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McCann Erickson New York has picked up a new Group Creative Director in R. Vann Graves, who began as an intern at BBDO and rose up through the ranks before becoming CCO of UniWorld Group, then an intern at BBDO (hunh?), before dropping out of the business shortly following the 9/11 attacks to fight in Iraq.

Graves enlisted in the Army, was nominated to receive the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq. The former Lieutenant was awarded the Combat Action Badge for outstanding efforts while being actively engaged by anti-U.S. forces, inducted into the Order of the Spur, and received a Purple Heart. Damn. Don't f*ck with this GCD.

He's won some awards over the years, too, so before you go ripping this guy to shreds, remember that he can probably do the same. But with his bare hands. OK who knows if that's true, but this time I'm glad I'm not an account exec. at McCann New York.

More "Curt Detweiler to EVP/ECD at McCann North America"

Verizon's work of late has been interesting, what with their "MapForThat" and "iDont" executions (which we believe to be from McCann and McGarry Bowen respectively). It all seems to be part of a bigger scheme to take AT&T down a peg or two. No, it is part of a bigger plan to beat out the communications provider. And it would all have worked perfectly, had they not forgotten to buy some domains related to the work.

We haven't done any studies lately about the habits of people who are likely to see the iDont and MapForThat ads, but there's a good chance they will forget the URLs provided in the respective commercials and enlist Google's help. You do it all the time.

So the validity of this post, then, depends wholly on how important you feel URLs are to campaigns and (probably most importantly) SEO. For example, if you think it's bad that Verizon Wireless doesn't own MapForThat.com and iDont.com, then you'll think this is a great article. If you disagree with that notion, feel free to click here.

Someone claiming to be the owner of MapForThat.com tells us that three brands (none of which is McCann or Verizon Wireless, no word on McGarry Bowen), are bidding for the site. So far the bidding is up to $75,000, unless we're being lied to — which is possible. Nonetheless, that seems awfully high. But could Verizon Wireless be losing $75,000 in business, SEO and stuff?

Most likely scenario: the price was too high. Listen, this brand identity stuff is important, especially with tech and phones and all that. I once worked for a company that paid a band $20k because they had the same name as the company. And by comparison, both band and company were tiny.

Apparently, someone bought the domain over the summer and ever since there's been this bidding war going on. Still working to figure out who is in on the bid, but one thing is certain — it's not Verizon Wireless. And that means one thing: someone wants to screw that company over, and thinks they can do it with one measly domain. Could Verizon's campaign be that strong? Why do they not seem to think so while some competitor(s) allegedly do?

Same answer applies to iDont, though we haven't heard about any insidery-trading type stuff regarding bidding wars for the name. Yet.

More: "We Hear: McGarry Bowen Wins Verizon Wireless Project (We Think it's Android)"

The San Francisco office of McCann Erickson will be laying off 40 staffers, an agency representative confirmed today. The cuts, which come as a result of diminished client spending, will be different this time, according to the agency. They're giving staff 60 days notice in hopes that some (if not all) can find work in that time. The positions will be eliminated in December. We aren't sure how many people will remain at the SF office (Update: we hear less than 50 200).

For those inside McCann's SF office, this news is a long time coming. Staff reductions last occurred in July, when 40 were let go. Reductions in client billings to blame, it's laudable that the company has kept as many employees on this long and will give them another 60 days. A statement from the agency:

"Today, McCann Erickson in San Francisco is taking the difficult step of notifying approximately 40 employees that their positions will be eliminated in December 2009. By providing affected employees 60 days of notice, we hope to give staff members time to transition, and the chance to seek new job opportunities.

"The San Francisco offices of McCann Erickson and T.A.G. have recently been awarded several new assignments. However, due to significant client revenue reductions in the last year, this decision was required to bring agency size in line with current business levels."

Microsoft Loss Hurt
The final Microsoft blow came after a 6-month battle, was the Windows mobile account — now with Crispin.

A source familiar with the ins and outs of the agency informs us that this is probably the last round for the shop, which still has work for XBOX, HP and others. As mentioned in the statement, the T.A.G. unit is busy, we hear working on project Pink.

There's also the addition of former TBWA North America president Robert LePlae, who joined McCann as head of North American operations. And Curt Detweiler, newly minted EVP ECD of McCann Erickson North America. Both are based out of San Francisco, despite their North America leadership roles (SF, LA, Detroit and Canada — New York has its own structure).

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More: "McCann SF Sings Out of Tune"

This is why working on national holidays is a bad idea: today we've learned that the New York office of McCann Worldgroup is closed due to a fire in the building where their offices are located. The inferno was not on a McCann floor, but the agency has been closed for the day.

We're told by agency representatives that everyone was evacuated safely, but is water damage on the fourth and fifth floors. A tipster said the fire occurred early in the morning, around 3 am, and that the building smells of smoke.

