J. Walter Thompson

Once again, our tipsters were on the money. Sources familiar with the matter confirm that James Cooper is leaving his post as JWT Chief Creative Innovation Officer to focus on projects outside of advertising. Cooper joined JWT’s NY office in October 2010 after stints at Saatchi and Saatchi and Dare, London.

In a post on his personal Tumblr, Cooper says, “It’s no secret that to anyone that follows me that I have been wanting to do something more entrepreneurial for a while. So this summer I am taking some time out from advertising to do just that.”

Meanwhile, in a statement, JWT says, “JWT New York and James Cooper are parting ways at the end of the month. He’ll be focusing on some of his entrepreneurial projects, primarily Thompson Punke, a ping pong clothing brand which he has recently launched with Red Antler. He’s also planning to write the third book to be published by Creative Social.”

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Well, JWT North America CCO Jeff Benjamin is getting down to business in New York, as we now have two new co-chief creative officers in the agency’s flagship office, namely fellow CP+B alum Ryan Kutscher and JWT ECD Matt MacDonald. The pair replaces Peter Nich0lson, our former Cubes host who was shown the door once Benjamin and Mike Geiger joined the JWT fold and took the reins in January.

Kutscher has actually been freelancing for various clients at JWT NY for the last several months while MacDonald has been an eight-year vet at the agency, spending the last two as ECD. The former spent five years at Crispin, working on Burger King’s award-winning “Whopper Freakout” and other clients including Method and VW. MacDonald, meanwhile, started as a copywriter as JWT before moving up the ladder to CD then ECD . During his time at the agency, he’s been involved with various Macy’s efforts including “Yes, Virginia” (which he co-wrote) well as past and present campaigns for clients such as JetBlue, Pfizer, De Beers and L.L. Bean.

Just because we’re tired of them, instead of providing the usual promo shot, we thankfully have this amusing video from the agency (above) that pays homage to one of our favorite TV shows growing up. Now, we’ll let you figure out who’s Balki and who’s cousin Larry.

In addition to welcoming the new creative leadership, JWT New York also promoted Sergio Lopez to head of production for the agency. Lopez, a Cramer-Krasselt and Leo Burnett alum, has been with JWT since 2009 and most recently served as director brand production on campaigns including this Justin Bieber spot for Macy’s.

 

While we’re on the CP+B topic, might as well tell you that Paul Sutton, who rejoined the Boulder operation after two years at 180LA, has once again left, this time for a director of digital production gig at JWT. Mike Geiger, JWT’s president/chief integration officer, seems excited about the latest hire, saying in a statement, “I am thrilled to have Paul join us here at JWT. He is not only one of the most talented producers I know but also someone who will help us bring our creative vision to life in the digital space. His knowledge and passion will definitely be a huge asset for us.”

During his four-year stint at CP+B, Sutton worked on accounts including Baby Carrots, Best Buy, Burger King, Coke Zero, Jell-O, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Microsoft and Old Navy.

After spending seven years within the JWT network and the last two as executive chairman of JWT Action, Fred Bidwell is retiring from agency life and turning his focus to the Akron and Cleveland arts scene that he’s been involved in along with his wife through their Fred and Laura Ruth Bidwell Foundation.

As mentioned, Bidwell’s relationship with JWT dates back to 2005, when his retail marketing agency Malone Advertising became part of the network. Two years ago,  Bidwell took the helm as chairman of JWT Action, a North American, shopper-marketing focused joint venture (with bases in Akron, Chicago and NYC) that was the result of a merger between OgilvyAction and Malone. Bidwell will stay on board at JWT Action through the end of May and once he departs, the joint venture will be led by CEO Sheila Hartnett, Gail Kay and Ron Magliocco.

Guess it’s a JWT kind of week. We’ve received word that Rob Quish, who took over as CEO of the agency’s Atlanta office (not to mention Houston and Dallas) just a year ago, is leaving. Quish, who succeeded Ridge White in the ATL last year, also served as CEO of JWT Inside, the agency’s recruitment marketing and employee comms unit. Anyhow, the exec is calling it quits after seven years at JWT in order to spend more time with his family and stay put in New York (his work schedule called for him to spend three days in Atlanta, one day in NYC each week). After the jump, check out the note David Eastman sent to staff at the top of the morning, which also explains the Atlanta office’s leadership transition.

