Don’t forget to sign up for our Small Agency conference, which is a little more than a week away. We recently asked five of our panelists and keynotes to provide a few fun facts that the average reader may not know about them. Who knew that Keith Cartwright, founder and chief creative officer, of Cartwright played against Jason Kidd in high school or that Paulo Carvajal, chief strategy officer, of Noble People created a mobile game that was rejected by Apple twice, for being too political? 

Also,  Ad Age’s Best Places to Work 2022 is now open for entries! As always, the award will honor companies in advertising and marketing that are quantifiably ahead of the pack in factors that include corporate culture, benefits, and employee development. The competition is open to agencies, ad tech firms, brand or corporate marketing departments or groups, and in-house agencies of marketers.

What are NFTs?

NFTs are all the rage, but what are they? How do they work and what is their value? Tezos, a blockchain platform for digital assets, tries to answer those questions in a silly series of video ads that, yes, are also collectible as NFTs.

The 100% digital campaign features five video spots that explain NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, can be anything. In one ad, they’re a “non-friendly turtle,” “narrow French toast” and “nostalgic family towels.” In another they’re a “newly found taco.” The videos all point to the campaign’s landing page on the Tezos website.

The landing page defines NFTs as “Unique digital items—like artwork, music recordings, trading cards, and other collectibles—that can't be replicated or interchanged” and explains that they’re stored on a blockchain, like Tezos. The page also features six NFTs to collect from the campaign.

The campaign will run on YouTube, Hulu and social media and aims to educate non-crypto natives about Tezos’ eco-friendly, energy-efficient blockchain platform. Tezos, a separate entity from its nonprofit Tezos Foundation (who named Huge AOR last month), partnered with agency Bear in the Hall for the campaign.

Mother debut’s WFH apparel 

While we’ve seen campaigns that are looking to put sweats to rest as we come out of the pandemic, one agency is hoping to keep the loungewear trend alive—for a good cause.

Mother L.A. has debuted “Work From Home Wear,” a line of sweatsuits designed to support essential workers—pandemic-related and beyond. 

The line comes in four colors: solid black, brown, green and white. Each garment costs $100, with $20 from each color sweatsuit going to benefit a specific cause. The “Pandemic Black” are geared toward helping essential workers, and proceeds go to Donate PPE, an organization that helps source personal protective equipment for hospitals and healthcare workers. “Dirt Brown” goes to supporting farmers via Farm Aid, “Trees Green” helps conservationists through the National Forest Foundation while “Paper White” provides aid to teachers through Teach for America. 

Copy on the garments spells out what they are: “This is a non-essential sweatshirt sold to benefit essential workers.” The sweatsuits are made from high-quality long-lasting 100% recyclable materials and created from start to finish in South Los Angeles. 

The creatives behind the idea, Casey Philips and Russ Rizzo, say that the line was inspired by the frontline and essential workers during the COVID-19 crisis: “The pandemic showed that many essential workers are underpaid, underfunded, and underappreciated, all while many non-essential workers worked comfortably from home. So it made sense to, in a sense, take money from non-essential workers and give it to essential workers. It's like Robin Hood's strategy without the thievery." 

They say the line was meant to come out earlier but production hurdles delayed its release. It remains timely, however, as the crisis continues and there are ongoing needs for essential workers in other areas of conservation, education and more. 

Omnicom’s chief environmental sustainability officer

Omnicom has appointed Karen van Bergen as its chief environmental sustainability officer, reporting to John Wren, Chairman and CEO, Omnicom. In this role, van Bergen will be responsible for overseeing the company's climate change initiatives and processes which include setting measurable goals, policies and partnerships that will reduce its carbon footprint. Along with this newly created  position van Bergen will maintain her current role as executive VP and Dean of Omnicom University.

Icy Hot Olympics edition

Topical pain relief brand Icy Hot taps professional soccer star Rose Lavelle as its first new brand ambassador in 18 years, ahead of this year’s Olympic Games. Lavelle joins long-time partner Shaquille O’Neal to rep the ointment.

The series of spots, directed by MJZ’s Henry Hobson, immerse the athletes in intense trials on fields of fire and ice. Shaq rubs Icy Hot on his shoulder while shooting hoops and finds himself on a frozen court. As he runs toward the basket, fire spreads beneath him and surrounds him in a flaming desert. He slam dunks the ball as the brand’s tagline, “rise from pain,” appears on screen.

Similarly, Lavelle kicks a soccer ball down a field when a knee pain stops her. She applies Icy Hot’s spray ointment and is transported to a frozen pitch similar to the one Shaq conquered. Lavelle credits the pain relief brand’s “contrast therapy” for taking her to the end of the field and rocketing the ball through the goal’s net, leaving a smoldering hole behind it.

