I was recently asked to appear in a short film promoting Little Black Book Online (www.lbbonline.com), an emerging website that creates online city guides based on recommendations from advertising and production professionals.

As you’ll see, my fellow creative directors Sir John Hegarty of BBH, Tony Granger of Y&R and Paul Lavoie of Taxi also appear in the film, which is being seeded through targeted emails and industry websites. You can view it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfhzxC1E-9w.

The reason we agreed to help promote this site is that LBBOnline.com offers to donate one English pound to One Laptop Per Child (www.olpc.com) for every recommendation accepted for where advertising and production people should eat, drink and sleep in any advertising center in the world.

The mission of OLPC, a nonprofit association, is “to create educational opportunities for the world’s poorest children by providing each and every one with a rugged, lowcost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning.” Their mission statement goes on to say, “By giving a laptop, you are helping bring education to children in some of the world’s most remote areas. You are connecting them to each other. To us. And to a better future.”

That sounded good enough for me.

If you visit Little Black Book Online, you’ll find that you can really make a difference just by giving your opinions and a little bit of your time.

I’ve already listed places I like in Cannes, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. As the site grows, we’ll see if anyone agrees with my picks!

And in addition to donating my acting “skills,” I’ve also made a donation to purchase a computer to give to kids through the OLPC website. It seemed like the right thing to do.

Bob Scarpelli, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide

Posted on May 4, 2009 9:48 PM | Permalink

Is creativity something strictly reserved for the creative department?

When Ad Lounge asked me to contribute an original piece of art to their fundraising event, “Art from the Unexpected”, I couldn’t resist the challenge. Ad Lounge has dared me and 19 other agency and marketing CEOs to create an original piece of art and present the concepts behind our creations at the event. On June 16th in Toronto, each CEO will be given one minute to present their art for auction; providing a fascinating glimpse into the creative minds of some of the industry’s leading business personalities.

It might surprise a few people to know that early in my career, I studied at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver. My painting for the auction, “Bloodsport,” depicts our current economic climate through the metaphor of a Bull and Bullfighter. Like a top marketer today, a Matador needs to be fit and fast in order to triumph and live.

I was drawn to participate in “Art From the Unexpected” because I welcomed the chance to return to my creative roots – and to support a unique and deserving cause.

Proceeds from the art auction will go to SKETCH; a Toronto charity that provides homeless youths with art studio space and supplies. DDB Canada has also lent its support to the charity auction by donating additional resources and by becoming the only agency Gold Sponsor.

I truly live each day being creative, which is why I see significant value in the artistic outlet that SKETCH provides. Creativity isn’t just a vital part of the advertising industry, it’s what gets me up and keeps me fresh and alive.

It’s also great to see an organization like Ad Lounge use entertaining ideas to rethink industry fundraising events and explore the nature of creativity.

If you’d like to know more, please follow me (@DDBFrank) being interviewed live on Twitter by Ad Lounge (@adlounge) on May 27th beginning at 8:30 p.m. PST.

Frank Palmer, CEO, DDB Group Canada

Posted on May 21, 2009 2:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

An honorary CLIO Award was presented to Matthew Weiner, the Emmy Award-winning creator and executive producer of AMC’s critically acclaimed drama, “Mad Men”. DDB Worldwide’s Chairman Emeritus, Keith Reinhard, presented the award at The New Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The room had a 1960’s theme to suit the “Mad Men” salute. There were newsreels of swinging London fashions,1969 moonwalk footage and vintage ads from VW and others.

“What can we say about ‘Mad Men’? Has there ever been such a buzz, inspiring fashions, department store windows, a new line of Zippo lighters, not to say nothing of the critical raves, Golden Globes, Emmys’, said Keith who went on to confirm the depiction of those days in advertising. Keith shared the story of how he met his wife as she was fleeing an “inebriated account director who was chasing her down the hall. How lucky was I?, he said. “ ‘Mad Men’ has captured the essence of the 1960’s ad world and given us a fantastic look at what it was like.”


Jeff Swystun, Chief Communications Officer, DDB Worldwide

Posted on May 28, 2009 3:14 PM | Permalink