• Ad Age, Friday, October 19, 2007 11:15 AM

The new worldwide CEO of Omnicom Group's PHD isn't so hot on global media agencies, saying, "I don't think anybody has done anything really, hugely exciting since unbundling." But Mike Cooper intends for PHD, as an "ideas-based agency," to prosper after he pulls its units into a global network.

"[We are] well-poised to provide some leadership in media now," he says. He is particularly enthused by the shop's proprietary communications planning tool called ETNA, which stands for "Exploration, Thought-Leader, Neuro-planning and Action-planning" and puts cognitive psychology together with consumer research and media strategy.

"ETNA takes a much higher ground and intellectual approach," he says. "PHD people are assessed on their ability to come up with and execute ideas. ... It's a big step up from some of the thinking processes that other media agencies have in place, and it enables us to be higher up the food chain." Cooper arrives at PHD from heading up Omnicom Media Group Asia Pacific, a network he helped build.

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