There are industry secrets us laymen will always have questions about.  For filmmakers, how do you make it look like one actor is playing twins?  For McDonald’s employees, what exactly is in your special sauce?  And for laundresses, where the heck are all my socks?

I have to admit, how Toyota thermal tests their cars during development isn’t high on my list of curiosities.  Though I suppose it’s always good to know.   Aussie agency Publicis Mojo’s latest spot for Toyota shows a procession of cars on a track, in a giant warehouse, being alternately frozen and heat-blasted by machines resembling an X-treme carwash set-up.

“During development, we’ll thermal test a car to see how every part of it reacts when pushed to its limits,” says the Aussie voiceover.  ”It may seem excessive, but that’s how we test for quality.  That’s what makes it a Toyota.”

I often think of the Prius as the emblem of my generation: my parents were the first to baby-proof their houses, and my friends and I are the first to buy hybrid cars.  But, I wonder if the company is still fighting to recover from last year’s bad press amidst rumors of slipping standards and poor quality production. I get it, when we think Toyota, they want us to think quality, hence the technician in the Eskimo suit and vehicle-rotisserie. But, do they also want us to to think heavy metal because they are playing Nazareth in the background? Toyotas are sensible. They’re just not that rock and roll. Credits after the jump.

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Sources familiar with the matter confirm that Publicis Seattle has cut some staff–no numbers revealed, but it affects all departments– as part of  a “realignment” thanks to a “shifting [of] business needs and requests from client base.”  It’s been a few months since AdAge reported that Publicis was put in an awkward position because of its proposed merger with AT&T and our sources say that Publicis Seattle is “just being prudent and staying leaner until the path is clear on T-Mobile.” The Seattle branch’s work, which we’ve covered a few times over, has culminated into the spots starring the lovely Carly Foulkes that have flooded the NBA playoffs.

In addition, we’ve been told that Seattle hasn’t lost any accounts, but has come to “the end on a couple of web development projects and a couple of longer-term projects are on hold.”

Never had Hahn beer? Well, it’s apparently quite a big deal in Australia, where it’s been in business for 25 years.

This new TV spot for Hahn Superdry comes from Aussie agency Publicis Mojo and is directed by Emmy-winner Tom Kuntz. Yes, that Tom Kuntz, who’s recently been behind lens for award-winning campaigns for Old Spice and Skittles. So, if you notice a little Kuntz’ absurd humor and cry “ripoff,” you shut your trap, you hear?

Q: How do you make Superdry beer? A: With a super factory. The director who’s helped define an age of television advertising where going viral is as important as making something that looks whimsical on an HDTV just doesn’t seem to miss, and he hits it out of the park yet again. So, while you might never have heard of Hahn beer before in the states, you will soon. Credits after the jump.

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We’ve received a few tips over the past hour or so that Publicis has acquired Rosetta, which, if it’s the Rosetta we’re thinking of, is the Princeton, NJ-based operation that’s billed itself as “the largest independent interactive agency in the U.S.” for quite some time now. We’ve reached out to folks on both sides but have yet to hear back. Still, multiple tips from different sources in such a short window of time has us intrigued. Hopefully we’ll hear a yea or nay by day’s end but if true, at least Publicis is taking a breather from conquering Brazil for a minute.

But considering the holding company’s taste for digital agency investment as of late, such an acquisition doesn’t seem too far-fetched (maybe they’re after Rosetta’s healthcare practice?).

Update: Well, our spies were right as usual. Publicis has acquired Rosetta (AdAge says for $575 million), which will operate as a standalone unit within Publicis Groupe and continue to be led by its founder and CEO Chris Kuenne. Says PG chairman/CEO Maurice Levy in a statement, “The acquisition of Rosetta is a key next step in our strategy to become the ‘human, all digital agency group.’ With Rosetta, we aim to enrich our digital knowledge, our capabilities in technology, marketing consulting, and digital strategy, and the creativity we offer to clients and advertisers.”

Someone cue The Smiths’ “Stop Me If You Think That You’ve Heard This One Before.” It looks like the “upgrade,” “realignment” or whatever they’re calling it now continues at Publicis Modem as sources familiar with the matter confirm that there were more layoffs at the agency last week. We’re hearing from our sources that there were 5-7 cuts made across departments. This was just last week’s figure though, as we hear that the number of departures/layoffs in the first three weeks of April lie somewhere in the 12-15 range.

