Goodby

Former TBWA\Paris ECD Erik Vervroegen joined Goodby as a creative director where he will work on new business as well as accounts such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Vervroegen kicked off his career as an art director in Belgium, eventually landing at TBWA Hunt Lascaris in South Africa, Bozell in New York and then TBWA\Paris in 2003 where he reportedly helped the agency nab somewhere around 70 Cannes Lions during his tenure.

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Sources familiar with that Goodby agency confirm that the shop has won a small eBay project. We're told the project is in hardly off the ground and won't break until the end of the year. But contrary to what some of you wrote telling us, GSFP has not won the entire eBay account.

A representative from Goodby did declined to comment.

More: "As Work Goes in-House, Goodby SF Suffers"

Just so I don't get an upset e-mail from a certain AdAge editor, I'll only post a bit of this and let you hop over to Advertising Age, the publication of our time (and our grandparents' too!) to read the entire piece. Anyway, here's Jeff Goodby saying some things.

"We've created a system that rewards work that is increasingly unknown to anyone outside the business. We have become connoisseurs of esoterica. And in the process, we're becoming more about us, and less about changing the world.

"We are becoming irrelevant award-chasers."

The end. Oh wait, the link.

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More: "As Work Goes in-House, Goodby SF Suffers"

Update: Above is the spot Goodby made for the new Sierra Mist Ruby Splash. I posted both of the other videos mentioned below after the jump.

Wow. Goodby has got some stuff going on that you all should know about. Where to begin...

Pepsi awarded the agency with a Sierra Mist project, likely their Ruby Red flavor, say sources. It's not necessarily a long term thing but the project is more than BBDO has done for them in two years. Dieste has been doing the only work you'd have seen lately, and that's been multicultural work. So it's not really clear who this project was "stolen" from, so to speak.

eBay, after a few years away from Goodby (they left in 2005), has also given the agency a project, this being a digital one. The auction site is completely in the crapper these days, and according to sources, has told Goodby that if the project goes well the agency could have the opportunity to take it back completely. I'm told it's an e-mail marketing project, completely separate from what BBDO does for the brand. Is GSP getting handled or is BBDO in for a shock? BBDO does mostly offline work, and that IT campaign from way back was pretty strong, won awards etc.

And here's a couple pitches we learned they're in on: Two advertising accounts — Zicam ($25 million) and Expedia ($60 million).

Finally, Goodby is being accused by folks on the inter Webs of hacking a Moldy Peaches song, Anyone Else But You, for the above Comcast ad. The original song is posted after the jump. What do you think — did GSP steal an idea?

More:"Denny's Lands At Goodby, Silverstein"

continued...

Two major brands have announced they're pulling their marketing/advertising work in-house. Anheuser-Busch and Hyundai, both of which are in a better position than most to succeed in a recession, are doing less with their agencies. Goodby stands squarely in the middle of these moves, and has laid off a number of staffers.

As of last September, word on the street was the Korean businessmen inside Hyundai weren't keen on the "Think About it" campaign. But then came along the recession and Hyundai Assurance (now Assurance Plus; Hyundai will make your car payments for 3 months if you lose your job) — and in 2009 the automaker is actually making money.

Then came word that Hyundai would pull their work in-house to Irvine Calif. based World Marketing Group (aka Innocean), which already does their work in Korea (and a new office is being built/staffed stateside). AdAge reported that they're having trouble filling the top spots. We're hearing differently though — a source inside Goodby tells us loads us creatives are chomping at the bit for the opportunity (um, as they should be — don't steal a (wo)man's baby). The only unknown here is what happens when an ECD is finally hired. Our guess — people start working.

Then there's A-B, which recently killed Bud.TV — DDB Chicago must be hurting from that. We've heard that Goodby was pulled off Bud's roster as part of the brewer's switch from a retainer to project mechanism.

And then there's Tanya LeSieur, an executive producer — you know, a real rule breaking bad ass with a "she's a bitch" rep. That's how you get places, people, and Tanya is off to Saatchi LA to play director of integrated production. But why would she leave Goodby? What's she after? Is she taking something with her?

Who can say — but that Comcast business has been there for awhile. And I know what you're thinking — producers don't take business with them. But you know what? This is 2009 and this industry has flipped it's sh*t, so expect anything.

What we do know is that 21 staffers are no longer with Goodby. Jeff didn't get back to us.

