No Wukkas - The Job Hunt

This one agency called Toth (which is subsequently the phonetic spelling of "toss" if you have a lisp) needs to hire some people. In Boston!

They want:
— Digital Producers
— Project Managers
— Designers
— HTML and Flash Developers (they still make those?)

Says a dude who works there: "we are primarily looking for the young and ambitious types who do kick ass, stellar work." As opposed to young people who do shitty work, natch. But no matter!

This is their Web site; don't worry, it's being rebuilt this summer.

More: "Holy (maybe) Layoffs Batman: Campbell Ewald, Zeta, DDB LA, Deutsch LA, Others"

Wow it's been years (well, months) since we've done a jobs posting. Why? Because there haven't been any! Until now, that is. Today we bring you news of job opportunities — though we've found all these gigs on AgencySpy's "Jobs" tab at the top of the page (you know, right next to where it says, "AgencySpy". But no worries, I linked to the whopping 33 jobs below. The best are listed. Go forth and find work.

— Publicis in the West is looking for a brand planner. link

— Digital Kitchen needs a creative director. link

— Huge needs a content strategist. link

— And an engagement director. link

— This unnamed agency needs a social media manager (whatever that means). link

— Fanscape needs an account director. link

— Crispin's Boulder office wants a Sr. Integrated Producer, Interactive. link

— And an executive interactive producer, also in Boulder. link

— 360i wants an account planner. link

Click here for more jobs.

JWT needs a good copywriter. You could be the one! Apparently the Nestle account is under staffed. That or there's some new work coming up. Either way, it's good for you. Get there before the head hunters do.

Requirements
— 5-6 years experience
— must have television experience and multiple produced campaigns to show
— must have produced print and digital campaigns and be current with digital technologies and media formats
— must be able to write for the Nestle core audience of the household, primary grocery shopper

More: "Aero's Balloon Skateboarding Ad Draws Ire"

Last night I headed over to Ogilvy's new offices on 47th St. at 11th ave. The hike wasn't bad, thanks to the two wheeled beast beneath me. Likewise, neither was the event, which played host to a hundred or so ad-kids and a number of top level creatives from Ogilvy, Google, BBDO, HWT, McCann, Saatchi, Lowe, Deutsch, TOY and Garfinkel.

The event was the cap on a long series of portfolio nights (this was the 7th year!) held around the world by the ever-fun-loving folks from Canada's ihaveanidea. We spent some time with the crew, namely president Ignacio Oreamuno and chief writer Brett McKenzie. The team has been on a world tour, hosting portfolio events in such far flung locales as Lisbon, Amsterdam, Quebec and more.

The goal for creatives and attendees seemed to differ somewhat. Naturally, the kids wanted jobs. The creatives wanted to critique. That's what we learned from an informal survey, anyway. I asked a few creatives if they'd consider hiring the people they met, and though many said yes they admitted they weren't sure if that was possible. Economy, bla bla.

One thing is for sure though — the kids are all reading AgencySpy.

Among the folks milling about, sapping Coronas and gnoshing on tortilla chips was Bunkspeed's Anthony Duca. He's a nice guy, and we chatted for awhile about the state of the industry.

We also spent some time with IHAI president Ignacio Oreamuno, the Costa Rican Canadian who oozes schmooze. He told me that historically, about 80% of attendees eventually get jobs through the folks met at these events. That seems a bit high to us, but here's hoping he wasn't kidding. He also mentioned that Portfolio Night is a response to the way things were done when he and his cohorts were young(er). In those days, he recalls, creatives were untouchable. With PN, they're made attainable to the eager, willing, masochistic.

Now, what about Ogilvy? Kids and creatives alike spent the better part of the evening in the agency's large community space on the ground floor. It was very Bauhaus, a pallet for creativity (if there's any left in this city!). We've been promised a full tour once the place is done and done, at which time we'll give the building a good look over. I've heard it's aiming for a LEED certification — no small feat. We'll let you know how that goes.

Click continued to see a list of attending creatives.

More: "No Wukkas: For Art Directors Only"

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Update: we're told G2 was "wandering around" the event and provided some positive feedback.

Wednesday was the Diversity in Advertising Career Day here in New York. The event is one of a few of the industry's attempts at righting the great wrong that the industry perpetually commits: turning a blind eye to the fact that diversity hardly exists in many shops. Our spies were particularly aware of a few disparaging realities as they milled about the event — and they also took note of two shops that seem to have done it right.

