• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, October 16, 2013

Writing in AdWeek and profiling four advertising executives with British and European backgrounds, Noreen O'Leary asks if there's a shortage of high-level U.S. advertising talent on Madison Avenue. She profiles TBWA/Chiat/Day New York President Robert Harwood-Matthews, Ogilvy & Mather New York President Adam Tucker, McCann Erickson New York President Chris Macdonald and JWT New York CEO Peter Sherman. Perhaps best summing up why European talent is valued, JWT Worldwide CEO Bob Jeffrey said, “Having someone without an island mentality is very important in a role like this. Plus, Europe is difficult right now with a lot of economic challenges as well as different cultures. Like an athlete, that kind of experience makes you a better advertising professional.”

Do you follow R/GA on Twitter? You should. It's written by EVP Copywriting Chief Chapin Clark and it's filled with witty repartee making most other agency Twitter accounts sound like a New York subway driver announcing the next stop. Summing up his approach, Clark tells AdWeek, "It's not for everyone. I'm pretty sure there are people within R/GA who don't like it and I'm OK with that. Wanting to be liked by everyone is what's wrong with a lot of Twitter. However, I do prefer affection to contempt. If the majority of your audience loathes you, you're probably doing something wrong. If that were the case, I'd be looking to adjust my approach."

Currently working with LA-based Mistress, booze brand Jagermeister, a product of Sidney Frank Importing, has added MRY to its roster of agencies to handle digital marketing. Of its selection of MRY, Sidney Frank Importing Director of Digital Marketing Heather Kozera said, “Looking for an agency partner was a big decision for us. MRY showed us they can deliver new and innovative digital ways to connect with our target -- they had the right team and the right thinking to complement our brand and our initiatives.” MRY, which has transformed from the youth marketing-focused Mr. Youth into a full-fledged ad agency, recently hired David Berkowitz as CMO. 

Venebles Bell & Partners is on the losing end of a creative consolidation undertaken by food giant ConAgra which has awarded creative duties to Omnicon Group's DDB. VBP will lose Slim Jim, Orville Redenbacher and Healthy Choice. VBP clients P.F. Chang's and Hebrew National will also move to DDB. The move is in response to what ConAgra CEO Gary Rodkin "cost management" efforts as well as "category and customer challenges." Recent Nielsen data reveals the brand's frozen foods business fell 6% during its fiscal year ending August 31 with Healthy Choice falling 12.7%. 

JPMorgan Chase hasawarded Publicis Groupe's Razorfish and Rosetta its $45 million digital marketing business. In the mix will be the brand's retail banking, card services and investment banking. The agencies will craft online video ads, banners, search engine marketing, social media programs and mobile marketing. Publicis Groupe bested teams from Omnicom, Interpublic and Dentsu.