Disruption gets
recognized

‘Hope Sogni’, is an AI-generated Fifa presidential candidate. Created by Dark Horses, Sogni, who would like to be Fifa’s 10th – and first female – president, was created to highlight the vital role women can play in the decision-making process.

Erin Riley, who has been with the agency for nearly eight years, is taking on the role after serving as the CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles since 2021. She will oversee TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles, New York and Nashville. “These are very robust agencies that share a lot in terms of ethos and methodology, but also have things that are very distinct about them, things that we want to preserve,” Riley said.

Apple’s latest holiday ad by TBWA\Media Arts lab mixes stop motion and live action to tell a heartwarming story about a grumpy boss and his employee.

Anthony Hamelle, Executive Director at TBWA\Chiat\Day NY on how younger generations are making and spending money.

Renata Yannoulis, Senior Strategist at TBWA\Sydney explains that while action may be hard, completing a census is an easy way to help to progress diversity and inclusion in adland. “It’s small steps and open forums where many voices are heard.”

TBWA\Melbourne is on the hunt for fresh talent with its 2024 apprenticeship program ‘Fresh Fries’. Now in its sixth year, Fresh Fries gives successful applicants an opportunity to taste test each of the agency’s four departments – business management, planning, creative and project management/production, as well as a stint at sister agency Eleven PR.

For spooky season, Jack in the Box and TBWA\Chiat\Day LA released the brand’s first-ever horror short entitled ‘Feeding Time.’ The spot opens with a trio of unruly teenagers stealing candy from two children. While walking off with their bounty, they notice a suspicious food truck peddling “Free Angry Monster Tacos.”

TBWA\Hunt Lascaris translates South Africa’s powerful singing tradition of gwijo into a campaign for MTN that rallied the entire nation. These are songs of encouragement deeply embedded in local culture. The chosen gwijo, ‘Mtaka Mama’, is about togetherness and the nation’s defiant spirit, emphasizing that they’re all brothers and sisters. It’s a soul-stirring anthem that transcends race and language.

TBWA\Worldwide has named Jen Costello as global chief strategy officer. Formerly chief strategy officer of TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles, Jen will be responsible for supporting the collective’s almost 2,000 strategists in their pursuit of creative excellence.

As ad agencies find that they must move on from their traditional roles as creators and strategists and AI makes its presence increasingly felt, is a root-and-branch change to the industry’s long-standing business model necessary?

The project is “designed to attract donations in a younger and more modern way through humor. And nothing’s more modern than a streaming platform,” said Fernando Lyra, creative director of Lew’Lara\TBWA.

The campaign’s mission is to educate younger men and women about the 26 factors and symptoms of breast cancer and the importance of regular checks.

Nicolas Bordas, Vice President International at TBWA\Worldwide and Chairman at TBWA\Corporate, has launched a monthly newsletter titled “The Killer Idea” about (you guessed it) killer ideas found on LinkedIn each month. In the first English iteration, Bordas explains why senior citizens should be reintegrated and prioritized in the workforce.

Pineda will steer the agency’s creative work with ECD Laura Paikkari, actively challenge the status quo, and push for even more iconic client work. “I am honored to work with this crowd of remarkable individuals and fearless and ambitious clients”, said Pineda.

Coinciding with the launch of the new iPhone 15 Pro Max comes a new spot starring Grammy winning songstress, Olivia Rodrigo. Created in collaboration with TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the film not only manages to promote the new phone, but also her new single “Get Him Back”.

Nearly eight out of 10 Muslims use online matchmaking platforms to find life partners. This is just one of several notable changes in how Muslim singles approach dating in the digital age revealed in TBWA\Asia’s new multi-market research. “Through meticulous analysis of data found in social media conversations, the report identifies 8 Areas of Marriage Readiness which lists out spirituality, character, family consent and blessings, communication, financial and security, health, future home, and finally, the Nikkah\Wedding,” said Nazirah Ashari, head of 65 DB Kuala Lumpur, strategy director at Halal Wave, TBWA\Asia and author of the report.

