News

We’ve been hearing about this since last Friday, and now it appears to be so as sources familiar with the matter confirm that JWT has parted ways with Lynda Wicker, who has spent well over a decade serving as human resources director at the agency. Wicker has worked out of the WPP-owned agency’s Atlanta office and we’ve been told that there are plans to replace he (as one would think). From what we’re hearing, JWT ATL/Houston/Dallas chief creative officer Perry Fair is addressing staff regarding Wicker’s departure, which goes into effect today. We’ll let you know if and when we hear more.

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-PETA has unveiled this mobile billboard ahead of the Kentucky Derby (above). You can read what the meaning behind the message is for the ad from the animal rights org here.

-Sony is now holding two separate pitches for its global media biz. link

-New York-based editorial/post company Red Car has appointed Scott Spanjich as managing director.

-Aegis Media has bought up Montreal search/performance marketing shop nvi in the hopes of building out its iProspect network in Canada. link

-Intel has welcomed a new CEO. link

-Care to snap a photo with a wink? Welcome to the world of Google Glass. link

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We’re almost at that time of year when mothers get to relax and collect motherly gifts in return for their maternal love and care. These moms get their 24 hours and go back to the daily routine, but mothers of athletes, the ones who give up free time to constantly drive to practices and games all over the place and pour cash into training and coaches and uniforms, those moms might deserve two days.

In collaboration with Sport Chek, Sid Lee has created a new campaign featuring Canadian Olympic hockey player Meaghan Mikkelson in honor of the past sacrifices her parents made along the way that contributed to her athletic success. The thirty-second spot directed by Tom Tagholm could just be another Nike ad if not for some inspirational voiceover from Mama Mikkelson. During the London Olympics, we saw a similar campaign from Tide, where moms were thanked for their dedication to the athletic success of their offspring. This commercial isn’t all that different, but it’s still appropriate considering the timing. Some moms deserve to be thanked at least twice, so we’ll overlook the conceptual similarities as May 12 approaches.

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From right, Walker Evans, “Saint Martin, West Indies” (1974) and a 2007 photo from John Divola’s Abandoned Paintings series.

“What interested me about Walker Evans is probably not what interests other people about Walker Evans. What interests me is that he had a way of looking at things that people made and built, and then appropriating the subjectivity of whoever constructed it. Late in his life he actually collected handpainted signs…he’s photographing buildings that small-scale contractors are making, where they have to make certain kinds of judgments, and he photographs other things as well but there are an awful lot of handpainted signs. That’s something in the work that I’m really interested in—this identifying and appropriating and contextualizing the aesthetic or the literal choices that people make. And in terms of my own work, I’m doing that, except that I’m one of the subjective actors, in a certain sense. I’m taking something that has an inherent set of attributes to it—somebody has either kicked a hole in the wall or somebody has chosen to build a kitchen that looks that way or put that kind of wallpaper up. And then my own activity, in relationship to it and in the photograph, simply contextualizes these kinds of actions and choices that are made prior to the capturing of the photograph.”

-John Divola last Friday at Paris Photo Los Angeles, in an on-stage conversation with Richard Misrach and curator Douglas Fogle.

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This week, West Elm is hiring a digital project manager, as well as a catalog production designer. Meanwhile, McMurry needs a senior art director, and Guerrero Howe Custom Media is on the hunt for a graphic designer. Get the scoop on these openings and more below, and find additional just-posted gigs on Mediabistro.

• Digital Project Manager West Elm (Brooklyn, NY)
• Catalog Production Designer West Elm (Brooklyn, NY)
• Senior Art Director McMurry (New York, NY)
• Graphic Designer Guerrero Howe Custom Media (Chicago, IL)
• Graphic Designer Development Corporation for Israel (New York, NY)

Find more great design jobs on the UnBeige job board. Looking to hire? Tap into our network of talented UnBeige pros and post a risk-free job listing. For real-time openings and employment news, follow @MBJobPost.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

-72andSunny and director Mark Romanek team up to continue Activision’s Call of Duty blitzkrieg (above).

-Draftfcb New York has been named the pro-bono agency of record for the Golden Trailer Awards, which celebrates feature film previews. We know there was some purpose in always showing up early to the theater for the trailers.

-The Art Directors Club has announced its call for entries for the ADC Young Guns 11. link

-The Denver Egotist ventures into Victors & Spoils’ new space as part of its ongoing #AgencyInsider series. link

-DDB and CP+B Toronto alum  Carolyn Contois has been appointed as executive director of client services for hometown digital shop, Entrinsic.

