Agency News

"NEW YORK Lowe & Partners Worldwide has taken a majority stake in FMRG, an independent agency based in Barcelona, Spain. FMRG will be merged with Lowe MBAC there to create Lowe FMRG. The new entity will be headed by president Enrique Gonzalez and vice chairmen Paco Montalvo and Maisa Batet. The shop claims estimated billings in excess of $50 million. A new 30-second spot for Fuji Film USA shows smiling families interacting with dolphins and Shamu the killer whale at SeaWorld in Orlando, Fla. Created by Angotti, Thomas, Hedge, New York, the ad touts the client's partnership with Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, where Fuji products are sold exclusively. The spot breaks next week and is backed by billboards in major markets such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. New York agency Pickholz Tweedy + Co.'s print ad for longtime client E*Trade was recognized at the Financial Communications Society's May 5 Portfolio Awards for creative excellence. The work took first place among consumer print ads in the financial services category. For the Times Square opening of the first Broadway City, a New York-themed video game franchise launching internationally in June, Balet & Albert, New York, will develop an advertising campaign targeting corporate groups, tourists and local residents. Sharp International named Milton Samuels Advertising, New York, to handle duties on its licensed watch brands, including Jones New York, Etienne Aigner, Eberhard, Tracker and Delta Burke. MSA will break an outdoor campaign in early June. The Carbone Smolan Agency, New York, has revamped its original design of Spa Finder, a consumer reference guide to spas, in an effort help the magazine dominate its niche. Kang & Lee Advertising, New York, has expanded its diversified markets group to include Russian and Polish capabilities. A five-person team, led by creative director Yuri Makarov, will develop advertising targeting those communities in the U.S. for clients AT&T and the U.S. Census. Advertising Women of New York "auctioned off" meals, workouts and manicures with 25 ad industry leaders at its May 12 Young Executives VIP Silent Auction, sponsored by MacDonald Communications Corp. Among those on the block: Deutsch chief executive Donny Deutsch, Self editor Rochelle Udell, N.W. Ayer & Partners chief executive Mary Beth Casey and BBDO New York associate media director Cyndi April. Proceeds benefit AWNY. The American Association of Advertising Agencies, New York, has designed the long-range "Chairman's Initiative," a series of videotaped interviews in which chairmen and chief executive officers of major companies discuss ad agencies' roles in building their businesses. The tapes will be made available as part of the "Value of Advertising Agencies" series of publications. The first part of the series was "Making Magic," a booklet by Saatchi & Saatchi worldwide chief executive Kevin Roberts, published in March. Brouillard Communications, New York, bowed a print campaign for the American Gas Association to raise the AGA's profile in Washington, D.C. The ads, featuring the character "Little Flame," appear in newspapers and bus shelters this month. The 1999 Clio Festival celebrates New York's "Silicon Alley" with the second annual digital open house tour today, May 17. Clio judges are invited to more than 20 shops, including Agency.com, Digital Pulp, USWeb/CKS, Interactive8, Razorfish, Mercury Seven and US Interactive. Crowley Webb and Associates, Buffalo, is a finalist for the 1999 Obie best of show award, sponsored by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America. The shop's entry is a public service campaign created for Buffalo Prep, an organization that provides financial assistance enabling low-income minority students to attend private high schools. The Obie will be awarded on June 24 at the New York Public Library. Hauppauge-based Kopf Zimmermann Schultheis has been named the advertising agency for Winthrop-University Hospital, a research and teaching hospital in Mineola, following a review. KZS will create a branding campaign with the theme, "Care without compromise." Media will include newspaper, magazine, radio, TV and out-of-home work. Eric Mower and Associates, Buffalo, has launched a print and outdoor campaign for the Buffalo Sabres hockey team. The ads feature photos of players on the ice with headlines such as "Resilience" and "Acceleration." Copy reads "Being a man down doesn't mean you have to give up the man advantage" or "The only thing moving faster is your heartbeat." Erin/Edwards Communications, Glen Head, won recognition from three advertising organizations. The Association of Graphic Communications gave the firm top honors in seven categories at its Graphic Arts Awards; the Erin/Edwards Interactive group won an Impact trophy from the Business Marketing Association of New Jersey; and the Long Island Advertising Club nominated the agency for 16 Best of Long Island prizes. Bedford Park, Ill.