On Sunday nights in the fall, once the football games are over, NFL watchers face a harsh return to reality. The so-called “Sunday scaries” aren’t unique to football fans, of course, but when Sunday is your favorite day, the sudden arrival of the workweek does seem particularly cruel. DirecTV and TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles, though, have found an unexpected way to send you off to slumberland without a care in the world on Sunday nights—with help from Travis Kelce, star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.

On the latest episode of The Evolution of Creativity and Creative, Erin Riley, CEO at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA, connected with Forbes to discuss agency experience, client-side stints with both Gap and Cole Haan, and an earlier career spent with some of advertising’s most vaunted agency brands and the clients they represent. “When you lean into the boldness of a big idea and the power of creativity, you can unlock more than you imagined possible…so organizations have to decide: do I want to be slow and steady, or do I want to take a moon shot?”

TikTok and TBWA have released a new whitepaper titled, “Storytelling in the Next Creative Renaissance”, which takes an in-depth look at the crucial role creativity and innovation play in contemporary marketing strategies.

The easiest way to help kids learn something new is to sneak it into playtime. This is the concept behind Lego’s Braille Bricks. Conceptualized with the help of Lew’Lara\TBWA, the iconic studs on top of the bricks are leveraged to recreate the braille alphabet.

Apple has been focusing on disability for a long time. Now, the brand expands that focus to disabled pets with a short film created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab. The touching film shows the iPhone’s ability to help design prosthetics for dogs who’ve lost limbs.

Social media has become so prevalent that most, if not all, brands have a social media presence and strategy. However, brands’ constant push for engagement has led to a trend: The Funny Brand Voice. The industry may soon find itself at an inflection point that ends one of two ways, strategists and execs predict. “The content is less about being jokey and snarky only. It’s more about, let’s have discussions,” said Janni Widerholm, creative director of earned media and social at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA.

TBWA\Lisbon has unveiled a fanciful, fashion-forward effort — a line of apparel for McDonald’s Portugal that helps you hide your McFlurry from the thieves who would pilfer a bite. The collection includes three types of T-shirts featuring the same striped pattern seen on McFlurry cups and has helped boost McFlurry sales by 50%.

Last September, Gin company Inverroche and TBWA’s GRID Worldwide launched limited-edition packaging that doubles as a “hotel” for solitary bees. The concept won the Packaging category for Fast Company’s 2023 Innovation by Design Awards.

There are millions of conversations going on at any given time on social media, but only a handful of brands have the capacity to truly leverage big, social data to create strategic insights for their business development. Nazirah Ashari, Head of 65dB Lumpur, TBWA\Asia’s Audience Intelligence Division, shares how they use real-time social media listening to analyze trending topics, identify unique signals, and unlock hidden narratives in target markets.

SXSW Panel Picker is live! Check out our ideas in the running and give them a vote up at the links below to help to bring them to the SXSW Stage next March.

According to a new report from Backslash, new cultural behaviors are driving the food category forward. The overarching message of the report is that whilst it may not be instantly thought of as culture, food is at the heart of many cultural issues such as climate change and social justice. “From the societal implications of how we consume and create food, to future-facing thinking about how food can positively affect our lives and the world we live in, this report covers the whole spectrum”, explains Sandie Dilger, the Chief Strategy Officer at TBWA\London.

TBWA\Chiat\Day LA Chief Creative Officer, Renato Fernandez, caught up with host Dusty Weis of The Lead Balloon Podcast to talk about all things AI, advertising and the future of our industry. “AI became the equalizer in the industry…but with this equalization…we still need people to extract and take the best of AI…you still need someone that can orchestrate the data, direct the data, shape the data and take the best of it…those people will be the creative directors of this new technology,” said Fernandez.

