Sorrell Buys Another Agency; Kristen Bell Gets Honest: Wednesday's First Things First

Welcome to First Things First, Adweek’s new daily resource for marketers. We’ll be publishing the content to First Things First on Adweek.com each morning (like this post), but if you prefer that it come straight to your inbox, you can sign up for the email here. Martin Sorrell Gobbles Up Another Agency S4, Martin Sorrell's new endeavor, continued its tear through the digital marketing world after it acquired Firewood, a digital marketing agency that ranked No. 42 on Adweek's inaugural Fastest Growing Agency list, and merged it with another of its acquisitions, MediaMonks. It's all part of Sorrell's attempt to build a “better, faster, cheaper” advertising services company. Firewood is headquartered in Silicon Valley and has six additional offices around the globe. The 300-person agency specializes in creative, strategy and planning, performance media and technology services. It has worked with brands including Airbnb, Google, LinkedIn, Mercari and Waze. Read more: Learn more about Firewood and Sorrell's latest move. Learn From the Best Minds in Marketing With Adweek's Executive Mentorship Program If you have had a great mentor, you know just how valuable mentorship is for your career. Mentors guide you through key moments, recommend you for jobs and give you the confidence you need to succeed. That's why Adweek launched a mentorship program that connects over 100 leaders from some of the world's largest companies, including Facebook, Google, Walmart, Adobe and so many more, with rising marketing stars. We're looking for mentees to pair them with—we're focusing on managers, directors and decision-makers with over a decade of work experience. Read more: Think this could push your career to the next level? Learn more about the program and apply to become a mentee today. Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard Tout Honesty for Lightlife in Comedic Ads There are a couple plant-based burger brands that tend to snag most of the spotlight, so, to get some time in the limelight, a plant-based competitor better deliver the goods with their ads. And Lightlife came to play with a two-minute spot featuring Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, the married celebrity couple who touts brutal honesty with their kids. Read more: While Endeavor Global Marketing pitched the idea, Bell and Shepard ran with it (watch it here), riffing off real-life experiences (like the awkward sex talk in the ad) and adding their punchlines about vasectomies. Adidas Teams Up With Universal Standard for a Truly Size-Inclusive Collaboration While some brands may only talk the talk when it comes to being a size-inclusive brand, Adidas is walking the walk. Putting its money where its mouth is, the athletic brand is partnering with inclusive-sizing pioneer Universal Standard to bring consumers a range of sizes—XXS-4XL. What's interesting is that, instead of going for the sweaty athlete, Universal Standard is showcasing the more everyday uses women have for athletic wear. Read more: Learn what goes into creating a variety of sizes that all look the same. Just Briefly: The Rest of Today's Top News and Insights Shiseido Acquires Clean Beauty Brand Drunk Elephant for $845 Million Research Finds Branded Podcasts Are 22% Better Than TV at Engaging Consumers Who Avoid Ads Instagram Removes Following Tab, Adds Dark Mode Yolanda Lam to Lead Global Agency and Ads Partners Teams at Pinterest The Domino's Case Could Reshape Accessibility in the Digital Era Workplace Tip: It's Time for Your Yearly Review. Here Are Tips to Advocate for a Promotion Marc Strachan, chairman, Adcolor Track your accomplishments with facts, and accomplishments that are above and beyond your day-to-day. Show how you have helped to move the business forward, and express your POV on new ideas that can potentially continue to grow the business. Sara Varni, CMO, Twilio Don’t wait until promotion time to advocate. Build a strong feedback loop with your manager, and make sure they always have a clear view of your road map and how you are progressing. Don’t be afraid to ask your manager what it takes to get to the next level and what you are missing in order to get there. Finally, build a network of advocates at your manager’s level that will promote your work. It all comes down to who is in your corner when they gather around the table to discuss promotions as a team. Laura Small, vp and director of people, RGA My recommendation is always to focus on your accomplishments—make sure that you are providing your manager with regular updates on your progress and your achievements. Sometimes it feels awkward to "toot your own horn," but, if your boss has a large team, you'll want to support them in staying abreast of your accomplishments. I generally tell people not to frame a request for an increase or promotion around financial hardship. And if you are going in with a counteroffer, you should be completely comfortable with the fact that your employer may decline to match it!