We’re trying to get some clarification from Grey on this matter, as the agency has been working with the Roger Goodell and crew at the NFL for four years now. But, in the meantime, let’s turn our focus off of Grey for a moment and on to San Francisco-based agency Heat, which has been on radar for some time now mainly thanks to their EA Sports spots (recent Tiger Woods clip above). We’re fairly certain at this point that this isn’t an agency of record assignment, as Heat, which gave us the unforgettable self-promo below, will actually be tasked with handling NFL Network branding and promoting its priority programming including NFL Network’s preseason, GameDay and NFL RedZone programming. There was a review for the account, though we’re still awaiting if there was an incumbent on this biz.

The Internet is exciting because a nighttime musing can become a full-fledged product, a quirky idea a million-dollar company. But when people start selling random trophies for $34.00 and claiming it’s funny and/or creative, and those people want $20,000 for the whole whimsical endeavor, it’s hard to stifle a huge yawn.

Alon Seifert, senior creative director at McCann Erickson, poses in various compromising positions for the Trophy Buffet’s Kickstarter video. Apparently he used to give his wife an annual trophy for putting up with him, and realized that the whole world could celebrate various occasions in the same manner. They’ve got an “I apologize for my future messups” trophy, a “Thanks for loving me just the way I am” trophy, and a “You’re the best baby we’ve ever had,” trophy. If you find one that would be perfect for your spouse, friend, or child, too bad: they’re all somehow sold out.

I’m all for encouragement, but Trophy Buffet seems too snide and kitsch to mean anything. The project has no illusions of grandeur, but the fact that it even exists is a waste of both creative energy and the Internet’s already very short attention span.

Sources in the know confirm that George Scribner, who had a nine-year run at Digitas, is no longer with the agency. From what it looks, Scribner’s turned into another “ideas man” for the time being. The exec most recently served as SVP of brand strategy at Digitas and was based out of its New York office. From what we’ve been told by those on on the Spy line, Scribner was “laid off” but his former employer is not officially commenting on the matter. Prior to his lengthy stint at Digitas, Scribner worked on the business development side at Organic. No word yet on if there are plans to replace him.

Well, this certainly comes as a surprise this morning. We’ve received what appears to be a legit memo sent from Grey New York president/CCO Tor Myhren and COO Michael Houston to staff regarding one of the agency’s most well-regarded accounts. Read on:

“After a spectacularly successful six-year run, we are resigning the E*TRADE Financial account.
We think it’s in both Grey’s and E*TRADE’s best interests. Think of the history we’ve made. It’s worth celebrating.
Across six Super Bowls, the street-wise baby became synonymous with the E*TRADE brand’s maverick, consumer-championing DNA, proving online investing is so easy a baby can do it.

The E*TRADE baby set new records for popularity and effectiveness in the Super Bowl, delivering sales success and unprecedented media buzz in broadcast, print and social media.  The commercials were ranked among the “most popular” on the game by CBS, USA TODAY, ADWEEK, ADVERTISING AGE, TIME, TIVO and NIELSEN, generating over 60 million YouTube views.  In addition, creative recognition for the baby and his friends included Effies, One Show, London International, AICP and D&AD honors. And it was also voted the best campaign in America two straight years by the Wall Street Journal.

E*TRADE, and all the terrific people we’ve worked with, have our everlasting gratitude and best wishes for continued success. We will always look back on this relationship as one of the best and most famously effective in Grey’s history.

Of course, we will do everything in our power to ensure a smooth transition over the coming months.

Thanks to everyone for all you’ve done on this game-changing account for Grey. Let us never forget this was the brand and the work that began our turnaround.

Tor and Michael.”

Sources familiar with the matter tell us it’s legit, and  if you want to recall some of the good times between Grey and its financial client, see above and below. From what we hear from, Grey “just though it’s time” to part ways with E*Trade, which we’ve been told has gone through seven CEOs since the relationship began.

-Former Arnold Amsterdam executive creative director Sean Thompson has joined Dare as CCO. link

-TV/film/commercial director Jay Karas has signed to the roster of bi-coastal prodco The Famous Group.

