There’s yet another brand name in the Canadian media management business. WPP Group agencies J. Walter Thompson, Enterprise Creative Selling and Ogilvy & Mather have combined their media departments to form MindShare Canada, a company with $340 million in client billings.
The three Canadian agencies have been working together unofficially for several years.
Karen Nayler, former head of the JWT-Enterprise media operation, has been named managing director of MindShare.
Also falling under the MindShare banner are ATG and MCI Research Groups, as well as the specialized media units MindShare Direct and MindShare Digital. In addition, MindShare Canada has launched Excelerator Media, a small full-service media shop that will work with clients in fast-moving market sectors.
U.K.-based WPP introduced MindShare into Asian and European markets in September 1997. The brand was rolled out in the U.S. last fall.
MindShare Canada clients include IBM, Kraft, Kodak, Merrill Lynch, Midas, Jaguar, Mattel and Kimberly-Clark.
Strategy is on the ground in Cannes, bringing you the latest news, wins and conference highlights all week long. Catch all the coverage here.
Thursday’s batch of Silver and Bronze winners included the Creative Business Transformation, Creative Effectiveness, Creative Strategy, Luxury Lions, Brand Experience & Activation, Innovation and Creative Commerce Lions categories. Canadians were recognized with three Lions today: a Silver in Brand Experience & Activation, a Bronze in Creative Commerce and a Bronze in Creative Effectiveness. Rethink was awarded twice on Day 4, while Weber Shandwick rounded out the Canadian agency wins with one Lion. Below is a look at the work. Catch the Gold winners later this afternoon when they’re revealed at the gala in Cannes.
Creative Commerce (1 Silver)
1 SILVER: “U Up?” by Rethink for IKEA
IKEA’s “U Up?” campaign has legs, it turns out. The campaign is getting major love at Cannes. The IKEA work, created in collaboration with Rethink Toronto, added to its Cannes Lions tally with a Silver medal in Creative Commerce. That now makes five total Lions for the work, including two Golds on Wednesday night, for Direct and Socal & Creator. The campaign has been lauded by jurors for its dexterity, contextual timing and humour.
Creative Effectiveness (1 Bronze)
1 BRONZE: “Heinz Ketchup & Seemingly Ranch” by Rethink for Kraft Heinz
Both Rethink and Kraft Heinz picked up another Lion, this one a Bronze in Creative Effectiveness for their collaboration on “Heinz Ketchup & Seemingly Ranch.” Not only did the work capture a culture moment spurred by Taylor Swift, but it also created a new product, “in under 24 hours,” to match. The latest two Lions makes 10 total wins for Rethink. Kraft Heinz and Rethink also picked up a rare Gold Lion for Media a day earlier.
Brand Experience & Activation (1 Bronze)
1 BRONZE: “Airbnb Icons” by Weber Shandwick for Airbnb
The Weber Shandwick work, “Airbnb Icons,” won Bronze on Thursday in Brand Experience & Activation after claiming a Bronze in Media Wednesday. Airbnb turned media brands into a destination, partnering with the likes of Marvel and Disney to offer travellers experiences like drifting off in the Up house or crashing at an X-Men mansion. The first 11 experiences rolled out mid-2024, and most of the experiences were free or under $100, with over 4,000 tickets sold by the end of the season.
