Agency news you need to know this week

DDB North America names chief people officer DDB North America has hired Micheline Grace Lewis as its new chief people officer. Lewis will report to DDB Global Chief People Officer Roisin Rooney. Super Bowl commercials Tracking the latest brand and agency plans Enter here Lewis will work with Rooney to lead the agency’s regional Equality in Advertising Council. Lewis joins DDB from Mother in the U.S., where she led recruitment, career progression, performance management, cultural initiatives and HR operations. Lewis replaces Natalia Schultz, who left DDB in June 2023. Omnicom finalizes Flywheel acquisition Omnicom earlier this week closed the $835 million acquisition of Flywheel Digital, the digital commerce business of Ascential. The acquisition, which was first announced in October, positions the holding company to integrate audience and behavioral data across retail and brand media, digital and in-store commerce with precision marketing using its Omni open operating system. “Flywheel’s best-in-class solutions are a game-changer for our clients whose demand for digital commerce and retail media solutions continues to grow,” Omnicom Chairman and CEO John Wren said in a statement. “When combined with our well-established offerings in commerce, media and precision marketing, we now have end-to-end services that outpace the competition.” Flywheel now operates as a practice area within Omnicom and will be led by Duncan Painter, previously CEO of Ascential. Also read: What Omnicom buying Flywheel means for the industry Ad Council encourages adult education in new PSA The Ad Council teamed up with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to empower adults to get their high school diplomas. “Yearbook” is the latest spot in the Finish Your Diploma campaign that has helped more than 2 million people in America find free adult education classes. The spot uses a universal high school emblem—the yearbook—to show who is affected when an adult finishes his or her high school equivalency education. In the PSA, Ariel—who completed his degree at age 22—is pleasantly surprised when he is gifted a personalized yearbook with messages from friends, family and teachers. He then dons a graduation cap and gown to take pictures with those who wrote in the yearbook. “When you have a job and are trying to raise children, it’s difficult to find the time to take adult education classes,” said Heidi Arthur, Ad Council’s chief campaign development officer, in a statement. “But when you succeed by getting your diploma, the change it creates empowers everyone around you, whether that’s your colleague or your child, to achieve a higher-level success themselves.” “Yearbook” will run in both English and Spanish across multiple platforms, including TV, radio, online and print. Xavier Rees leaves Havas for BBDO BBDO Worldwide hired Xavier Rees as CEO of AMV BBDO and Redwood BBDO. His role will begin no later than May 1 and includes responsibilities previously handled by Sam Hawkey, who left AMV BBDO in December to become chief executive at Digitas across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Redwood BBDO CEO Colin Kennedy will report to Rees. Rees joins from Havas, where he led the London office’s creative output as CEO since 2016. He was also CEO of Havas CX Helia. While at Havas, the agency won new business from Asda, Volkswagen Group UK, the Department for Education, Starbucks, Compare the Market and Molson Coors. Rees has also spent time at Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Wunderman, Archibald Ingall Stretton and RMG/JWT. Crystal Farms hires Colle McVoy Crystal Farms, a leading Midwest dairy brand, named Stagwell’s Colle McVoy as its agency of record following a competitive review. Colle McVoy is responsible for all media planning and buying, social strategy and creative content development for the brand, with new work expected early this year. The account was previously held by Public Works. The agency was chosen for its brand-building experience, according to Andrew Cannon, Crystal Farms associate marketing director. “We could tell from our first interaction that there was something special about the team at Colle McVoy,” Cannon said in a statement. “How they interacted with us and each other was different. We know Colle McVoy values building enduring relationships with its clients, and that’s something we’re excited for in the years ahead.” Crystal Farms is the latest food and agricultural company Colle McVoy has added to its client roster, which also includes Perdue Farms, CHS, AGCO, Vermont Creamery and Schwan's Home Delivery. Taco Bell Canada finds Courage Taco Bell Canada named Courage as its Canadian agency of record following a pitch. Courage will lead all creative, brand activations and social media for the QSR brand. Taco Bell Canada was drawn to Courage’s reputation for its bold choices and viral, standout moments for brand consumers, according to Devon Lawrence, Taco Bell Canada’s marketing director. “Amid a market that is overrun with a lot of the same ideas, we strongly believe that creativity is the greatest tool we have to help us stand apart from the crowd,” Lawrence said in a statement. “Finding an agency that innately understood this was crucial to our search, and we feel we’ve absolutely found that in Courage.” This is the second Yum! Brands company Courage has added to its client roster. KFC moved its Canadian creative business from John St. to Courage at the end of 2022. Subscribe to Ad Age Sign up now for the latest industry news and analysis Click here Just Briefly Boston-based creative agency GYK Antler has named Adam Telian head of media and Sarah Spitz its first head of production, management and operations. Both are new posts. Klick Health has named Tim Jones executive creative director. Jones joined from Grey Group, where he was chief creative officer of pharma. He had also spent time as executive VP and executive creative director at McCann Health New York. Trace Minerals has chosen public relations and digital agency Crowe PR as its agency of record. The previous agency was undisclosed.

Agency news you need to know this week

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