• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, November 10, 2014

Well, there's a list for everything, right? Why not one for the best workplaces with adoption-friendly policies? Yeah, why not? Well the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption has awarded Leo Burnett the top spot on its 2014 list of the top adoption-friendly workplaces in advertising, marketing and public relations followed by Washington-based GMMB and Kansas City-based VML. Burnett placed #32 on the all-industry list. The list honors companies with the best adoptions benefits in the country taking into consideration paid leave, financial reimbursement and other benefits. Of the annual compilation, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption President and CEO Rita Soronen said: “Each year, we recognize the companies across the United States that go the extra mile to provide adoption benefits in the workplace. We know that these benefits are not only cost effective and build employee loyalty, but most importantly, they provide critical support to families who adopt children in need of loving, stable homes.” Congrats to Leo Burnett, GMMB and VML.

Mcgarrybowen. Leo Burnett. Taxi. Crispin Porter + Bogusky. All great agencies. What do they have in common? They avoided Kraft's axe which fell this week on a number of agencies the CPG brand has cut from its roster of agencies. The consolidation follows the brand's split with Mondelez International and a desire to more tightly focus its marketing efforts. The move is a reversal of a setup put into place by then marketing director Dana Anderson who felt splitting up the work across many agencies would increase the likelihood of attaining better work. But, of course, what happened, was process ballooned out of control and some sanity was needed to get things back on track. Well, that is until yet another marketing director comes along and changes things around again.

Oh, and while we're on the topic of consolidation and simplification, Sears is doing the very same thing -- reaching out to holding companies and asking them to come up with a plan to better structure the retailer's various brands which include Kmart and Sears-focused brands Kenmore, Craftsman and Die Hard. Sears aims to have the consolidation/selection process complete by the end of January. Currently the brand works with Dentsu Aegis' mcgarrybowen, Interpublic's FCB and Havas.

Well, here's something agency folks might find pleasing to the ears -- a client willing to realize it's not always the agency's fault when campaigns don't click with consumers. Meet relatively new VW marketing chief Vinay Shahani who said: "I will always say that when you're unhappy with your creative, the first person you have to look at is yourself. That's where I've spent a lot of my time in the last 11 months, working with the strategy team to really tighten up the process by which we do our brief." While the VW brand has produced some stellar creative the past few years -- think "The Force" -- it has failed to connect and move metal. Shahani is working more closely with dealers to form dealer groups that are charged with funding and creating local and regional advertising efforts for the brand. On the national front while he says Deutsch is "moving in the right direction," he hasn't ruled out an agency review.

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