This one comes from Nebraska agency SKAR. Greg Ahrens, a partner at SKAR, recently said his main concern for the agency as growing the shop's business. Okay, so now we know who you are, but is taking a stab at Alex Bogusky going to help you land a client or two? Probably not.

Microsoft (and possibly CP+B?) have recently held a focus group that will surely influence the ads the agency will be putting out for the computer maker. From the Cajun Boy In The City blog:

What became apparent to all 8 of us in the group was that Microsoft was in the midst of preparing an advertising campaign that would make it appear that its software and the PCs that run them are a younger, hipper product. They showed us a number of sample ads that seemed to emphasize global community, peace, love, happiness and environmentalism, etc., and how Microsoft products can bring the world together and make it better place. All of us in the group were struck by how Apple-like the ads were. Some even expressed thoughts that they appeared to be straight rip-offs.

You knew that Microsoft was going for cool and younger, yeah? That picture above is of Microsoft employees in 1978. They weren't cool then and that whole Zune thing didn't work out either, did it? Hard battle to win.

Crispin has also recently acquired a stake in AmericaFree.TV, a five-year-old provider of Internet TV services offering 20 channels of free content. As part of the deal, CP+B will relaunch the company's website and direct its branding and marketing efforts. Smart. Agencies owning the medium? Love it.

Another one from the mailbox this afternoon -- seems it might be easier to find a job if you are your own harshest critic -- so "Yukata" has taken to the web and developed this:

http://www.yutakasucks.com/

Seems he has one of his former co-workers at CP + B pimping him out -- Yukata is especially novel in his approach -- perhaps self-esteem classes are next?

It's almost spring - depending on where you live. Maybe everyone has caught the fever? Another departure - Rob Strasberg the VP CD at Crispin is heading to Doner to head up Mazda. Before you lose it that Rob got off the Crispin highway (he's been there since 1999), he's going to be the new CCO over there. Big title. Big keys to the car. That's Rob on the left there standing with Andrew Keller, Alex Bogusky, and Rob Reilly back in 2005.

It's interesting to see two recent high level departures from CP+B. They just won the Microsoft account. They just bumped some people up Andrew Keller and Rob Reilly were both named Partner/Co-Executive Creative Director. Steve Erich was named Partner/Group Account Director and Eric Lear was named Partner/COO at the firm. Did Mark Taylor, who went to GSD&M, and Strasberg realize their day wasn't going to come and so bailed? What?

All these bodies falling from Crispin and Goodby (Feh Tarty, Pat McKay, and Mark Wenneker). As an astute friend said to us - who's going to do all their work at their respective agencies? Hey, you junior CD? Time to step up the game. Prove you got the metal.

Crispin has won Microsoft. We repeat. Crispin has won Microsoft. Pick your jaw up off the floor. You better recognize. The $300M brand (Pretty. Fucking. Sweet.) has selected the upstart, the rebel, the defy the odds and take prisoners agency of the day. They took JWT and McCann - two agencies that have been around the block and back. Fallon, the runner-up, has got to be shocked.

This is where you must sit back and consider. You've seen the Mac vs. PCs ads. Microsoft is a stalwart. A heavy machine that is the pillar of the economy, of the American way. This is no little brand. This isn't a burger chain looking to be hip. This is Microsoft. The software titan has bypassed the death stars, the agencies with all the resources and international locations, hundreds of workers to select Crispin. The game has changed and permanently. The Rebel Alliance has won.

Crispin Porter + Bogusky announced that Colin Drummond has been named VP, Director of Culture and Business Insights. The department was previously known as Cognitive and Cultural Radar. Can you imagine? Good thinking CP+B with that whole name change thing. NASA you are not.

Drummond has been at the shop since 2004 and has 17 years of experience in the biz. We've seem him speak and the man has his eye on the right prize. Colin is charged with expanding the agency's research and planning capabilities to include strategic business analytics.

Alex Bogusky said: "His [Colin] focus on more analytics capabilities will allow us to build brand strategies that perfectly mesh with business strategies. And that means we can offer our clients more marketing tools. Great advertising. Great content ideas. Great packaging ideas. Great product ideas."

Born and raised in Montreal, Colin studied Drama, English Literature and Anthropology at University of Toronto. He then spent the next 9 years in Toronto’s advertising industry, developing campaign strategies for clients like Coca Cola. Colin headed to San Francisco during the dot com boom in 1999. Colin seems like a nice guy, right?

Colin will report to John Winsor who also has a new title, VP, Executive Director, Strategy and Product Innovation. As well, Tom Birk moves from, VP, Co-Director, Cognitive and Cultural Radar to an expanded role within the MDC Partners network where he will serve in the newly formed position of Director, Strategic Partner Initiatives.

The advertising industry is full of titles. Director, Executive Director, VP Executive Director, Associate Director, etc. We're giving ourselves a little bump. Please refer to us from here on out as Her Eminence Executive Director, VP of Advertising Spyness.

We just received two great comments about our recent post about Mark Taylor joining GSD&M that we had to create a separate entry. Enjoy and discuss.

"Was he actually a CD at Crispin, or an ACD? There seems to be some discrepency. Either way, he's got the chops, but does he have the stomach? It remains to be seen how he'll be accpted by the 8 Group Creative Directors who've been at GSD&M an average of 10 years. They're all guys, all older than Taylor and mostly none-too-happy to be passed over, plus they all took paycuts recently to help pay for the new guy.

