DraftFCB: The Art of Smart

In looking ahead to next year, Howard Draft, CEO of DraftFCB, says it will be about "commitment to innovation, creativity, growth and success." "Last year was only a plan. Now we have brought it to life," Draft said. Indeed, 2007 was a defining year as Draft created "a new breed agency" including the development of a "smart room" where the confluence of research data and creative ideas evolve, as teams -- both strategic and creative -- interact during the creative process. "We are building a learning culture," says Laurence Boschetto, president and COO of DraftFCB. "We're making sure we are nimble and moving with the world," he added.

Publicis: Lion Hearted

After an introduction from Publicis Groupe CEO Maurice Levy, Publicis Worldwide executives presented the company's latest work and development quite comprehensively. "At the core of the agency are people with a lion-hearted spirit," pronounced Richard Pinder.

Publicis, with over 250 us offices worldwide, allows the agency to serve clients on a global stage. And with twenty-five percent of its worldwide network dedicated to digital, Publicis is developing the tools to listen and understand the conversation on the web. "Our role is to create contagious ideas that can breach the new landscape," says Pinder.

Bob Moore, chief creative officer for Publicis USA, provided insight on some of the agencies' latest integrated campaigns, including the media buzz and search effort for the new "Maytag man".

United WPP: On a Mission

Andy Berlin, CEO of Berlin Cameron, talked about the process of putting together a collective of creative agencies saying, "the messy and prolonged process of birth is now over." He pointed to the bright future of United WPP, an "agency micro-network", with member agencies Berlin Cameron, BTS, Cole & Weber, LDV, Les Ouvriers du Paradis, WM, Sra. Rushmore, and 1861 United. "We're moving into an adolescent stage," Berlin stated. "We have a mission."

The mission of United WPP, according to Carla Serrano of Berlin Cameron, is to find the element of "cool" in every brand -- something intrinsic to the brand which can be harnessed and marketed as a substantive asset. Part of the mission is to use a brand's cool factor to engage the consumer, said Mike Doherty, president of Cole + Weber, Seattle.

The bottom line, says Berlin, is that United WPP seeks to "create a tailor-made solution for a communication problem." The group of United WPP may not be right for client who do not hunger for real creative, according to Berlin. United WPP's global network is comprised of the following: Berlin Cameron United, New York; BTS United, Oslo; Cole & Weber United, Seattle; LDV United, Antwerp;Les Ouvriers du Paradis United, Paris; Sra.Rushmore United, Madrid; WM United, Buenos Aires; and 1861 United, Milan.