Agency news you need to know this week

Quality Meats targets ‘Dashers’ in DoorDash campaign Quality Meats aims to show how convenient it is to deliver with DoorDash in the Chicago agency’s latest campaign for the food delivery service company. The “Other Commitments” spot, developed in partnership with DoorDash’s internal creative studio, Superette, demonstrates how the DoorDash couriers or “Dashers,” can set their own schedules and deliver when it works well for them. The spot, which will run across streaming and social media, is the first in a series of Dasher-themed ads that will debut this year. “Potential Dashers have a lot on their plates. They are busy people who may already have full-time jobs and other commitments that they’re juggling to try to make ends meet,” said Gordy Sang, co-founder and co-chief creative officer at Quality Meats, in a statement. “We want people to know that delivering with DoorDash is a way to quickly make extra cash,” while being able to “keep living their lives.” Zaxby’s makes media agency changes Restaurant chain Zaxby’s has named Dentsu X as its media agency of record after a review handled by the Burnett Collective consulting firm. Empower Media was the incumbent. Dentsu X will be responsible for all media buying and planning across channels including video, audio, digital, out-of-home, local, search and social. The agency will concentrate on growing the company’s brand recognition and expanding the business across new markets with an emphasis on local media strategy. Read about Ad Age’s 2024 Leading Women here The decision comes after Zaxby's put its creative business in review earlier this year. Tombras held the account since 2018. It was unclear whether it defended. Ogilvy makes senior hire to bolster New York office WPP's Ogilvy New York has named Wes Phelan as executive creative director, a new role. Phelan, who most recently held the same title at Omnicom's Goodby Silverstein & Partners, will oversee creative output for several of the office’s key regional and global clients. “There’s a few set things I’ve wanted across my career, like playing with the best creative squads in the business, being part of inspired and mentorship-rich cultures and getting to do work that forms memorable connections for people,” Phelan said in a statement. “I’m blown away by what Ogilvy is doing.” During his time at Goodby, Phelan worked on 2024 Super Bowl commercials such as "Talkin’ Like Walken” for BMW and “Having a Blast” for Mountain Dew (video below), as well as Adobe Photoshop’s “Creativity For All” initiative. Zambezi supports The Sister Accord Accelerator The Sister Accord Foundation, a movement to empower girls and women founded by author Sonia Jackson Myles, has opened applications for The Sister Accord Accelerator that are due May 31. The accelerator will give six women entrepreneurs a $10,000 grant, along with ongoing mentorship from Myles and Jean Freeman, CEO and principal of Zambezi, which is providing $50,000 in funding, as well as additional guidance from a number of noted business leaders. “Women-owned businesses are a primary driver for the U.S. economy, they are known for their innovation and for promoting greater diversity within their organizations, which will lead us to a more equitable workforce, and beyond,” said Freeman, who is also a co-founder of OwnIt, an industry initiative to support, advise and promote women-owned agencies. Just briefly Mother has appointed Pamela Chen as managing director and partner. In the new role, Chen will spearhead the agency’s Shanghai office alongside Executive Creative Directors and Partners Winson Woo and Wanshi Lu. Chen was previously director of business development at WPP design agency AKQA. GT’s Living Foods, the owner of Synergy Raw Kombucha, has hired Canvas Worldwide as its media AOR after a competitive review. Assembly Media was the incumbent on the account, according to a Canvas Worldwide spokesperson. It was not clear whether Assembly Media defended. Communications agency Imre has named Christian Bauman as chief creative officer. Bauman, who was formerly chief creative officer at healthcare agency The Bloc, will oversee Imre’s AOR assignments in healthcare. He succeeds Patrick Sullivan, who left the agency. Horizon Media has joined the Earth Public Information Collaborative (EPIC), a public service media network designed to support public engagement around the climate crisis, as a media agency partner. Horizon aims to help EPIC develop its global strategy to increase awareness of climate change issues. VML named Ryan McManus as its U.K. chief creative officer, a post that has been vacant since VMLY&R merged with Wunderman Thompson. McManus was previously chief creative officer for North America, where he led creative for one of WPP’s largest clients, Ford. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Brand studio and production company Sibling Rivalry, which has worked with clients including NBC and HBO Max, appointed Bo Bishop to the new role of executive director of creative strategy. Bishop previously spent nearly five years as executive director, creative strategy at branding and design agency Trollbäck+Company. The Creative Collective, an organization dedicated to supporting Black and Brown creatives, has selected Kensington Grey as its AOR for social media and talent management. It wasn’t immediately clear which agency previously held the account. TBWA\Media Arts Lab, which bills itself as the “bespoke agency” for Apple, has named Jason Lee and Derek Silveira as creative directors. Lee and Silveira step into the new roles after serving as associate creative directors at the agency.

Agency news you need to know this week

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