-based Homak Manufacturing Co. retained Harrison Leifer Miller & Speyer, Rockville Center, to provide public relations services. The agency will promote the company's medical carts, cabinetry and storage products. Its first project: introducing Homak's new latex-free cart. HLM&S was also selected by DCAP Insurance, a chain of insurance stores in the Northeast, to manage its media relations. Moore Stickney Associates, Amherst, added 10 clients in the first quarter of 1999: Carnegie Art Center, Buffalo Wings Roller Hockey Team, Fireplace Distributors, Moore Research Center, Nissan of Webster in Rochester, Red Lobster Restaurants in Western New York, Robertson & Bach Jewelers, Southtown Nissan/Saab, The Professional Skills Center at Bryant & Stratton and Walden Dodge. The agency will provide Web design, media placement, marketing and public relations for each client. The Zimmerman Agency, Brookville, has added seven new companies to its client roster since January: Advanta National Bank, Reader's Digest, Guideposts, Contemporary Christian Music Communications, Southern Progress, Magazine and Business Resources and North Shore Animal League. Fairbrother and Co., Chatham, was retained to develop marketing programs for Private Mortgage Investment Services,a firm that buys and sells deeds of trust and land contracts. Fairbrother was charged with raising awareness of the company's direct public offering. Billings are estimated at $1 million. The Direct Marketing Association, New York, acquired industry trade association Internet Alliance. The DMA hopes the acquisition will help it further consumer confidence in e-commerce. Saatchi & Saatchi unit The Rowland Co., New York, launched the first in a series of "Rowland Roundtables," with a presentation on the new "investor class" by economist and author Lawrence Kudlow. Future roundtables will feature other topics impacting the communications industry. Rowland has also added four accounts to its client list. The firm will promote Ramada Franchise Systems' efforts to raise money for ChildReach through its "World's Largest Yard Sale"; it will also provide marketing support for the CLW Realty Group; Intellisource Information systems, a company that provides technology services to the federal government; and Lighthouse International, a resource for vision impairment and rehabilitation. The corporate practice of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, New York, has added Shaw's Supermarkets to its client roster following a review. The firm had previously worked with Shaw's to help position its acquisition of Star Markets. KCSA Public Relations Worldwide, New York, has added six accounts. New public relations clients include Arbinet Communications, a New York-based online trading exchange; Isogon Corp., a New York software developer; and USCO Logistics in Naugatuck, Conn. Recent investor relations additions include Intercorp Excelle, a Toronto-based salad dressing maker; TeamStaff, a human resources management company in Somerset, N.J.; and San Diego's Virtual Gaming Technologies, a company offering online casino-style gaming. Hill and Knowlton, New York, has established the Jack S. Hardy Leadership Lecture Series in honor of the firm's senior managing director and co-director of its U.S. health practice. The lecture series will be co-sponsored by the American Hospital Association's Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development. "NEW JERSEY Print work from The Star Group in Cherry Hill for Voorhees-based Catelli Restaurant won best of show at the Philadelphia Gold Awards. The ad features a crime scene chalk outline of a large, flightless bird with the headline "Ostrich done Italian style" and copy reading, "Italian food that's so authentic it's almost criminal." Creative Marketing Alliance, Princeton Junction, hosted 20 students from Mercer County Community College last month for Advertising Design and Marketing Day. "PENNSYLVANIA Harmelin Media, Bala Cynwyd, has been awarded media buying duties for Philadelphia Newspapers, publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and philly.com. Billings are estimated at $5 million. The firm also added AmeriSource, a pharmaceutical distributor, and Home Network, a cable Internet service provider; total billings for the two are $1.5 million. Bala Cynwyd's McAdams, Richman & Ong won three gold medals and a certificate of excellence at the Philadelphia Gold Awards for its "Hire my mom" campaign for the City of Philadelphia's Welfare-to-Work program. The honors were given in the best public service campaign, best public service newspaper advertising and best local TV spot categories. The certificate of excellence was awarded for employer direct mail. Also at the Philadelphia Gold Awards, Stiegler, Wells & Brunswick, Lehigh Valley, won six gold medals, including best of category in pharmaceutical/medical advertising, and four certificates of excellence. The agency's campaigns for LabCorp, Mack Truck and Nazareth National Bank were honored. Hill Flaherty Sabol, Pittsburgh, has been tapped by FootMenders to help introduce its pilot store. FootMenders, located within Pittsburgh's Gordon Shoes, sells customized orthopedic products and non-prescription medical treatments. "CONNECTICUT Work from Goodwick Associates, Newtown, for software provider Triple Point Technology, is featured in Graphic Design: USA's May 1999 special report, "The Challenges of Designing Brochures and Collateral." Smart card manufacturer PubliCard has named Environics Communications in Stamford its public relations agency.

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