Who's to blame? Our best guess is the ghost of a fiery Italian (pictured). Get it? Cuz...Italians are hot blooded, hot tempered, and pissed that they have to work on Columbus Day. This is New York!

More: "Nina DiSesa Responds to Claim McCann New York is 'F*%#ed'"

In a post on his blog, AdScam, George Parker wrote earlier this week that McCann New York could be facing the end. Parker later posted an email he received from Nina DeSesa, Chairman of McCann New York, who basically told him he was wrong.

First, Parker's remarks: "Info late last night from a reliable AdScam source tells me that the shutters may come down very soon on McCann, New York!!! That's fucking right. But think about it, the New York office has been a disaster longer than Enfatico has been in and out of business." In the follow-up containing DiSesa's rebuttal he'd write, "I always get at least two reliable sources...So, here is a condensed version of an email I got this morning from my good friend, Nina DiSesa, Head Honcho of McCann..."

DiSesa's response: "The agency's accounts are big and solid." She then reminded Parker of the agency's current work for brands like L'Oreal, Kohl's, Unilever, ExxonMobil, Nestle, Verizon, General Mills, Glaxo, Novartis and others. "This business is cyclical, you know that," wrote DiSesa. "We win some we lose some...The notion of it disappearing is ludicrous. It did make for 'sensational copy' though. It got my attention."

Naturally, when a figure like Parker makes a claim that your agency is about to go under, you pay attention. It was wise for DiSesa to respond personally, as Parker would have taken a rep. to task for daring to bother him during an afternoon nap. Far be it for me to stir up nonsense, but it seems in this case, one queen beats two pawns. If you're such "good friends" with DiSesa, maybe next time you'll call her first, eh George?

More: "Curt Detweiler to EVP/ECD at McCann North America"

Domestic woes aside, McCann Erickson announced its promotion of Thierry Halbroth to joint ECD of the agency's Cathay Pacific Worldwide Central team.

Halbroth, who's been with McCann's Hong Kong-based operation since 2006, joins fellow ECD Sylvester Song in running the Cathay Pacific creative department. Together, the pair has contributed to over 100 awards according to the release.

Before McCann, Halbroth earned his stripes as director of integrated services at M&C Saatchi, working on airline biz such as Quantas and British Airways.

More: "Curt Detweiler to EVP/ECD at McCann North America"

Just a day after McCann's Curt Detweiler announcement, sources have confirmed to us that the agency's New York office has let go of 30 staffers, mostly all due to Verizon Wireless and much less so due to the U.S. Army account.

We've been told that McCann "shifted Worldgroup Retail business (point of sale, newspaper inserts, flyers, etc--much of it for Verizon Wireless) to another IPG office outside of NYC where operating costs are lower. And unfortunately, as a consequence, 30 Worldgroup NY staffers have been laid off."

As for U.S. Army, "there was one McCann NY employee on the Army account who was laid off." The agency "also laid off 6 individuals outside NY who had McCann Worldgroup Army responsibilities--ie, they didn't work at a McCann agency, they worked in cities like Albany, for instance, where [the agency has] field activities. The reason was reduced budget support."

It's been rumored that the whole Verizon account is in flux as tipsters have been telling us "all sides are up for review" and "Mcgarrybowen is sharpening their knives", so who knows where this leaves R/GA as well. We'll keep digging to substantiate this one...

More: "We Hear McGarrybowen Wins Verizon Wireless Project - Android"

Former Ground Zero partner/executive creative director Curt Detweiler has taken on the newly created title of EVP/ECD at McCann Erickson North America.

The marks the first appointment for new McCann NA president Robert LePlae, who like Detweiler is a TBWA\Chiat\Day alum. At Chiat, both execs worked on the Mars business in New York while Detweiler also served as creative director in LA running Nissan.

By joining McCann, Detweiler becomes a member of the network's Global Creative Collective and will oversee creative work in San Francisco, Detroit, LA and Canada (but not New York). Detweiler will be based in the SF office which despite its troubled recent history is still considered by McCann to be the agency's North American leadership hub.

More: "Former TBWA Prez Robert LePlae Lands at McCann"

Though they still might be licking their wounds from losing another piece of the Microsoft biz, McCann has nevertheless moved forward with a few executive lineup changes today.

Michael McLaren (pictured), a 10-year McCann employee who was named CEO of Worldgroup EXP in February of this year, is moving to Regional Director of McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific and President, CEO of McCann Worldgroup Japan.

Matt Ross, who joined the agency from Ogilvy in 2005 and served as President of McCann Worldgroup as well as head of the aforementioned global Microsoft business, will now take on McLaren's old role as Worldgroup EXP CEO.

Meanwhile on the East Coast, C. Thomas Gruhler was promoted to President of McCann Erickson, New York from Executive VP, Worldwide Account Director, succeeding Lori Senecal, who as we reported earlier today was added to the nameplate of Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners.

More: "McCann Loses Windows Phone to Crispin"