The video campaign, which gives spectacular visualization of the sensorial experience of muscles after applying Icy Hot, is led by agency Terri & Sandy as well as contributing organizations Salutem, United Entertainment Group and Havas Media. The campaign will run on television, digital and social.

Cue the music

Ogilvy has been selected by the New York Philharmonic to be its creative agency partner. The agency will be responsible for developing a new brand platform, visual identity, and creative campaign for the New York Philharmonic as it enters a new era next year when it returns to its newly renovated home at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall. The work for the U.S’ oldest symphony orchestra, will be led by Ogilvy’s New York office.

Former Dentsu CEO takes on new CEO role

Adtech company Amobee is bringing on former-Dentsu executive, Nick Brien as its CEO. Brien has more than three decades of worldwide experience across advertising and most recently, served as CEO of the Americas for Dentsu International. According to a statement by the company Samba Natarajan, who was holding concurrent responsibilities as CEO of Amobee as well as CEO of Strategic Portfolio at Amobee’s parent company, Singtel Group, will re-focus on his role at Singtel and continue as a board member at Amobee.

Brien was replaced by Jacki Kelley, after stepping down in 2019.

Teaching Talent

Last week Havas launched its second annual Open House program. The free virtual program, which has 100 registrants and counting, is open to anyone who is interested in exploring the world of advertising. Participants will have access to industry professionals that will take them through the life-cycle of a campaign and teach them the skills, roles, and responsibilities required to bring advertising to life. In addition, participants can take enhanced courses on social justice, environmental sustainability, mental health and wellness, and shaping the future of work. While the program started on July 15, people are able to sign up anytime until the program’s end on August 20.

Deutsch NY is hosting a free, virtual, week-long program open to all agency talent called Summer C.A.M.P.

Summer C.A.M.P., which stands for Creative, Advertising, and Media Program, is designed to teach rising talent about the different disciplines within an agency and the processes that go into creating brand-building marketing communications. 

The goal of this DE&I initiative was to “re-imagine” traditional internships, a spokesperson for Deutsch says. It is open at no cost or barrier to rising talent interested in learning about the industry and will be held from August 2 through August 6, and participants are required to commit to the full week. The initiative has already received more than 160 registrants.

Just briefly

Beverly Hills-based talent agency, UTA has signed Alexis Ohanian, the founder of the software-enabled venture firm Seven Seven Six and former executive chair of Reddit, for representation in all areas.  He is best known for co-founding Reddit in 2005. Last year, he resigned from the Reddit board in protest and left his role at Initialized Capital to launch Seven Seven Six, a new, software-enabled venture firm focused on people, culture, and community.

Sausalito-based agency, Butler, Shine, Stern and Partners has brought on Mark Yee as it’s new head of account management. Before taking on the newly created role, Yee most recently served as group account director at  Phenomenon. With 27 years of marketing communications experience, Yee has worked with brands like Pepsi, Diamond Foods, Diageo, Red Lobster, Hilton, Tesco, and JCPenney.

Kentucky-based agency Cornett, has brought on 18-year advertising veteran Chris Finnegan as VP, integrated media director. Before taking on the newly created role Finnegan most recently served as VP, integrated media director at Tombras. 

Fast-casual barbeque restaurant City Barbeque tapped Hathway to design and build brand-new native apps, a custom website for ordering, and an integrated marketing site to streamline the BBQ brand’s online ordering experience. This is the latest work for the digital growth agency which has created digital experiences for brands including Panda Express, Wingstop, Dutch Bros Coffee. and Dash In.

Digital BizCom, a division of public relations and marketing communications firm BizCom Associates, has added Madison Woodruff for the newly created account manager position.

Independent creative production company, Sibling Films,  has added Jeff Bitsack as its new comedy director. Most recently Bitsack directed for Eleanor Films, working with Blue Diamond Almond on a new campaign that launched in June. Before moving into the director world full time in 2010, Bitsack worked for Weiden+Kennedy as associate creative director, primarily on their ESPN account.

New York City-based creative content company, Versus has hired Mark Grande to lead it’s new original content division as head of original content. Prior to joining  Versus, Grande led content at hip-hop legend Nas’ entertainment company, Mass Appeal, where he oversaw digital, film, and television programs, executive producing their first-ever podcast slate, and was instrumental in the launch of their children’s brand MAJR. 

Contributing: Ann-Christine Diaz, Parker Herren

Want to learn more about agencies? The Ad Age Small Agency Conference & Awards is the only industry event specifically created for independent shops of fewer than 150 full-time employees. Buy your ticket for the Aug. 2-4 virtual event at AdAge.com/saca2021.