Adidas has unveiled its new campaign to celebrate the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. Created by TBWA\NEBOKO, the campaign is dedicated to next gen icons Alessia Russo, Lena Oberdorf and Mary Fowler and looks to drive more global attention for the game and inspire other young women and girls to follow in their footsteps.

The Paraguay Sin Basura Foundation, an organization for the conservation of the environment, has partnered with Oniria\TBWA to create the ‘Julio Sin Plástico’ campaign. The initiative aims to shine a light on excessive plastic use and encourage the elimination of at least one single-use plastic during the month of July.

Meta-owned social media platform Threads has become the fastest growing app, clocking 100m users within the first five days since it was launched. Social client partner at Eleven PR Sydney, Erin Brizga told The Growth Agenda: “The early bird catches the algorithm. By joining now, brands can capture the attention and loyalty of users who are eager for new content and experiences, helping to build a dedicated following before competition becomes fierce.”

Carlin Dixon, Associate Director, DEI Strategy at TBWA\Chiat\Day NY, has been named this year’s Mr. ADCOLOR for the 17th Annual ADCOLOR Awards, which celebrate individuals and companies that go above and beyond to make a difference in the creative and tech industries.

LBB’s Addison Capper spoke with social media and branding leaders from across the advertising industry to get a temperature check of its feelings towards the change and its implications for brands. “At their best, B2B brands are the ultimate disruptors, driving innovation at the intersection of technology and commerce,” said John Hickman, Group Strategy Director and Head of PLEX at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA.

Last month, Renato Fernandez, chief creative officer at TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles discussed the potential of the tech on in-housing, brands and product during the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.

Refilwe Maluleke, CSO of TBWA\South Africa, explains why it’s important for brands to stay authentic and consistent with their brand promise, even during economic downturns.

With the Women’s Football World Cup 2023 approaching, ING wanted to draw attention to the importance of equal opportunities between men and women in football. With the help of TBWA\NEBOKO, the brand launched the “Goals for Equal Opportunities” initiative, which shows the obstacles women and girls face in order to score.

Apple’s latest ‘Shot on iPhone’ film created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab LATAM, pays homage to the wrestling sport made popular a century ago in Mexican culture—and even features two popular lucha libre wrestling characters, Huracán Ramírez and Dr. Wagner.

Ad agencies can’t stop talking about AI. Luke Eid, TBWA\Worldwide’s Chief Innovation Officer, explains how TBWA is approaching the matter as technology continues to evolve.

What will drive spending in the future? Climate change, optimized health, and freedom of choice – all of which are linked to the future of food. Backlash has compiled insights from 42 culture spotters across the globe to create the fourth report in its Future of series. The Future of Food outlines clear opportunities for businesses to capture a greater share of the future.

TBWA\Worldwide Global CEO Troy Ruhanen chats with CNBC’s Karen Tso about how the 2023 festival compares to past years, how AI won’t take away from being creative in the short-term, our great partnerships with Google, Adobe and Microsoft, the biggest challenges facing the advertising industry right now and that he doesn’t “necessarily” see a recession looming based on client spend.

Gatorade revived its iconic “Be Like Mike” campaign in a star-studded ad by TBWA\Chiat\Day LA featuring Michael Jordan, Serena Williams and Lionel Messi alongside a new generation of sports greats.

Ever since humans invented soup, it’s been depicted in art. From ancient Sumerian stone tablets to Pablo Picasso’s ‘La Soupe’ in 1902, there is evidence of soup fuelling humankind’s progress throughout history. To celebrate humanity’s favorite meal, Heinz and TBWA\Sydney have taken inspiration from ‘soup art’ to remind everyone the reasons people reached for soup were the same then, as they are now.

Back in February, Hilton and TBWA\Chiat\Day NY released a 10-minute TikTok video that took viewers on a sprawling journey, spanning dozens of locations, multiple genres, and featuring appearances from half a dozen beloved TikTok creators. The spot earned 4 million views within its first two days and set the bar for how brands should engage with their audience.