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Two JWT posts in one day, you say? Well, what the hey. The WPP-owned network has now rebranded its digitally-focused Minneapolis office as Digitaria, which is, if you recall, the 15-year-old, San Diego-based operation that JWT acquired back in 2010 (and one that recently developed technology for “Kony 2012″). JWT’s Twin Cities branch currently counts clients including United HealthGroup and with this move, the newly rechristened Digitaria office will house a staff of 60.

In a statement, Digitaria chief exec and Minneapolis native Dan Khabie says, “With this step, Digitaria immediately gains a key client in the healthcare category, UnitedHealth Group. UHG is the biggest and the best place to start and it’s a great honor to be working with them. By making the Minneapolis office part of the Digitaria family, we’ll be able to better capitalize upon our digital expertise and assets to broaden the office’s client base, while maintaining international reach through our connection to JWT and its global network.”

Along with the MN office and its San Diego hub, Digitaria’s network also includes offices in New York,  San Francisco and Salt Lake City. Current shared clients with JWT include Rolex, Qualcomm and Royal Caribbean.

Nearly nine months after picking up global AOR duties for the Corporation for Travel Promotion, JWT has finally unveiled its first marketing campaign for the government-created entity that was set up to help spur more international travel to the US. Dubbed “Brand USA,” JWT’s campaign for the CTP includes the above 60-second spot, which features Johnny Cash‘s daughter Roseanne and her song “Land of Dreams” and takes us through beaches, bayous and cityscapes that make Murrica, well, Murrica.

The tune’s a bit too folksy/hokey for our tastes, but it seems to fit the spot, which will perhaps resonate in international markets (advertising will initially roll out in the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada on May 1). As expected, all the social/online components come into play in “Brand USA,” including Facebook, Twitter and, of course, Pinterest. Well, was it worth the nine-month wait? Guess we’re already in the good ol’ US of A, it’s not for us to judge. Credits after the jump.

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Last week, we reported that Mullen’s chief digital officer Mauro Cavalletti left to head back to his native Brazil for “personal reasons.” Well, the exec won’t be without work as he’s signed on as a board member/chief integration officer at Group JWT in his homeland. With the hire, Cavalletti will be working three of the WPP-owned agency’s offices in South America including JWT, Casa and iCherry. Here’s a release from the agency:

“In order to integrate its agencies JWT, Casa and iCherry, and give continuity to its strategy towards digital integration, Group JWT has just hired Mauro Cavalletti, creative leader of the digital group at Mullen – third agency on Advertising Age ranking in 2010 and fourth on the Most Innovative Companies in the World list by Fast Company.

Cavalletti will take on the newly created role of Chief Integration Officer, and will join the national board of the group in Brazil, along with Stefano Zunino, Ezra Geld, Fernand Alphen, Guilherme Gomide, Roberto Fernandez, Ricardo John e Roberto Belizário.

Creative Director with over 15 years experience on interactive, and over 13 years of experience working in the US, Cavalletti has started the San Francisco office for R/GA, where he serviced as the creative leader for 3 years. He was also a Creative Director at AKQA and Organic in San Francisco. Prior to that, heas was a Creative Director at Organic and R/GA in New York.

Mr. Cavalletti will move to Brazil and start on his new duties in May.”

Nearly five months after we reported on a “housecleaning” of sorts at JWT’s Atlanta branch, word from sources familiar with the matter is that the office has had to cut more staff as part of a “creative shakeup” following the hiring of CCO Perry Fair. We’ve been told that number is under 16 and pretty much affects JWT ATL’s creative department (sources add, though, that a handful of Dallas folks outside of creative were affected as well).

Fair (pictured), if you remember, not only signed on as JWT Atlanta’s chief creative officer, but was also tasked with overseeing the agency’s Dallas and Houston creative departments as well. Prior to JWT, he and Mauro Cavalletti joined up with Mullen as co-chief digital officers for a solid seven months.

 

Nearly 18 months after joining up with JWT New York to work on the agency’s then-existing Microsoft commercial business, sources familiar with the matter confirm that executive creative director Bill Oberlander is no longer with the agency. Oberlander (pictured), a former Cossette CCO/EVP and McCann alum is not the only senior-level creative to be shown the door, though, as we’ve been told by sources that Jeremy Postaer is also out. From what we hear, the cuts were a result of “restructuring at the ECD level.” As you all know, JWT NY also recently parted ways with CCO Peter Nicholson following the hiring of Jeff Benjamin and Mike Geiger, so perhaps this latest “restructuring” is part of the mix.