Before we start, here's the list of agencies that attended:
— Arnold Worldwide
— Bartle Bogle Hegarty
— BBDO New York
— Energy BBDO (Chicago)
— Cablevision
— Carol H. Williams Advertising
— Draftfcb
— Draftfcb Healthcare
— Edelman
— G2 (G2 Branding & Design, G2 Direct & Digital, G2 Interactive, G2 Promotional Marketing)
— Globalhue
— GroupM (MAXUS, MediaCom, mediaedge:cia, Mindshare)
— Initiative
— JWT
— MARC USA
— Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
— McGarry Bowen
— MPG
— Starcom Mediavest
— Team Detroit
— Wieden + Kennedy

On to the dirt. There were two clear winners, report the spies, and they were BBDO and Wieden + Kennedy. BBDO has a full-on in-house diversity team dedicated to making the agency whole, so we're not surprised to hear they were setting appointments with applicants and generally doing it right at their booth. W + K didn't have a booth because apparently there weren't any jobs to warrant that whole rigmarole. Nonetheless they still showed up; a rep cruised the event, talking to people, looking out for potential must-have stars. The spy who spoke with said rep. added that he seemed to be genuinely interested in being a part of the day without falsely representing what he was there to do, which was more or less to observe.

Which is more than Bartle Bogle Hegarty can say. They had a booth and all, but in lieu of an agency representative left a plaque on the table requesting potential applicants leave their resumes. G2 wasn't there either, despite being on the list of vendors. Another agency (whose name our eluded our spy) had a booth and even a warm body to man it. However, the agency had no jobs to offer and was apparently there to help people in their search — whatever that means. When our spy attempted to hand them a resume, he/she was quickly rejected — "oh no," said the rep. "we're not accepting resumes, either."

Leading up to this event we were tempted to pen a piece about how it seems odd that an event like this would take place despite the obvious lack of job ops. We chose to wait until after in case we were somehow impressed, which didn't really happen. Certainly it's important that those who are able to hire make attempts to fill their quotas (or at least meet some people). But how can you really do that if you don't show up? Asking applicants to leave a resume is no better than a "send resumes here" link on your Web site. In fact, the latter is probably a better option since it saves on paper and the humiliation your shop is feeling right now as you read this. Seriously, that's shameful — send. a. hiring. manager. You're BBH for heaven's sake.

The bottom line is pretty simple: if agencies continue to f*ck up in this way, we're going to keep hearing about it, keep reporting it, and keep making them look like the incompetent slugs they maybe are. This diversity matter is more one of PR than it is anything else. Hold on: it's obviously important that we all remain cognoscente of the disparities in this business but even if you don't care or can't care or do care but don't know what to do about it or whatever you must recognize one fact: AgencySpy was created for the sole purpose of reporting agency screw ups. It's what we do and on our best days we manage to piss all over your gaffes, and then throw a spot light on them.

The answer is not for you to kiss our ass (it doesn't work, ask any PR crew we work with) or to set up a booth and walk away from it; the answer is to get your stuff together and hire people who don't look like you. And people with vaginas. And people who are representative of the world we live in because "Communication is an ongoing, dynamic process between an infinite number of variables with no beginning, middle or end" and you're screwing with that undeniable fact by limiting who is part of the conversation. In effect, you're destroying your ability to do your own job and that's at least part of why faith has never been a word used in the same sentence as the word advertising (except for this one, of course).

That communication quote belongs to Dr. Ken Ksobiech, by the way. Read it again, and then again.

More: "NYC Diversity In Advertising Day"

The following agencies/media Cos will be sending hiring managers to the Diversity in Advertising Career Day tomorrow, April 22, at the Hilton here in NYC: Arnold Worldwide, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, BBDO New York, Energy BBDO (Chicago), Cablevision, Carol H. Williams Advertising, Draftfcb, Draftfcb Healthcare, Edelman, G2 (G2 Branding & Design, G2 Direct & Digital, G2 Interactive, G2 Promotional Marketing), GLOBALHUE, Grey New York, GroupM (MAXUS, MediaCom, mediaedge:cia, Mindshare), Initiative, JWT, MARC USA, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, McGarry Bowen, MPG, Starcom MediaVest, Team Detroit and Wieden + Kennedy.

The event is sponsored by the 4As, and stems from the 2006 agreement reached by the New York City Commission on Human Rights and a number of agencies, by which the agencies agreed to hire more minorities. So, go get that job!

Oh and I spoke with a few of the participating agencies to find out which are hiring and it looks like most are "always looking for good people." The only shops I know are really looking, of those listed above are GLOBALHUE, Arnold and maybe JWT. However, the event is probably more pomp than anything — without a doubt unemployed ad pros of all types have been checking in with these shops for openings.

More: "New L'Oreal Ad Raising Race Issues"

For those of you pounding the pavement in Michigan, here's what we found below. Good luck!