-Sarah Pappalardo, an interactive producer at NYC-based shop Plenty, has launched a comedy site/women’s web mag dubbed Reductress. link

-Would you come back to JCPenney after viewing its latest spot? Where’s our gift card from 1994? link

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Yeah, we got this news just before noon EST, but thanks to meetings and what not, we were kinda hampered. But, whatever the case, let us tell you if you haven’t heard already that CP+B and longtime client Domino’s continue their efforts to promote ultimate transparency for the brand to the masses with “Domino’s Live.” Salt Lake City is the pizza chain’s venue of choice for this pilot program, and with the aid of five installed cameras, we get quite the glimpse into the what happens when pizza chains stop being nice and start getting real. Ok, maybe it’s not that dramatic, nor as high-tension as something like Food Network’s Restaurant Stakeout and its host with horrible grammar, but you can check out the goings on here. Consider this effort bringing your Domino’s “Pizza Tracker” to life, if you will.

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JWT Brazil chief integration officer Mauro Cavalletti and his crew continue their string of quirky projects (remember this?) with this latest app called “91 Rock Clock,” which will wake your ass up–but in progressive fashion–as it veers from soft AM gold to heavier rock tunes (think Metallica and Sepultura). Think of it as a snooze button with distortion. In case you’re not based in South America, 91 Rock Radio is a rock radio staple in SA and…well, let the video above explain things. We’re light sleepers, so we’d probably spring out of bed during an REO Speedwagon track, but if you’re into it, you can go here or here to download the app. Credits after the jump.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It looks like Matt Canzano‘s role within McCann has further expanded as the 10-year vet and current chief creative officer of said agency’s Motor City office has now been elevated to the dual role of global ECD of GM-focused Commonwealth/CCO of MRM Detroit.

Taking over as day-to-day creative leads at McCann Detroit, meanwhile, are Mike Stocker and Robin Chrumka, who joined just last summer and will now assume the roles of EVP/co-ECDs at the agency, which works with clients including GM (duh), ALDI and Pure Michigan. The creative pair has been working together for well over a decade and has a fair share of automotive experience, having spent several years as creative directors at BBDO Detroit overseeing work on the Jeep account.

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Portal A’s new mockumentary for L’Oreal’s Vichy Skin Care may make it a little easier for women to laugh at their own cellulite follies. Forgive me, I may not be familiar with some of these techniques: Body shapers? The shake belt? Butt vacuuming? (Butt vacuuming is one of those concepts that is so absurd, at least to my guy perspective, that it could also be legitimate). So, if you have two minutes to spare, watch some women indulge in body image self-deprication. This video may not compare to the Christopher Guest oeuvre, but listening to people make fun of themselves is always a comforting form of comedy.

Of course, after ribbing women who struggle to attain the perfect body, the end of the video shows the lower-half of a lady with flawlessly toned legs and skin that is tan and smooth. I guess Vichy wants to have their cake and eat it, too. Or something like that. Credits after the jump.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

We’ve been told that this was purely coincidental seeing as they served in fairly different roles, but a spokesperson for Mindshare has confirmed that both Scott Sorokin and Michael Epstein have resigned from the agency. Sorokin joined the WPP/GroupM agency four years ago in the newly created role of global digital leader, which initially called for him to handle all things digital for Unilever.

Along with his work for the corporate giant, though, Sorokin (pictured) was responsible for Mindshare’s digital strategy, digital staff, organic/new biz growth and tech development. No word yet on where he’s headed to next, but prior to Mindshare, Sorokin spent a couple of years as president of Aegis Media/Carat and has also worked as global account director on Intel while at McCann/MRM. From what the agency tells us, there are plans to replace Sorokin, but in the meantime, his responsibilities will be handled by GroupM Interaction USA COO John Montgomery as well as Mindshare’s London-based global digital leader, Norm Johnston.

As for Epstein, the exec most recently served as president/strategic resource & client services at Mindshare, where he spent well over 12 years in various planning roles. We’ve been told that both execs parted ways amicably.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

-And now, here are your 2013 CLIO Award winners. link

-Bi-coastal-based digital ad-tech company SocialVibe has welcomed back Joe Marchese as CEO, a role he held at the firm from 2006-2011. Marchese most recently served as SVP of marketing/digital for Fuse.

-Boston-based agency Allen&Gerritsen shows us “10 trillion ways” to build your own burger in its first campaign for Friendly’s since being named AOR for the restaurant chain back in December (above).

-Bud Light has teamed up with MySpace, Live Nation and Universal Music Group to launch Bud Light Music First. link

-Tom Leonard, who’s worked at the likes of BSSP, Imaginary Forces and Digital Kitchen during his career, has joined Seattle-based design/production company thenewBlank has director of business development. Leonard will work out of the shop’s Chicago “incubator office.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

After spending nearly three years as group creative director on the Honda account at Santa Monica-based RPA, Jason Sperling is getting bumped up to ECD at the agency (where he also serves as a senior VP). Sperling joined RPA from TBWA\MAL  in summer 2010 and has subsequently led creative on notable campaigns for the automaker including last year’s CR-V Super Bowl spot, “Matthew’s Day Off,” which we’re sure you’ve all seen a million times over at this point and most recently the Honda April Fool’s Day spot. As you probably know by know, RPA did maintain did lose a few pieces of the Honda biz a few weeks ago, but more importantly, retained creative duties for the brand, thus maintaining a relationship that’s lasted over a quarter-century.

