Agency news you need to know this week

Gut reaction Gut made a splash this week when it sold a majority stake to digital and tech consultancy Globant. The agency, which had grown to around 500 employees in five years and was named Cannes Independent Agency of the Year in June, had been a standout creative shop since its launch. So it’s no surprise industry executives had their fair share to say about the news. Ad Age A-List & Creativity Awards Final deadline approaching for annual program Enter here Noel Cottrell, founder of Murder Hornet, commented on Linkedin: “Love this for Indies. Go Gut.” Cindy Gallop congratulated the Gut team, but the IfWeRanTheWorld founder took the opportunity to bring attention to women-owned agencies given that the Globant and Gut acquisition news came with a picture of the founders of both companies, who are all male. “One day I look forward to seeing this headline with an all-female leadership lineup,” Gallop wrote. She went on to shout out the “Own It” podcast hosted by Christy Hiler, the owner and president of Cornett. Aaron Starkman, Rethink’s global chief creative officer, penned a post stating “We’re never selling,” followed by a few lines of space and another line that read “Go Indies.” He elaborated further in the comments. “After the Gut news today, many people have asked us if we are next,” Starkman wrote. “Let us assure you that Rethink is never selling. In fact, we structured the business so that it’s not possible. And last thing, a huge congrats to Anselmo Ramos and Gut. We were huge fans of you before the sale and will continue to root for you after. Great work. Great people. Go Gut!” In a similar sentiment, Oriel Davis-Lyons, chief creative officer of Mother New York, created a post that featured an image of a sign in Mother’s office that reads “Not for Sale” along with a line below that reads “50 years of Mother.” “When you walk through the front door at Mother New York, the first thing you see is the kitchen where we eat lunch together. The second thing you see is this sign.” Davis-Lyons wrote in his post. Dentsu’s latest hire Dentsu hired its first-ever global chief strategy and consultancy officer to oversee its media offering. Hamish Kinniburgh takes on the role after serving as the global chief consultancy officer at Mediabrands. Prior to that, he was the global chief strategy officer at UM in New York. The move is part of a continued effort to combine Dentsu's media specialties under a set leadership team. In October Dentsu reorganized its global practices and, as part of that, appointed Will Swayne global president of its media offering. “We’re at momentous moment for media right now as the landscape is changing at an astonishing pace and this is impacting how clients perceive and partner with their agencies,” Swayne said in a statement. “[Kinniburgh] has joined us at the perfect time, to bring his vast experience in both strategy and consultancy to our business, helping us unlock the untapped potential for clients and accelerate strong and sustainable growth.” Goodby Silverstein & Partners invests in AI and innovation Goodby Silverstein & Partners hired Martin Pagh Ludvigsen as its first-ever director of creative technology and AI and appointed Simran Kaur as brand strategy director and director of Innovation Camp. Ludvigsen was most recently director of creative technology at MullenLowe U.S. and Kaur was previously a senior strategist for the agency. Innovation Camp, launched in January, aims to help brands build “multi year innovation road maps” using emerging tech, according to the agency. The new offering has led to work leveraging using extended reality and AI. M&C Saatchi launches influencer agency M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment North America has spun off its influencer marketing division into a new creator marketing agency called M&C Saatchi Fabric. The new entity will be led by Executive VP Alexandra Osorio and VP Lauren Weil, with oversight from a trio of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment North America partners: CEO Steph Lund and Presidents Paul Anastasiadis and Andrea Nirsimloo. Lund cited growth in its influencer division and increased demand for creator and influencer work as the reason for the move. “This marks a strategic dedication and investment by our agency in innovation and growth within the space,” Lund said in a statement. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Dude Wipes puts a twist on Christmas classic Masculinely marketed flushable wipe brand Dude Wipes is putting a dirty spin on a Christmas classic in a new campaign from agency of record Curiosity. The campaign poetically reminds listeners to keep their butts clean this holiday season by rewording the Clement Clarke Moore Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas.” A cheeky narrator opens the new version of the poem by recounting the tale of “Twas the night we had tacos.” The poem continues the tale of a person frustrated by the inefficiencies of dry wiping before finding a pack of Dude Wipes at their feet. Pleasantly clean, the narrator declares “Now flush away, flush away, flush away all!” “The season is all about family time and holiday cheer, but we always want to remind everyone, you’re not enjoying anything without a clean rear!” Dude Products Co-Founder Ryan Meegan said in a statement. The campaign will air nationally across audio streaming platforms, including Spotify, Pandora and iHeart. Two additional readings will be done on Barstool Sports delivered by the hosts of podcasts “Bussin’ with the Boys” and “The Yak.” Banner ads will run across digital properties, and the video will be posted to Dude Products’ social accounts. More: Watch the latest holiday ads Minnesota Twins pick Rise and Shine and Partners The Minnesota Twins chose Minneapolis firm Rise and Shine and Partners as the MLB team’s lead brand agency following a competitive agency search. The Twins saw a strong postseason finish this year, winning the American League Central Division title and being knocked out of their postseason bid for the World Series by the Houston Astros. For the 2024 season, Rise and Shine will lead brand strategy and insights, creative campaign development and production, media and communications strategy, and planning and buying responsibilities. The Twins are looking to expand their cultural impact after a strong season, and Rise and Shine was the right partner for the task, said Heather Hinkel, VP of brand marketing for the team. “We’re shaping a new model for how sports brands across the country can come to life,” Hinkel said in a statement. “Rise and Shine gets it.” The Twins previously worked with Carmichael Lynch and Stagwell on marketing efforts. Just Briefly Digital marketing agency Authentic is piloting a four-day workweek as a way to improve productivity, encourage diversity, increase retention rates and prioritize the mental and physical health of its employees. The agency worked with the Campaign Workers Guild to coordinate the program, which will be rolled out over the next six months. Read more about four-day workweeks at agencies Stephanie Berman is returning to her role as global chief creative officer of healthcare agency The Bloc. Berman previously served in the position from 2003 to 2018, but stepped away for leadership roles at Hill Holliday Health and McCann Health New York. She replaces Christian Bauman, who left The Bloc in November. Imre has named Scott Tucker as its first chief client officer, reporting to President Anna Kotis. Tucker joins with more than 30 years of experience from Havas Health and You, where he was global brand director. The Ad Council has appointed Corrina Greenberg as its chief revenue and development officer. Greenberg was previously VP of development at New York Public Radio. She will be taking over for Barbara Leshinsky, who will be retiring this month after leading the development team for 19 years, according to a spokesman for the organization. Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here

Agency news you need to know this week

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