The ANA Educational Foundation (AEF) will be releasing what's being described as a groundbreaking and revealing new study on the talent crisis facing the advertising and marketing industries.

Last month, Droga5 announced it was launching a new "academy" designed to draw creative types outside of Adland to the industry. Now LA-based Zambezi, says it's done Droga5 one better - and actually hired one.

Mediabrands Chief Operating Officer Chris Loll has left the Interpublic media division to take on a newly created role at Live Nation as COO of its media and sponsorship unit.

Phelps, the Los Angeles-based agency, has promoted Ed Chambliss to CEO. He succeeds Joe Phelps, who founded the agency 36 years ago.

The firm has hired Chelsey Susin Kantor as director of creativestrategy. Kantor's appointment is the first step in building a major presence on the West Coast in both San Francisco, where she is based, and Los Angeles

Well, at least 100 of you this year and more in 2018 as it builds out a new in-house digital agency that will handle display, programmatic and paid search ads.

The VML-Rockfish combination is the latest agency consolidation move made by WPP in recent months. In June, it confirmed it was combining MEC and Maxus, which today unveiled its new name: Wavemaker.

The new operation is being led by Jared Christensen, Stun's VP Head of Production. While Christensen is now wearing two hats, the production company operates separately and independently, according to the agency.

Not surprisingly, ad agencies and holding companies are assisting in various relief efforts to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey which devastated the Houston area before moving on to Louisiana.