In the latest move stemming from its late 2014 win in the global Infiniti review, CP+B has hired Rob Palmer and Mike McCommon as creative directors on the account in Los Angeles.
This announcement follows the February hiring of Steve Clarke to lead the business as ECD (along with Bo Deng, who is running creative in Hong Kon) and the subsequent decision to move global creative work for Infiniti to CP+B Los Angeles in order to be closer to the client’s Infiniti Design Center.
Palmer–who has worked as a CD at W+K, BBDO, TBWA, GS&P and Razorfish, most recently spent 18 months as ECD at Doner Los Angeles before leaving to go client-side as COO/CMO of Fuhu, a “technology company for kids and families.” (CP+B vet Jason Gaboriau later took that role.) He left after just over 18 months in April when the company promoted its current COO from within; Fuhu does not seem to have an acting CMO at this time.
McCommon co-founded Portland’s Mutt Industries nearly 8 years ago and served as ECD there, creating work for such clients as Nike, Ford, Mello Yello, the L.A. Dodgers and Sony Playstation. Previous agency roles include those of copywriter at Tool, Publicis and GS&P along with two stints at W+K Portland, where he ultimately held the creative director role, worked on Nike and EA and led the winning Heineken U.S. pitch.
Palmer and McCommon both report to Clarke, who in turn reports to recently promoted chief creative officer Kevin Jones.
Jones says, “The CP+B LA office has some great momentum, most recently with the addition of the Infiniti global account. We feel very lucky to be able to tap such notable creative talents as Rob and Mike to help us out with such a high-profile account.”
The news made us recall the “did they or didn’t they” dance that went on for a frankly exhausting six weeks back in 2014 long after everyone realized that Crispin had won the Infiniti review.
On a side note, CP+B also recently won Jose Cuervo for a second time–according to sources who know–after McCann resigned the business.