Aloha from Portland,
There will be weeks where things come at you pretty fast … and this week didn’t disappoint. But before we get into some of the news that contributed to sprint, it might be a good time to slow down a little and enjoy a fascinating read.
What we’re referring to is Patrick Coffee’s outstanding piece he published on Silicon Valley pariah Elizabeth Holmes. You may end up watching the HBO documentary The Inventor or have read the excellent book, Bad Blood by John Carreyrou, but this story goes into the marketing of Theranos and, specifically, how TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles was involved.
It’s a fascinating look at the timeline and where things started to fall apart, including the fact that Holmes and her team were unwilling (and ultimately unable) to show a working product to the agency. The story also includes a never-been-seen-before ad that didn’t see the light of day. It’s also a cautionary tale, as evidenced by how marketing and media played a critical role in building Holmes’ profile, only for it all to come crashing down.
In other news this week …
Mark Penn’s Stagwell Group agreed to a $100 million stake in MDC Partners. After today’s earnings call, some were bullish while others are taking a more cautious view. Regardless, Adweek caught up with Penn to learn more about his plans for the group.
Up in the Pacific Northwest, WPP folded Possible and Cole & Weber into Wunderman Thompson Seattle, calling it a “powerhouse” merger.
And in awards and honors news, Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein will receive the Lion of St. Mark in Cannes this year. We caught up with them at Goodby Silverstein & Partners to discuss their outstanding careers and this week’s Adweek podcast was dedicated to their impact and legacy.
Some moves: Wunderman Thompson scooped up Maree Prendergast as its global chief talent officer from Publicis.Sapient. Dentsu Aegis expanded their executive team. WPP tapped Microsoft U.K. exec, Cindy Rose, to sit on its board. And Merkle has a new chief technology officer.
Worth a watch: This beer ad from Preacher will somehow mellow you out … and make you wish you lived in San Diego.
Another good watch: 90-seconds of Reebok fun. It’s the last work from Venables Bell & Partners before the brand switches to Deutsch.
More agency news, you say? Why not give our sister site, AgencySpy, a read? We’ve got more news and agency world goings-on. If you’re already a reader, we thank you!
Have a wonderful weekend and, as always, thank you for your support.
Warm Regards,
Doug Zanger
Senior Editor, Creativity + Agencies
