having already beaten out the likes of Cutwater, McKinney and Modernista! in May 2008 to take home AOR duties for L.L. Bean, GSD&M Idea City is now replacing Mediaedge:cia to handle the media buying/planning account for the outdoor apparel brand. L.L. Bean though is keeping schtum on its spending.

More: “We Hear: GSD&M Wins Golfsmith Retail Biz”

According to a spy in Austin, GSD&M Idea City won the retail account for golf and tennis “superstore” Golfsmith. We’re hearing that billings were set at $5 million in the RFP excluding catalog, web and direct, which has historically been handled in-house. The Golfsmith account, which our tipster likens to a “a small fish in a big agency pond,” had previously been handled by Dallas-based Havas/Euro RSCG subsidiary SWJ.

When we reached Idea City for comment, they could neither confirm nor deny the business win. Considering all the sudden interest in golf thanks to the shenanigans of its best pro, we’re thinking the timing of the deal couldn’t be any better.

More: “Idea City Wins Caesars and Horseshoe Casino Brands”

GSD&M Idea City, the Austin based ad shop, tells us they’ve won two Harrah’s Entertainment brands: Caesars and Horseshoe casinos.

The broadcast, online, print, and out-of-home work they’re preparing is set to launch in 2010, and follows a pitch that lasted just less than a month.

Properties include Caesars Windsor (Ontario), Caesars Las Vegas (Nevada), Caesars Atlantic City (New Jersey), and Horseshoe casinos in Bossier City (Louisiana), Tunica (Mississippi), Hammond (Indiana), Elizabeth (Indiana), and Council Bluffs (Iowa).

The agency did not disclose how much the win is worth or who they competed against. If we’re recollecting correctly, the business had been with, at least in part, R&R Partners in Phoenix. Correction: R&R Partners informs that they were not the agency for Caesars or Horseshoe at the time of the pitch. “Although we did work on Caesars for some time, Leo Burnett was Caesars’ agency at the time of the pitch,” the agency reports. “We never had the Horseshoe account at all.”

More: “GSD&M Elevates Luke Sullivan, David Crawford, Greg Lane to Lead Creative Dept.”

Hardy har, this one comes from Latin America. Its author claims Russian heritage, but we know she’s straight up American sassafrass. Whatever that means.

More: “Royito’s in Miniature”

Remember how GSD&M’s Roy Spence is opening a taco air stream, and plans to call it Royito’s? Some GSD&M staffers made this pumpkin to commemorate the…thing. Thanks, agency people.

More: “Guacamole, Salsa, Diesel & Mas (Salsa): GSD&M’s Gettin’ a Taco Truck”

GSD&M lives in a happy little Texas town called Austin, where converted Airstream campers are all the rage if you like selling unique foods, or just common foods whose heritage originates from a country juuuust south a bit. And the agency’s “un-beso-para-el-cocinador” (kiss the cook, roughly translated) apron clad head honcho Roy Spence just bought one of these aforementioned Airstreams* and intends to convert ‘er into a taco truck.

The city has seen its fair share of food-friendly campers, including some that purvey (yep!) other tacos, sushi, cupcakes and probably fellatio real late at night. Jumping onto this bandwagon could be a boon for Spence, who put off walking around (we hear) to make this happen.

Spence has been making hot-sauce for years and had the creative ingenuity to call his brand “Royito’s”. Now you too can be part of a special group of colleagues, clients and friends (of Spence) who for years have been receiving the stuff as Christmas gifts (if you happen to be in Austin and run into his truck whenever it will operate during the time frame in which it is in business).

According to the Austin Chronicle, there are already quite a few of these trucks and they are well known to boot. Could be tough for Spence to get his in line; is it too late? Meh.

*Actual camper not pictured

More: “GSD&M Elevates Luke Sullivan, David Crawford, Greg Lane to Lead Creative Dept.”

After watching a video produced by PETA, Austin based GSD&M signed a pledge not to use great apes in any upcoming projects, Adomatica reports.

Maybe it was the narration by Anjelica Huston or the cool breeze that day, but the agency felt compelled to sign the petition.

Meanwhile, the agency’s work for a client that kills thousands of chickens annually for our bellies (Popeye’s) continues uninhibited.

(OK fine, Popeye’s complies with controlled-atmosphere killing, which PETA says is the nicest way to treat chickens before you fry-and-eat them.)

More: “Idea City: A Magical Place for Tweetups, Thumbs-Up, and This Guy”

This guy looks happy. It seems to be a nice day, he’s surrounded by ladies and only a couple other dudes and he’s sitting on top of the world &#151 er, he’s on top of Idea City. For an intern Tweetup, where Austin’s interns go to mingle. We don’t know what was discussed, but the dudes there were definitely talking about how many ladies were in attendance (OK so I made that part up, but look it’s a safe assumption. Someone there was like, “oo, sexy sexies are everywhere, time to put on the charm”).

There were so many kiddies bouncing around hoping to make a connection that would land them a real job, or at least a good make-out sesh. That’s what guys do &#151 they stand around and talk about how many chicks are in attendance or not and then they’re like, “look at ms. hotpants over there, I’d hit that.” And that’s advertising, baby! Hope you kids had a blast.

More pics!!! (Please don’t pull them GSD&M)

More: “This Week’s Advertising Parties”