And then there's the prospect of Roy's return to the agency. If Hillary doesn't get the nomination, Roy will be back and looking to re-engage.

Will Taylor stay longer than he did at Fallon? The betting pool is already active. "

And then this one:

"Your coverage of "Idea City" misses the big news around the company: while clients leave, new business falters, and valuable employees defect, the so-called "leadership committee" of long time sycophants has been consumed by internal squabbles. It's increasingly clear that the agency's much-vaunted "power of purpose" isn't winning in the real world. But our fearless leaders are tying themselves in knots trying to fit this shopworn idea into the mundane day-to-day work of the agency. When are they going to realize that the agency's branding approach has never actually been implemented because it doesn't actually work and that it's time to get real? The whole place is getting tired of waiting for intelligent leadership that has some clue about what we do and how advertising really works. Instead all we're getting is insanely complex new work processes that are designed to make sure all the tired old ideas are dutifully respected. Despite the new CIO, an exodus of talent is imminent."

We said that Greed, Sex was looking to poach from Crispin and now, it's happened. GSD&M Idea City has recruited Mark Taylor after a six-month search to find a creative leader for the agency. Taylor was creative director over at Crispin and is responsible for the recreation of the Burger King, King..

Okay, Greed, Sex has to be losing its mind with joy. How much did they have to fork over to Taylor? Better question, how much you want to bet that Taylor damn well knew that he was never going to eclipse the media flame that is Alex Bogusky and bounced while the gettin' was good? Well, now Mark only has to contend with media whore and owner, Roy Spence for the spotlight.

Good luck and congrats to Taylor.

We all know that Greed, Sex, Drugs & Money has had a rough year. They recently laid off 200 bodies and voluntary departures are still happening. Many folks are bailing from the digital creative staff with a few headed for the Dell/WPP Project Davinci agency. High level staffers are also gone either as part of the lay-offs or a kindly offer to "please vacate." This includes Barbara Rogers (VP, Director of Media Services) and Diana Howell (VP, Account Director). Director of Direct Response, Jim Warren's, Linkedin has him leaving the agency just last month.

As folks bail or are let go, GSD&M is looking to revamp the agency. The shop is searching for a "Chief Idea Officer." WE HEAR THAT... Guy Seese from Goodby turned it down already. Seriously... do you want to work beneath Roy Spence? WE ALSO HEAR THAT... Greed, Sex is looking to poach from Crispin.

We requested a comment from GSD&M, but you know... it's a holiday. We'll post their response as soon as they get back in touch. In the mean time, we've collected some of the best comments regarding GSD&M to be posted on Agency Spy for your enjoyment.

1. In response to a post tracking the agency's movements over the past month:

Adgal1997 said: "You missed the part about GSD&M’s top wage earners being told recently that they’ll all be taking a 15% pay cut this year."

2. In response to a post about the agency laying off 200 staffers:

underappreciated_youth said: "The agency lost HUGE clients and how do they handle it? By laying off of all their lowest paid, hard working young people. They laid off all 3 junior creatives (I was one of them), junior designers, people making 30 grand and under, and mid-level positions and not the dinosaurs who don’t understand simple things like the significance of the web and can’t win a new business pitch to save their lives (well our lives) and bring in quarter mils each. And it’s not just because I’m personally affected that I’m upset, but it’s advertising common sense that when an agency goes stale, it needs a talent transfusion of new, young blood. This was an opportunity to trim the fat from the agency and what they did was trim the raw, lean muscle. Who are the hack GCDs going to steal ideas from and take credit for now?? And how are they going to lay out my retail newspaper ads without a rudimentary knowledge of such advanced programs as InDesign CS3?"

3. In a response to a post about the agency losing a large chunk of the AT&T business:

Simpla City said: "GSD&M’s creative has been lacking lately, which is, methinks, the reason for the losses. Roy Spence is cornspicuously absent these days. He doesn’t do anything but show his face at political gatherings and put together material for a book, kinda like Pat Fallon. Anyone see a trend here? But most people in the Austin area know that GSD&M has been resting on its laurels for quite a long while. The Idea City folks had better put aside some of that hubris (they do take themselves pretty seriously down there) and actually do some work. You’re not (and never were in the first place) on Madison Avenue, GSD&M, so take your lumps."

Everyone loves to hate on CP+B. We get it, but you know... um... they consistently turn out high level work, snag clients and foster some fab talent. The Orville thing was way bad, but what other work can you really, really hate them for? What was so bad it made you cringe and think - "Hell. They've finally jumped the shark!" We're sure you'll let us know in the comments section.

Meanwhile, Creativity Online has done a thorough walk through of the CP+B Boulder operation. You get to see their space, meet some employees (rather good looking, no?) and listen to them expound on how much business they have, how much they're growing, patonethback, patontheback, patontheback. It's one big ad for CP+B. Creativity should have charged them for this one. You know their press person is most certainly throwing high-fives left and right, under their arm. Bet.

And this is why many folks hate CP+B . They get away with shit like this and you still kinda respect them. If you're a hater now, don't watch it. They are a very well turned out agency: tech, creative, many a full service department and it all looks cool, too? It's gonna make you think their shit don't stink. Hell... maybe it doesn't.

Watch it here.