• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, October 14, 2013

You know, all these holding company execs are just jealous they aren't Publicis or Omnicom. Since the merger was announced, there's been nothing but wise cracks and poo-pooing from the likes of WPP's Martin Sorrell, Interpublic's Michael Roth and now, from Havas CEO David Jones who says the merger costs would have been better spent investing in digital businesses such as Instagram, Twitter or Tumblr. Sharing his reasoning, Jones said,  “That is number one focus because it is very easy to grow in digital and slow in traditional advertising. But we need to be able to change faster. My whole focus is to get us to act like a smaller, more entrepreneurial, more dynamic, more agile business, not a bigger one. People might say I’m just jealous, but I say, 'No, if I had that kind of money I’d be looking to buy something like Instagram or Twitter or Tumblr because I think that is where the game is changing.”

Though the news here really isn't news since anyone who's been in the online advertising space for a period of, say, more than two minutes, knows full well the space is filled with fraud, it's nice to see the industry face the issue head on publicly at an industry conference. During a panel covering RTB and viewability at the Gansevoort Park hotel last week, James Green, CEO of Magnetic; Anne Hunter, SVP of global marketing strategy at comScore; Brian Gleason, managing director, North America, Xaxis; David Hahn, SVP of product management, Integral Ad Science; and Walter Knapp, COO of Federated Media Publishing faced the issue. AdExchanger attended the panel and highlighted what the panelists had to say about the ins and outs of online fraud. Business Insider picked up the story and, of course, gave it a titillating headline (something we would never do!).

Ah, yes. To have a bourbon account. It almost makes one feel as if you are strutting around Sterling Cooper & Partners listening to Pete Campbell launch into some silly tirade while Joan Harris turns her nose up and Don Draper slaps some sense into the boy. And perhaps Publicis Groupe's Fallon Minneapolis will adopt some of that attitude now that they have the Brown-Forman Woodford Reserve account, besting former agency Boxing Clever which has been relegated to handling sales promotions. Of her new agency, Brown-Forman SVP Maureen Brekka said  "We're excited to have Fallon enter the Brown-Forman fold, and we're even more excited about the work they'll be creating to carry the brand into a new phase of its history."

Speaking of booze, Molson Coors' Grolsch has selected Karmarama as creative agency following a four agency pitch that ousted current agency BMB. Happy to have a new agency, Molson Coors Portfolio Brand Manager Sophie Erskine said, “Following the rebrand in 2012, our focus is on using digital channels to capitalize on the popularity of world beers at present. We were very impressed by Karmarama’s ideas to take Grolsch to the top with a new social media strategy and integrated approach.”