Bathtub-based support for Ukraine

Cincinnati-based Curiosity is encouraging the creative industry to climb into their bathtubs this holiday season with its Bathtub Creative initiative. In partnership with Ukraine-based PR Army, a nonprofit organization of more than 400 Ukrainian PR leaders that focus on sharing information about the war in Ukraine, the initiative brings to light the new normal for Ukrainians working in creative industries. In an attempt to remain productive amid air raids and bombings, for many Ukrainians their workplace is the bathtub. 

The two organizations are using social media to drive people to a fake bathtub-based creative agency website, where users are shown the true stories of Ukrainians creating and managing workloads from their bathtubs or other windowless safe spaces such as laundry rooms or closets. 

“In many ways, Bathtub Creative is our way of reigniting the conversation about the war and the people living through it,” said Ashley Walters, partner & chief development officer at Curiosity. “People just like us. Art directors, copywriters and account managers working from the safest place they can find—usually the bathroom.” 

Bathtub Creative encourages people to show their support by either purchasing a Ukraine-inspired bar of soap or making a monetary donation to the MacPaw Foundation, a Kyiv-based nonprofit supporting Ukrainian protectors and civilians. On Dec. 20, Curiosity and PR Army are asking the industry to work from their tubs for an entire day and post a video or picture to Instagram, using the #WorkFromTubDay hashtag. 

Winning is Undefeated

FanDuel Casino has launched its first work from creative agency of record Mischief @ No Fixed Address, which won the account in July. The campaign includes two hero tv spots, social and radio content, as well as out-of-home across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia. The “Winning is Undefeated” campaign focuses on the idea that winning in any scenario in life feels amazing. The commercials key in on situations of a person not having to pay for parking because the meter’s broken, and another of a person getting dumped by someone they were going to break up with anyway.

Keurig Dr Pepper faces backlash for ‘egregious’ RFP terms

VoxComm, an international trade organization that represents other trade organizations, called out Keurig Dr Pepper for running a PR agency search in the U.S. in which part of the ask for agencies involved was to accept 360-day payment terms. Those that cannot work with those terms are being offered the option of financing, at their own cost, through Atlanta-based Prime Revenue according to a statement by VoxComm.

Scott Knox, director of VoxComm and president and CEO of the Institute of Canadian Agencies called the situation “egregious” and a form of “corporate bullying” by the marketer, which owns brands such as 7UP, Canada Dry, Sunkist, Schweppes, Snapple and Dr Pepper.

“Agencies are not banks and simply cannot be expected to finance a clients marketing budget,” Knox said. “Shareholders of the corporation should be holding the leadership to account, especially when their own supplier Code of Conduct states that they are “committed to high standards of ... ethical conduct.”

Keurig Dr Pepper wasn’t immediately available for comment.

Giant Spoon hires Noel Cottrell

Former VMLY&R Chief Creative Officer Noel Cottrell has joined Giant Spoon as partner and creative chair. Co-Founder Jon Haber previously held the creative chair role and will now solely focus on business development, high-level client relationships and building future products and business units for the agency, according to Giant Spoon.

“Adding Noel to our team allows us to offer our vision of what’s possible for today's marketers on a bigger stage,” Haber said in a statement.

The agency also promoted Ian Grody from executive creative director to CCO.

Just briefly

Jack Morton has launched a sponsorship consulting practice called Jack 39. The practice will be led by Pat Heffernan, who has been with the agency for 12 years, and Ashley Brantman who joins from NYDIG, a Bitcoin company where she developed and led their partnership strategy, focusing on sponsorship and entertainment investments.

Today is the final day for agencies to apply to participate in The Blac Internship, a 12-week internship backed by Procter & Gamble. The internship, which takes place at agencies across the country, is launching its third season on Dec. 16. 

Visit Detroit has selected MMGY Global as its agency of record to lead branding, media and strategic efforts focused on driving hotel bookings and retail traffic throughout the metro Detroit region.

Milwaukee-based Hanson Dodge has brought on Maggie Pope as its associate media director. Prior to taking on the newly created role, she served as an associate director of performance media for Allied Global Marketing.

Los Angeles-based Reach Agency has brought on two new executives for newly created roles. Chloe Mays, previously a creative specialist at TikTok, joins as associate director of influencer marketing and Rachel Theberge, previously a creative director at Narrative, joins as creative director.