TBWA\NEBOKO and TBWA\X have turned every streaming service into a McDonald’s Delivery platform by making it possible to order the brand’s iconic products in films or series simply by scanning them. The campaign perfectly taps into the content streaming culture, leveraging the iconic McDonald’s products that appear in countless movies and series. From big blockbusters to popular sitcoms, ‘Order That Scene’ is the biggest McDonald’s product placement campaign to date without spending anything on product placement or copyright.

180LA and Cox Communications created “Visiting Hours,” a pilot program reimagining visitation in the American prison system, seen through the lens of three inmates.

In the Philippines, newcomer telecoms company DITO needed to take on the international behemoths that dominated the market. While these big names tend to recruit major Hollywood and K-pop stars, DITO and TBWA\SMP elevated unknown local musicians from underrepresented parts of the country that reflected the diversity of the Philippines.

TBWA\Hakuhodo has launched a new project that utilizes the metaverse to revitalize the agency’s internal communication. Titled “The Escape”, the game features the TBWA\Hakuhodo office and enables team building activities through evacuation drills.

IKEA is celebrating its 45th anniversary in Singapore this year. Making use of the brand’s iconic pencils provided for free, IKEA, with the help of TBWA\Singapore, is celebrating its really long history with a long version of its pencil. “As a nod of appreciation to the people who have supported the brand over the years, we thought it would be fun to create some nostalgia with the iconic IKEA pencil that we all know and love”, said Asheen Naidu, executive creative director at TBWA\Singapore, who worked with IKEA on the campaign.

TBWA has promoted its Chief Diversity Officer for North America, Aliah Berman, to Global Chief Diversity Officer. In her new role, Berman will seek to replicate this progress in priority areas, including the UK.

Jack in the Box has never been subtle about its ties to cannabis culture, and plans to embrace it fully in celebration of the upcoming weed extravaganza that is 4/20. In a new campaign with TBWA\Chiat\Day LA, the brand is bringing back Pineapple Express Shakes – which sold out quickly during last year’s event – and distributing them via food trucks throughout LA.

TBWA has promoted Deepthi Prakash to the new role of president international and chief product officer. With the creation of this role, TBWA is changing the way it approaches client relationships to offer both broad marketing strategies and deep specialization, or what TBWA Global CEO Troy Ruhanen calls “specialisms.”

TBWA has 27 nominations across our global collective this year, from TBWA\Media Arts Lab, TBWA\Chiat\Day LA, TBWA\Sydney, TBWA\Singapore, TBWA\X, TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno and 180LA. Cast your vote by April 20th.

Canadian Women’s Foundation PSA Presents Differing Outcomes in a Story of Gender Based Violence Moving into the third year of their partnership, Juniper Park\TBWA and the Canadian Women’s Foundation continue to collaborate on the Signal for Help. They recently launched the new PSA, ‘Change the Story’, to continue to shift the culture around gender-based violence from stigma to one of support for survivors.

TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris sees its 40th celebration as a transition into maturity. The agency has seen it all – the end of apartheid South Africa, the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. “For an agency like Hunt Lascaris to still be operating after such immense change is remarkable,” said Luca Gallarelli, group CEO of TBWA\South Africa.

Aliah Berman, TBWA\North America’s Chief Diversity Officer sat down with Tarana Burke, activist and founder of the ‘me too.’ Movement, at SXSW 2023 to discuss the power a platform has to drive equity and disruptive change.

As Messi’s lifelong sports partner, Adidas knew it had a responsibility to celebrate his triumph at the World Cup. But it also had to give football fans around the world a tribute image that could encapsulate this moment and his staggering 16-year journey to the top. The solution? An iconic and impossible billboard within the Dubai Frame.

TBWA\Worldwide’s perennially evolving collective wins Adweek’s 2022 Global Agency of the Year for the second time in a row.

This year’s most innovative company in Middle East stands out for transcending the cliches and producing exceptional work: it is TBWA\RAAD.