Wasn’t it just yesterday that Publicis Groupe announced that it acquired Sao Paulo shop GP7? Anyhow, the holding company’s acquisition spree continues in Brazil with the purchase of indie agency Tailor Made. As a result, TM will be integrated into Leo Burnett Brazil and the new entity will be named, you guessed it, Leo Burnett Tailor Made.

The rebranded agency will be led by Tailor Made founder Paulo Giovanni, who will serve as CEO. Leo Brazil’s current Sao Paulo office will serve as HQ of the 160-strong LBTM, which will service clients ranging from Fiat and Chrysler Group to P&G and Walmart/Sam’s Club. For now at least, Publicis Groupe will acquire a minority stake in the new operation, with the chance to increase its ownership to 100 percent by 2013. In a statement, Leo Burnett worldwide CEO (and HumanKind co-author) Tom Bernadin says, “Our objectives for Leo Burnett Brazil are bold and aggressive. With our already strong presence in the market and a reputation for creative excellence, the acquisition of Tailor Made, and most importantly the leadership of Paulo Giovanni, we are better positioned than ever to take advantage of the opportunities in this booming market.”

According to ZenithOptimedia’s 2011 forecasts, Brazil is set to become the sixth largest ad market in the world this year so maybe Bernadin’s right about the “booming” part.

We assume this is part of the agency’s “upgrading” plan, but whatever the case, sources familiar with the matter confirm that Wendy Wahl has handed in her notice at Publicis Modem. The New York-based exec, who has served as EVP, marketing at the agency–where she’s spent the last six years–will stay on until early April. From what we’ve been told, clients are also aware of Wahl’s resignation. Prior to PM, Wahl spent nearly eight years at Digitas, eventually moving up to VP, associate marketing director.

And while we’re on the subject of Publicis Modem, we’ve been told that the Sanofi business remains intact at the agency and there’s no competitive review is underway–but we’re still trying to determine the status of LG.

Publicis Groupe has purchased U.K. integrated creative agency Kitcatt Nohr, merged it with Digitas UK and in turn, created a new entity called, you guessed it, Kitcatt Nohr Digitas. The new operation, which will become part of VivaKi and be headquartered in London, will be led by CEO Marc Nohr and CCO Paul Kitcatt, who will both report to Stephan Beringer, president, Digitas International. Current Digitas London ECD Sav Angelou, meanwhile, has been promoted to an international role and will report to agency CCO, Mark Beeching.

As a standalone operation, Kitcatt Nohr, founded in January 2002, counted clients including Delta, Lexus, Samsung and Body Shop. Now, with the acquisition, the new operation will combine the shop’s integrated model and “one-to-one marketing”  approach with Digitas’ global presence and CRM know-how among other things.  In a statement, president Beringer says, “This move enables us to offer clients a deeper and wider service on a global basis.  It’s a win win for all.”

Seattle-based agency Ascentium is announcing that now former Publicis Modem New York EVP/ECD Steve Farrell is joining the agency as an ECD, where Farrell will oversee creative efforts across all offices.

During his three-year tenure at Publicis Modem, Farrell led the office to award-winning campaigns for Cartier, Heineken, Hasbro, LG and Citibank. Prior to that, Farrell served as VP/ Director of Digital Media at MTV Networks where he helped launch Spike TV and had a six-year VP/CD stint at Digitas which included work for clients Pfizer, American Express and HBO.

“The team is very smart and very passionate about digital,” Farrell said in a press release regarding Ascentium. “It’s a great environment for taking their deep background in technology and user-centric design, and creating great, game-changing digital experiences for our clients.”

Now that it’s making some inroads in Brazil, Publicis Groupe sets its eyes on enhancing its digital capabilities with the acquisition of Holler, a London-based shop that specializes in digital content and social media.

As a result of the purchase, Holler will now be affixed to the Leo Burnett Group in the U.K and will increase the latter’s number of digital specialists across the pond from 35 to 70. Holler, which counts clients including Channel 4 (which includes E4 and the original Skins) and Red Bull, will continue to be led by James Kirkham, Will Pyne and Simon Hankin, who hold the titles of managing partner, ECD and joint managing partner, respectively. According to the announce, digital accounts for 28 percent of Publicis Groupe’s revenue, but the holding company hopes to increase that number to 35 percent within the next three years.