Marketing Execs: Agency Use Unaffected by Economic Climate - for Now

Although 77 percent of marketing executives say the slowing economy in the past six months has moderately or greatly affected their business, most say their agency usage has not changed - yet - according to a Reardon Smith Whittaker study (via AdWeek), writes MarketingCharts.

Publicis: One-fifth of Revenue to Come from Digital this Year

Publicis Groupe’s chairman-CEO Maurice Levy says that by the end of the year, 20 percent of the group’s revenues will come from digital operations.

NBCU, Omnicom and Advertisers Create Online Series

NBC Universal has relaunched its Digital Studio, Omnicom Media Group Digital has partnered with the studio to create branded content for multi-platform distribution.

MindShare Kills Digital Unit, Restructures

WPP’s MindShare today announced a global restructuring of its business operations, one that is meant to integrate traditional and digital services and staff.

Nielsen’s OOH Report Sails Next Month, Zenith Hops Aboard

Zenith Media Services Inc. will become the first client to use Nielsen and IMMI’s Nielsen Out-of-Home Report, a service that measures out-of-home television viewers.

Havas Reports Net Income Up 80 Percent in 07

Havas, owner of Arnold, Euro RSCG and MPG agency networks, reported strong improvements in operating income and net income for 2007.

Publicis, Optimedia Launch Media Strategy Unit

Publicis and Optimedia, its media strategy unit, have just launched Optimedia Inside.

The venture shall provide “media-neutral strategic solutions” for client marketing plans. It will also incorporate media planning earlier in the development process.

For an extra amount, clients may access communications planning and insights tools proprietary to Optimedia. These lend insight on consumers’ relationship with new and evolving media.

The unit is positioned as “a true effort to connect media, creative messaging and digital into an organic, idea-led communications platform,” reports AdWeek.

DDB’s Paul Tilley Dies Friday

Creative Director Paul Tilley of DDB, Chicago died of suicide on Friday evening, AdPulp reports (via MarketinVOX).

Early accounts of the incident say Tilley leapt from the Fairmont Hotel near DDB’s Aon Center office.

Tilley worked at DDB for 11 years. He developed “Dude, You’re Gettin’ a Dell,” a campaign that boosted Dell from number four to number one in at-home PC sales.

He was also co-developer of McDonald’s long-running “I’m Lovin’ It,” which won McDonald’s a Cannes Lions and its highest sales in 30 years, AdWeek wrote.

DDB President Rick Carpenter lamented, “Paul was a mentor to many, a friend to all. His ability to lead, inspire, and yes, entertain will be so greatly missed.”

Paul Tilley is survived by his wife and two children. He was 40 years old when he died.

Marketers: TV Ads Less Effective than Ever

TV advertising has become less effective in the past two years, according to most marketers who responded to a survey from the National Association of Advertisers and Forrester Research.

Media Jobs Disappearing

While U.S. media employment plummeted to a 15-year low (due mostly to the slumping newspaper industry), advertising/marketing services soared to a new record in November.