• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 21, 2014

In perhaps one of the better Cannes Lions panel promotions, RPA released a video in which naked ad execs tout the importance of the truth as it relates to the client-agency relationship. The panel, which will reveal the results of an anonymous survey, conducted in partnership with USA TODAY, plans to reveal the deep, dark secrets hidden within the industry all with the goal of improving the often strife-ridden relationship between clients and agencies. If you plan to be in Cannes this year, the panel will take place Wednesday June 18 at 13:00. And do check out the video!

ADC announced today the launch of Portfolio Night All-Stars in partnership with JWT. The program will select one young creative from each Portfolio Night location and bring them to New York for a creative competition in August 2014. On May 21, Portfolio Night will take place in 24 cities all over the world: Athens, Austin, Beijing, Beirut, Boston, Budapest, Cape Town, Chicago, Detroit, Dubai, Johannesburg, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Montreal, Mumbai, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Tokyo and Toronto. Thousands of creatives will meet with hundreds of the world’s top creative directors. One person from each location will be named the All-Star and invited to compete in Portfolio Night All-Stars. The All-Stars will be divided into teams and assigned a creative challenge for a global client by JWT. 

We love wine. We love Napa valley. And we love whenever a wine account is up for grabs or gets awarded. Okay -- so, specifically, Visit Napa Valley isn't a wine account, but rather a tourism account -- but just go with us. The group has hired San Francisco-based DOJO, an agency that sounds more like a martial arts studio than an ad agency, to handle its account. Of the win, DOJO Co-Founder Mauro Alencar said: "We believe that Napa Valley sets the tone for what a modern-day luxury destination should be with its incredible natural beauty and a unique balance of authentic local community values plus world-class lodging, restaurants, wellness and entertainment options. DOJO is proud to have been chosen to help tell these amazing Napa Valley stories to the world." Actually, Sonoma is better, but wine is wine so it's all good.

Despite layoffs at W+K this week, the rest of the ad world thinks things are going just fine. A recent study from media buying and selling software company STRATA found that 62% of agencies believe business will increase this quarter over the same period last year. Over half (53%) believe future growth to improve over the first half of 2014 as compared to the last half of 2013 while 29% plan to increase their ad budgets from last year which STRATA says is the biggest increase since 2008. One third of agencies plan to hire this year and just 3% plan to reduce staff. Studies being studies, of course, optimism comes through in full force. We'll see what really happens as the year progresses .