Cramer-Krasselt

It's been a tough couple of weeks for Cramer-Krasselt, which has lost 2 alcohol accounts of late: Corona Light and Yellow Tail. Last week the Corona people announced that their media account is now in play. Publicis picked up the Corona Light creative account.

And today we've learned that Yellow Tail's creative chores have moved from CK as well, landing in the nets of NYC based Burns Group.

Update: A source familiar with the account changes at CK tell us Yellow Tail hasn't been in play since August of 2008, when for all intents and purposes the client and agency went separate ways. Our source tells us the scope and spending on YT changed dramatically, signaling what would be the end of the relationship.

Regarding Corona Light, an account that has never had its own budget/branding message, Crown handed that business to Publicis, seemingly without any pitchwork. Checking on that now.

More: "Cramer-Krasselt Takes The Sausage"

Cramer-Krasselt, has recently opened new offices in downtown Milwaukee. To preview its spot, the shop is hosting a film festival during the city's Gallery Night. The agency put out a call for entries and received 60 entries. The staff then narrowed it down to 19 films from 17 filmmakers.

"The 19 films we have chosen show a wide array of talent and composition." Lucian McAfee, creative manager in C-K's Milwaukee office. "They range any where from catchy music videos, to thesis statements, to animations, to thesis explorations from some of the MIAD student base."

If you're in the area, check out the festival this Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. After the jump, you can see a list of the films to be showcased.

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Cramer-Krasselt in Chicago has been selected as lead agency by financial services firm Edward Jones according to Adweek. The shop beat out incumbent Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners in New York and TM Advertising in Dallas in the final round. Greed, Sex, Drugs & Money were also up for the spot, but resigned from the competition in order to secure Compass Bank.

This is the latest in a string of wins for C-K's that include the Kentucky Derby, Mohawk Flooring, Johnsonville Sausage and Rayovac. Congrats to them. Peter Krivkovich, president and CEO of Cramer-Krasselt/Chicago, told ad journalist Lewis Lazare that the agency "is well-positioned for 2009 because it has maintained tighter margin controls than other agencies."

Interestingly, the agency has been charged with creative, media, online, search, social media and direct chores. This is one of the first times that I can recall seeing "social media" as a very distinct duty listed in a press release.

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Cramer-Krasselt has won the Johnsonville Sausage account. I am so tempted to make some dirty joke, but I shall, I must refrain. The new creative for the brand will launch in 2009 and media duties are with Campbell Mithun.

The C-K Wikipedia page has a curious notation: "Another pop culture contribution beyond commercials is stealth disco."

Stealth disco "refers to the act of being videotaped dancing or rocking out behind or near someone who is doing something serious and does not notice." According to Wikipedia: "The term, if not the activity, was invented by employees at Chicago advertising agency Cramer-Krasselt, circa 2003."

Oh, word? Right. Forgot all about this. In case you did too, check the video above. It's so much more interesting than this sausage win.

The Chicago Creative Club awards show has been "resurrected" according to those ad slaves in the Windy City. Apparently, the show has been a vicious and drunken affair. One of the stand outs in 2006, was the Master of Ceremonies Tony Little, who was accompanied by "two scantily-clad, large-breasted bimbos."

According to EuroRSCG CCO Steffan Postaer the show:

"-had degraded into a one-sided and ugly contest right before many of our eyes. Participants left drunk and/or dismayed and certainly disenchanted. We woke up to beastly reviews from the local press. Most felt the show had been ruined beyond repair."

And this has been going on for years! Last year, they didn't have a show at all. It was that bad.

However, 2008 proved to be a comeback of sorts with a full roster of Chicago ad execs pitching in to revamp the judging process to the event itself. The big winner at this year's show was not Leo Burnett (who took home nine awards), but Chicago itself. The show was organized and dignified. Even stodgy journo Lewis Lazare said the show was better, despite a few shops, such as Cramer-Krasselt and Ogilvy, declining to participate. Seems those shops didn't have the faith and without that in the ad business, what have you got? Cynicism. Not good.

Best of show went to BBDO for its Canadian Club campaign that comes with the tagline: "Damn Right Your Dad Drank It!" Congrats!

For more gory details of how the Chicago Creative Club got its act together, go to Postaer's blog.

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