CME-KHBBCanada has split into two account units to increase efficiency and better utilize its international network.
One unit will service the Chrysler Canada Jeep and Eagle and the dealer association accounts, and the other multi-products division will handle the remaining clients.
Scott Thornton has been promoted to senior vice-president to oversee the Chrysler unit from the agency’s Windsor, Ont. office.
John Luciani has also been named senior vice-president and will manage the multi-products units from the Toronto office.
Other promotions
Other agency promotions include that of Michael deSouza to vice-president, creative director and an officer of the company. He is based in Toronto.
Lynn Ridgewell has been named media group head and will be based in the Windsor office.
Last fall, British-based Saatchi & Saatchi consolidated two units, cme (Campbell-Mithun-Esty) in North America, and London-based khbb, to form cme-khbb, an agency network billing $1.2 billion annually from its 37 offices around the world.
Luciani says the international merger vaulted the Canadian operation into a new circle of business.
Right now, the impact on the agency has mainly been on a North American scale, although the potential for multinational and international work is there since many of its clients have a multinational presence.
Joint pitch
Luciano says the recent win of the Canadian portion of the Borden Catelli Consumer Products pasta and sauce business came through a joint pitch for the North American account with the Minneapolis office.
Another client, Virginia-based C.B. Fleet, maker of Summer’s Eve brand feminine hygiene products, was aware of the subtle differences in the Canadian market and chose the New York office of cme-khbb because of its Canadian partner.
CME-KHBB Canada has offices in Windsor, Toronto Vancouver and Montreal.
The network’s North American headquarters is in Minneapolis, and European headquarters in London.
