Kline Clicks With Leo Burnett

In 1996, Ben Kline was part of the Fallon new-business team that helped lure United Airlines’ then-$75 million account away from Leo Burnett. The 31-year client’s defection sent Burnett into a three-year tailspin that some insiders have dubbed the “dark period.”

Despite that, Kline said he’s long admired the Chicago agency’s ability to intersect brands with culture. And now that Burnett is again facing a challenging time—while it has added $200 million combined from Gateway and ConAgra this year, it has lost an equal amount with the exit of Philips Electronics, Delta Air Lines and Polaroid—Kline, 40, will become the shop’s first chief marketing officer in two years.