Pak to Head Interactive at SRC
ATLANTA—Sawyer Riley Compton has recruited former marchFirst creative director Minsoo Pak to supervise the agency’s interactive unit. Pak, 36, will report to executive creative director Bart Cleveland at the Atlanta agency. Pak’s résumé includes stints at Price/McNabb in Charlotte, N.C., and Ogilvy & Mather, Crawford Intermedia and USWeb/CKS, all in Atlanta. He also helped launch two startup technology marketing operations here—Voltage Factory and Resultant Atlanta.
HGTV Awards Account to Doner
CHICAGO—Doner bested two co-finalists to win Home & Garden Television’s estimated $10-12 million advertising account, sources said. The other agencies competing at the end of the two-month review were Fitzgerald + Co. in Atlanta and MARC USA of Chicago. Previously eliminated from the competition were Cramer-Krasselt in Chicago and New York shops DeVito/Verdi, Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners and Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos. Incumbent Lewis Communications in Birmingham, Ala., did not participate in the review, which was overseen by AAR Group in New York. HGTV’s vice president of marketing, Michael Boyd, could not be reached. Doner was closed for the holidays and executives could not be reached for comment.
Zimmerman Wins Great Expectations
ATLANTA—Great Expectations has selected Zimmerman Partners as its lead agency. The Omnicom shop in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will develop advertising and provide public relations support for the Houston-based dating service. Annual billings are $20 million, according to client representative Robert Fisher. Marketing for Great Expectations, which operates 55 independently owned centers across the U.S., is handled by an association of 47 franchisees. Current advertising is handled by Western Creative in Detroit. New work, including television, radio and direct mail, is expected to launch in early 2003.
Sossaman Reorganizes Creative Group
ATLANTA—Sossaman + Associates has restructured its creative division following the death of agency founder Ken Sossaman. The Memphis, Tenn., shop has placed 10 creative staffers who hold shares in the shop into management roles. Personnel changes include the promotions of Eric Melkent to executive vice president of creative, Walter Rose to creative director, and Patty Liles and Troy McCall to associate creative directors. Donna Gordy remains president.
Atlanta Shops in Idaho Agricultural Review
ATLANTA—Finalists have emerged in the review for the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s $1 million advertising account. Atlanta public relations firm Golin/Harris, partnering with Interpublic Group shop Austin Kelley Advertising here, will pitch ideas this week against Steele & Associates, Publicis Dialog and ES/Drake, all in Boise, Idaho. The state is looking for a campaign to tout its agricultural products. Work is likely to include radio and television advertising and public relations. A decision is expected in late January.
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