IPG Health names chief medical officer

IPG Health promoted Sommer Bazuro to chief medical officer and Julie Pilon to chief strategy officer. Alice Choi was promoted to managing director, client solutions for APAC. All three are newly created roles.

Bazuro, who was previously chief medical officer at FCB Health, will now manage more than 150 people across the network’s medical strategy and medical writing teams. She continues to lead the network’s “The Trial for #ClinicalEquality” initiative, which addresses the disparity in recruiting people of color for clinical trials. Choi was previously chief operating officer of IPG Health Medical Communications. Pilon led strategy teams at IPG Health’s AREA 23 before taking on her previous role of chief strategy officer at FCB Health.

These appointments are another step toward further growth at IPG Health, which was named Healthcare Network of the Year on Ad Age’s 2023 A-List. 

Smoothie King takes on greasy food

Smoothie King is offering people an alternative to greasy fast food in its latest campaign. “Gut Bomb,” Barkley's first campaign for Smoothie King since being named the chain's agency of record, portrays the potential downsides of eating fast food. 

The spot shows a man eating a greasy burger when his stomach grows large and he begins to groan, a lit fuse popping out of his belly button. “Don’t let a gut bomb destroy your day,” a voiceover then says, before highlighting the chain's smoothie offerings. 

The campaign also includes radio, in-store POP and a full social campaign, which is supported by 12 health and fitness influencers. 

Digitas North America names new CEO

Digitas North America named Amy Lanzi its CEO. Lanzi succeeds Jodi Robinson, who is leaving Digitas after 22 years to take on a new innovation-focused role at Publicis.

Lanzi was most recently chief operating officer for Publicis Commerce, where she built out the Commerce offering and facilitated the integration of Publicis Groupe’s recent acquisitions of CitrusAd and Profitero. Before her time at Publicis, Lanzi spent more than 20 years at Omnicom’s TPN, where she helped grow the company from a team of 30 to 300 and opened offices in Chicago, San Francisco, Bentonville, Arkansas and London. 

McCann London’s new CSO

McCann London appointed Mel Arrow as its new chief strategy officer. Arrow replaces Theo Izzard-Brown, who was appointed as UK chief strategy officer at Dentsu Creative in December 2022.

This is the shop's latest executive hire since it named Polly McMorrow as its CEO in April 2022. The agency’s COO Jemima Monies joined in february this year and Regan Warner joined as an executive creative director last month.

Prior to her new role which she will start in June, Arrow served as the CSO of BMB. Arrow has also held multiple strategy roles at BBH.

California Pizza Kitchen taps Acadia as media AOR

California Pizza Kitchen named Acadia as its media agency of record. Part of the restaurant chain’s media remit moving forward includes creating more “hyper-local” and targeted ads, according to a statement by Acadia.

It’s unclear whether there was a review. 

“We’re emphasizing ways to motivate known customers to consider CPK more often,” Scott Hargrove, CMO of CPK, said in a statement. “We can compete more effectively with precise, measurable, local media that inspires guests to come and try us one more time. Acadia has the prowess in analytics, digital media, and e-commerce to get the granular, accountable results we need.” 

305 Worldwide takes on a new ECD

Horizon Media named Nicky Lorenzo as its SVP, executive creative director for its culture-first agency 305 worldwide. Lorenzo, who will lead creative for the agency as part of this newly created role,  previously worked at Taylor Global as a senior VP, group director.

“Nicky is proven to drive impact and growth through connected creative direction and execution, her experience brings us an immediate competitive advantage and reflects our strength as an emerging leader in the space,” said Roberto Alcazar, executive VP, managing partner, executive creative director at 305 Worldwide, in a statement. 

Just briefly

Lauren Douglass was named PMG's managing director and head of marketing, a newly created role. She joins the agency from Channel Factory, where she was SVP of global marketing. 

The California Raisins selected Influencer and branded content agency Sway Group as its lead agency to handle influencer marketing, following a formal review.

Chemistry promoted Jason Dille to be its first chief media officer. Dille most recently held the title of executive VP and has been key to growing the agency’s media to over $100 million.