Mambro: Back to Square One

Freelancer Named Partner for Dallas Shop's Local Office BOSTON--Collaboration that will lead to the creation of "interesting content" has spurred hired gun Jamie Mambro to become partner and creative director at Dallas-based Square One. But instead of reporting to work in Dallas, Mambro will spearhead the opening of Square One East here. "Unlike a lot of agencies that have independent offices that don't collaborate, we intend to be one agency in a couple of different places," Mambro said last week. Square One president Tom Hansen said, "[We've] been a regional agency with national accounts for a long time. Certainly, we're going to get more play across the country now." Hiring Mambro, Hansen said, "definitely makes a statement out there to other agencies and to clients [at the] level we want to play at." Freelancer Mambro, 42, previously was senior vice president and associate creative director of Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos in Boston. Square One began working with Mambro last year when the $86 million Dallas agency collaborated with Hill, Holliday to pitch the Miller Lite account. Although it lost that pitch to Fallon McElligott in Minneapolis, the Miller Brewing Co. is its largest client. Square One handles advertising for the Molson, Ice House, Red Dog and Milwaukee's Best brands, as well as Hispanic work for Miller Lite. Mambro plans to spend the next several weeks "identifying other partners for the Boston office" and eventually seeking office space. Not expected to be among the partners, however, is Mambro's long-time collaborator, copywriter Ernie Schenck, who since leaving Hill, Holliday more than a year ago has worked from his home in Rhode Island. Schenck will continue to work with Mambro, but he has no formal or exclusive arrangement with Square One. "If he changes his mind," Mambro said, "the door is always open to him." Mambro is described as "one of the stars of the freelance creative world," [Adweek, Oct. 25]. His portfolio includes a 90-second Olympic spot for John Hancock, which took a Gold Lion at Cannes and was an Emmy semifinalist in 1998. He has led creative teams on campaigns for clients that include Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, Reebok International, Hyatt Hotel Corp. and Lotus Development Corp. As a freelancer, Mambro helped Square One gain the startup business of The Parking Spot, a Hyatt Hotels venture, as well as promotional accounts for Dr Pepper. "One thing that drew me here was the level of accounts they were being asked to pitch and work on--a lot of real great brand names," said Mambro. Prior to freelancing, Mambro worked at Hill, Holliday for nine years. Now, he said, "I really want to build something in Boston." Square One opened its doors in April 1995 with Whataburger as its flagship account. Last year, the agency purchased The Maxfield Group in Irving, Texas, creating the third-largest Dallas agency. This month, Square One unveiled a partnership with NBG Radio Network to provide Hispanic programming for the syndicated radio network. Production will be handled by Uno Com, the Hispanic advertising sub-sidiary of Square One. Being able to tap into resources such as these, Mambro said, should help set the agency apart from its rivals in Boston. K

Brand Marketing

Mambro: Back to Square One

J. Dee Hill

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

J. Dee Hill