Before we finish, let's not forget Gooby's kick-ass Denny's work. A moment for the All American breakfast, if you please. Now, back to work. You might think it sucks to be Gooby right now, but from what we hear, they've entered some good material to the One Show. Well, that's what Aaron Griffiths wrote on Commercial-Archive (Adland). This shop hops from carmaker to carmaker, and they always have the best people flowing through the creative stream. But right now they're getting a bad rap, or so it seems.

Editor's note: A-B's advertising is not moving in-house completely. We want to clarify that they're pulling back on spending and, per our source, doing more in-house and trimming back their agency roster.

More: "Denny's Lands At Goodby, Silverstein"

Denny's had selected Goodby, Silverstein & Partners as its agency of record. Media buying will remain with Optimedia. GS&P is tasked with re-energizing the Denny’s brand. Looks like the restaurant chain is also going to do a Super Bowl commercial. The spot will feature cowboys eating a candy breakfast. You see - Denny's sells a "real breakfast."

Good luck with that Goodby. Nelson Marchioli, CEO, Denny's. said in a press release: "Denny's has long been top-of-mind with American consumers with over 90% brand awareness. We're looking to reconnect with those consumers who have wonderful memories of the brand."

The real problem is that only half of people who have been to a Denny's have ever gone back. Heaven knows what the actual loyalty percentage is. I do have some wonderful memories of Denny's. They involve me and my punk rock teenage friends rolling round to Denny's after show. It was all cigarettes and copious amounts of coffee, sharing two plates a fries over four hours. Hey. It was good times. For us. Not so much for Denny's.

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Are you ready for some football? It's almost Super Bowl time and that means that brands have begun to release teasers for the big broadcast show of the year. Hyundai and Goodby want you to know that their spot will incorporate the music of master cellist, Yo-Yo Ma. Goodby, Silverstein & Partners creative director Jim Elliot told Reuters that: "Within the context of all the other advertising, which can be so chaotic that it almost becomes white noise, a quiet, gorgeous solo cello moment can be very arresting."

Naturally, the spot links to website that will allow viewers to edit the ad's video and possibly the music. Are you excited yet? Snore. Anyone got any seriously exciting leaks for upcoming spots? Send them our way, yeah? agencyspy at mediabistro dot com

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Well, here's a bit of a good news. Advertising had paid off for one bank at least. Commonwealth Bank is cheering their agency of record, Goodby Silverstein. Against all odds and Australian industry complaints, the bank handed their account to the U.S. agency and looks as though it's paid off.

Marketing Director for the Australian bank Mark Buckman has said that brand awareness due to the campaign has shot from 70 per cent a year ago to 95 per cent today. For the last 16 months, the bank has seen a substantial growth in deposit books. Catch this - "the bank had hedged against movements in the Australian dollar so it could continue to have its ads made by Goodby." Now, that's love.

The campaign centered around a fictional US advertising agency coming to terms with the down under culture. The spot above even features action director Michael Bay in cameo.

"We were sick to death of being told what we couldn't do. While everyone here has since given us their point of view about our advertising, we couldn't find an advertising agency in Australia that was prepared to think differently about us," said Buckman.

Listen, it's bad news for the US everywhere. It's nice to see that America is still exporting something and getting some fricking props for it. Hoorah!

More: Junpier Park And Goodby Silverstein Snag Quaker

Okay, okay. It's finally over. Goodby has snagged the Quaker account, which recently fell from Element79's grasp. Alright? Fine. Done.

Oh wait! Toronto's Juniper Park, part of the BBDO network, has been a roster agency of Frito-Lay for some time. Very quietly, WE HEAR... that they have been handed the Quaker light snack's business. We'll be reaching out to the brand to confirm shortly. So, yeah... that happened, too.

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It's getting exhausting to constantly be the bearer of bad news on the layoff front. We all know it's happening, everywhere, and so in that way it's not really new — except that we do need to hear about it. Why? Because you're the only ones who can stop it.

Many of you are influential members of your respective teams. You've built agencies, brands and a respectable corner in which to dwell. Isn't there something you can do, if you work together man!?

I'd rather be riffing about some great new initiative than telling you that TBWA/Chiat/Day New York apparently laid off like, 20 people more than a week ago, and that Ogilvy is apparently doing the same. Alas, there's no saving grace to speak of. Please inform me if I am wrong. If you're a part of a small shop that has an innovative way around laying people off e-mail us at matT@agencyspy dot com. Let's talk about something positive.

Oh, and apparently Goodby laid off 20 people last week too. And now I want to sleep. Deeply.

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