1. Advertising Communications and Marketing Manager - Detroit Media Partnership, Detroit (link)

2. Advertising Coordinator - Little River Casino, Manistee (link)

3. Copywriter - Campbell-Ewald, Southfield (link)

4. Copywriter -Olmstead Assoc., Flint (link)

5. Art Director - Pitney Bowes, Farmington Hills (link)

6. Lead Interaction Designer - Digitas, Detroit (link)

7. Account Supervisor - Campbell Ewald, Warren (link)

8. Sr. Vice President/Account Director - Globalhue, Detroit (link)

9. Director, Program Operations - Momentum Worldwide, Detroit (link)

10. Account Executive - Sinclair Broadcast Group, Flint (link)

11. Resource Manager - Organic, Detroit (link)

12. Online Marketing Coordinator/SEO and SEM - Fluency Media, Ann Arbor (link)

Today is kind of making us high. It might be the weather, but it also might be all the nice accounts wins we've gotten to report today. Here's the latest: Sixty year old Ohio ad firm Northlich has been selected as the lead agency of record for the Ohio Lottery Commission's advertising and creative assignments. Northich isn't new to the lotto business having been on the Kentucky Lottery Corporation account back in 2006.
Northlich also recently picked up the Cincinnati Bell account. Roll on Northlich...

The company is also looking to hire a PR Management Supervisor out of Columbus. They're looking for at least ten years of experience, FYI. Get all the details here.

More: Digital Is Traditional, Traditional Is Digital: Razorfish Goes 360

Join us as we follow one man's journey through the windblown plains of joblessness. Meet Todd Beeby, a recently laid off NYC-based writer/creative director.

Cue the classic 'Loverboy' tune, modified for the recession: "Most Everybody's Working for the Weekend!" I've gotten some guff in the comment section of these blog entries about how I'm a hack, not talented enough to keep my job, that I have poor penmanship, and am too good-looking. I respectfully disagree. Still, some folks had valid points that perhaps I should take this opportunity to find a new profession or a more meaningful outlet for my energies.

But that is what's so challenging about unemployment: you KNOW the time off is a good thing in that it gives you time to reflect - that maybe, just maybe, there's something BETTER for you to be doing out there. But the prevailing thoughts (90%) revolve around paying the bills, especially in expensive cities like NYC; thus regaining "corporate tool" status becomes practical and necessary. But is that such an awful fate? As much as we might knock our jobs day-to-day, there's still something about them that we enjoy (beyond the paychecks). For me, it was the camaraderie, unified sense of purpose, and free color copier. Does what we do (or did) have much meaning outside of our little world of advertising? Not really, but you have to admit, it can be a pretty amusing way to make a living. So how do those of us on parole get back inside the jail?

We all know that in these tough times, open job positions are scarce (unless you're a Somali with solid piracy skills). How can you stand out in a growing crowd of job-hunters? With UNconventional job-hunting strategies, that's what! After all, we work in a creative industry where goofiness, childish behavior and unprofessionalism are actually rewarded. So let's put some of that creativity advertising is known for into finding a job! It's a fact that all advertising is responsible, truthful, and never exaggerates a product's efficacy. That said, using the products an agency sells to sell yourself can be a brilliant way to get noticed! Consider these bold, clutter-busting, in-your-face (yet TOTALLY unproven) self-promotional methods:

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PART IV

Join us as we follow one man's journey through the windblown plains of joblessness. Meet Todd Beeby, a recently laid off NYC-based writer/creative director.

As I walk among the buildings of downtown and midtown with no particular place to go, I think of all the productive FUN you people are having inside. Solving problems creatively. Discovering unique and actionable insights. Writing smart creative briefs. Thoughtfully purchasing targeted media. Taking part in focused, rewarding meetings. Partnering with clients as equals to build their brand. Sacrificing personal gain for the good of the company. Just one, big, happy brainstorming family. Whoa, whuh?! You can see how some time on the outside might skew my view of what's REALLY going on in there.

For the unemployed it's like this: the city's having the world's biggest pizza party, and we're not invited. And dammit, we'd like some pizza. Even if it's room temperature. And the Domino's guy put the cheese up his nose. And the soda-pop is flat. And there's no ice.

Now we're not saying you have to love everything about your job. Just take a moment or two to appreciate it; to look at it from another perspective. Here are some tips on how you can make today a brighter one for everyone around you, broken down by department for your convenience:

ACCOUNT FOLK:
- Try NOT being such a good facsimile of the client at today's internal creative review
- Tell that copywriter you appreciate his/her hard work (they're insecure!)
- Don't agree to do everything the client says over the phone then pretend you fought them on it when you tell the creatives

CREATIVES:

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