-If ping-pong is your thing and you happen to be in London on July 31, perhaps you might want to check out Creative Social’s “King Pong” championship, which is sponsored by one of the agency world’s major advocates of the sport, Thompson Punke. link

-Speaking of games, El Segundo, CA-based David&Goliath has unveiled the “Techathlete Games” for its longtime client, Kia. link

-Ex-Aegis Group chief Jerry Buhlmann will join Tokyo-based holding company Dentsu as executive officer, effective July 1. link

We’ll try to make this quick, but yes, Droga5 NY confirms that Daniel Gonda will be joining the agency, effective July 1, as group account director. The inquisitive-looking Gonda has spent nearly the last three years as VP/management director at Saatchi & Saatchi’s New York hub. Prior to said Publicis Groupe-owned agency, the exec had fairly lengthy, familiar stints on the account side at the likes of JWT, Euro RSCG and TAXI. Gonda’s hiring comes on the heels of Droga5 nabbing TBWA\Chiat\Day NY alum Robert Valdes as its head of interactive production. We’re checking to see what the former’s position exactly entails at camp Droga. Should have an update shortly. Update: Gonda will be overseeing Droga5′s Coke Zero and Newcastle Brown Ale accounts.

Sorry for the lack of details on this one, folks. While we really have no specifics on numbers and departments affected, sources familiar with the matter confirm the multiple tips we’ve received that Minneapolis-based Fallon has cut staff today due to the Cadillac loss. We’ve been told by sources that both the MPLS and Detroit offices of Publicis Groupe-owned Fallon were affected by GM’s decision to move its global creative duties to the IPG team dubbed “Rogue” (the name–still, ugh), which is consisted of Hill Holliday, Campbell Ewald and Lowe. If you have more details, feel free to chime in via comment thread or tips box.

-We’ve inquired about this a couple of weeks ago, but que sera sera, a trade you know well has confirmed that Matt Ryan, co-chair of Havas New York who joined the agency from sibling Arnold when it was still Euro RSCG back in 2008, is out and that global lead Andrew Benett will take on the CEO role of said office. Yeah, we inquired for comment, but nothing from Havas’s end as of yet. Wonder why. link

-And now, we get insecure thanks to a Mercedes-Benz ad aimed at the South African market from Net#work BBDO (above). Check out credits and behind-the-scenes clip after the jump.

-Current Saatchi & Saatchi Greater China president/COO Michael Lee has been promoted to CEO at the agency.

-In other Rosetta news, the Publicis Groupe-owned agency has hired Mindshare alum Jeff Thaler as managing partner/program management officer.

-Atlanta-based agency Ames Scullin O’Haire has launched its internal production studio, ASO Digital Films. It would help if we could actually download the digital films promoting the launch, but guess we can do with this for now. link

-St. Louis-based experiential marketing agency Switch has promoted Scott Burns to the newly created ECD role.

-And so, it continues. Caesars has dropped Paula Deen and so has Walmart.

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While we await some word from a certain Publicis Groupe-owned agency regarding cuts (major, we hear), we’ll stick to the same topic for a second and fill you in on what we know regarding another shop within the holding company, namely Rosetta. We were told on the Spy line that some reductions were happening as of yesterday and today, but we’ve been told by sources familiar with the matter that “it’s a small number and not specific to a particular office or department.”

No exact numbers have been revealed, but in a statement, Rosetta adds, “We are currently realigning resources in order to strengthen operating efficiencies across Rosetta and invest for the long term success and growth of our people and agency. Our top line revenue growth continues to be strong as a result of expanded relationships with existing clients and strategic relationships in new business.  In addition, we are currently looking to fill 75 positions across the agency to meet the demands of the market and ensure outstanding operational results moving forward.”

Rosetta still counts its Princeton, NJ office as its headquarters but also houses a handful of offices ranging from New York City to Chicago to San Francisco.

Well, a friend chimed in with this a little while ago, but guess we got beat to the punch. Anyhow, JWT has welcomed Peter Sherman as chief executive officer of its New York hub. Sherman had spent the last three-and-a-years as EVP/managing director for BBDO Europe and eight years in all at the agency prior to moving back to NYC. Sherman had spent well over a decade at  Omnicom-owned BBDO, which included a four-year stint as managing director of its San Francisco office and EVP/senior account director in NY.

From what we’ve been told, JWT North America CEO David Eastman‘s title remains the same, and despite the NYC shift, he will still oversee the WPP-owned agency’s Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Canada offices, as well as units Digitaria, Lunchbox, JWT Action, JWT Inside, Casa and SCPF. Sherman, meanwhile, will focus specifically on overseeing New York operations. The latter exec adds in a statement, “It will be a privilege to lead this team.”