During his five-and-a-half years at \MAL, Sperling was a key player in the long-running “Get a Mac” campaign for Apple and has garnered his fair share of Cannes Lions prizes, Clios and One Show Pencils.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Remember on “Mission Impossible” when messages would self destruct after an agent listened to them? In this episode of “Elevator Pitch,” Alan Meckler speaks with Jacob Robbins about his startup “Burn Note.”

“Burn Note” allows you to send a secure email and set a timer to destroy the message after it’s read…forever…without all the smoke and drama.

For more videos, check out mediabistroTV, and be sure to follow us on Twitter: @mediabistroTV

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Remember on “Mission Impossible” when messages would self destruct after an agent listened to them? In this episode of “Elevator Pitch,” Alan Meckler speaks with Jacob Robbins about his startup “Burn Note.”

“Burn Note” allows you to send secure emails and then choose how soon after it’s read it will disappear from the database forever…without all the smoke and drama.

For more videos, check out mediabistroTV, and be sure to follow us on Twitter: @mediabistroTV

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Having passed the century mark and then some, New York luxury emporium Bergdorf Goodman is ready for its close-up in Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s, a documentary that arrives in select theaters on Friday. Filmmaker Matthew Miele explores the inner workings of the famed department store through the eyes of a designer-heavy cast that ranges from Iris Apfel to Rachel Zoe. Enjoy the trailer:

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The competition that spotted Stefan Sagmeister, James Victore, and Mike Mills when they were but wee design/art powerhouses-to-be is back for its eleventh go-round. Behold Young Guns 11, the Art Directors Club‘s international, cross-disciplinary, portfolio-based competition to identify the young creative vanguard. By “young,” they mean 30 or under, and by “creatives,” they mean those doing great things in graphic design, photography, illustration, advertising and art direction, environmental design, film, animation, video, interactive design, object design, and/or typography. What’s so special about Young Guns? It recognizes an individual, and considers a body of work, not a single ad or design. Also, you get a really cool cube if you win. Young Guns 11 is open to ADC members and non-members worldwide. A jury of past ADC Young Guns will select the 50 winners. Entries open today, so get ready to take your shot.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

We’ve just received confirmation that Joe Cianciotto, who’s spent well over nine years at DDB and works out of the New York office, has been appointed to the newly created position of chief digital officer at the agency. Along with his new CDO title, which he will take on effective immediately, Cianciotto will also maintain his position as executive creative director, a role he’s held at DDB for the last six years (he also served as director of digital integration for the last three). During his career, the senior creative also spent over six years at Publicis, where he last served as an ACD. Cianciotto will continue to work out of DDB’s NYC office.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

-Valleywag tells us how Foursquare plans to earn ad revenue from check-ins. link

-New York-based editorial company Crew Cuts has welcomed Julienne Guffain as lead mixer/sound designer.

-Want to know what WPP don Sir Martin Sorrell made in 2012, taking into account salary cut and all? link

-With the help of BBDO New York and director Meagan Cignoli, home improvement chain Lowe’s has marked its first use of Vine with a spring campaign called “Lowe’s Fix in Six” (one Vine above, see more here, here and here).

-Unilever-owned ice cream staple Ben & Jerry’s appointed Denstu-owned 360i as its new strategic digital agency of record. link

-Here’s how CERN is celebrating the worldwide web’s 20th birthday. link

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If you don’t feel like watching the whole 3-minute Portfolio Night Boston clip from SapientNitro above, here’s a brief summary: A hipper-than-thou ad creative pitches a wealth of concepts to an agency head. The problem is, that this mustache-sporting creative’s ideas hinge on a litany of buzzwords and tech-y hoopla, which the agency head (OMG! Look at his CLIOs! Look at Cannes Lions!) shakes his head at. The creative is then escorted out of the building, and we see the words “Idea Before Everything” flash across the screen.

You’ve probably seen this execution done hundreds of times before, many times made by agencies that see these little vignettes as an opportunity to advertise themselves as shops that “get it.” They do so by making fun of whatever new ad trends are the talk of the town right now, making sure that the viewer (who is generally either an employee or someone who works at another agency, like you) knows that they don’t buy into bullshit hype and that their work is somehow pure. But, let’s be honest, does anyone really believe that? Has anyone won new business that way? Can any of you say that you never worked at an agency that unironically bought into these kinds of hype-driven executions this video mocks? Sure, it has to done, because that’s what clients want, but let’s not pretend that all of us have clean hands.

I guess what I’m asking for is that agencies who preach innovation to start marketing themselves in an innovative fashion. That, or how about we actually practice what we preach and don’t make creative that actually does hinge on whatever buzzword Mashable puts on their homepage (not going to happen). For the record, I’m calling out SapientNitro in particular. I’m just tired of seeing this idea.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.