Table of contents for August 8, 2016 in Adweek

Saatchi & Saatchi chairman Kevin Roberts may believe the debate about gender bias in the ad industry is “over,” but last week’s events proved that to be far from true. In a July 29 interview with Business Insider, Roberts argued that gender balance has already been achieved and that the lack of women in executive advertising roles is due to their having less “vertical ambition” than their male counterparts. What followed was nearly universal criticism from colleagues and peers. Saatchi parent company Publicis Groupe swiftly disavowed his comments and placed him on a “leave of absence,” finally announcing on Wednesday that he had opted to permanently step down, effective Sept. 1. In a statement, Roberts apologized for his “miscommunication” but stopped short of recanting his comments.…

‘It’s an immersive, emotional experience that’s memorable in a way that … a written story can’t be.’Omaid Hiwaizi, president, global marketing, Blippar Until Pokemon Go became a viral phenomenon by amassing more than 100 million downloads in a few weeks, augmented reality was confined to tech types and sci-fi fiends. However, thanks to the game, many have now tried AR for the first time, as kids and adults alike roam through town catching digital monsters superimposed on a physical world. “I put this up there with the first time you saw the iPhone, the first time you saw the connectivity and relationship definition of Facebook,” said Michael Koziol, managing director of Huge’s office in Atlanta. Pokemon wasn’t the first company to try AR—Yelp, Macy’s and Starbucks were early adopters, to…

We live in a world of brand extensions—espresso machines from Starbucks, cooking utensils from the Food Network. There’s little wonder why. Parallel products launched under a major brand name can generate both revenue and increased visibility. In recent years, luxury auto brands have gotten in on the act. “It’s a good way to give people a chance to buy into a little bit of the dream,” explains Martyn Tipping, principal of brand-extension firm Tipping Gardner. “You might not be able to buy a Tesla, but, hey, for $15 you can have Tesla golf balls.” Fair enough. Tipping is quick to point out, though, that some extensions are just “gimmicky,” and may do more harm than good. “If it doesn’t get buzz to do anything to reinforce the brand,” it may…

Gray Malin x Funboy Swan Float $128 If you’ve been anywhere near social media over the past few summers, you’ve probably seen your fair share of Hamptons party goers, would-be style bloggers and A-list celebrities (RIP, Taylor + Calvin) lounging atop giant inflatable white swans. You can stand out from the rest of the Insta crowd with Funboy’s limited-edition version of the ubiquitous float, hand-screened with photographer Gray Malin’s aerial image of Australia’s Bondi Beach. As an added bonus, you’ll be doing some good. Thanks to Funboy’s partnership with charity organization RainCatcher, the sale of each float provides one person with a year of clean drinking water. Buy it: funboy.com RELAX Made in the Shade Frontgate Carousel Umbrella $995 Add some bohemian flair to your outdoor living space with this…

What’s the first information you consume in the morning? Definitely my iPhone, and usually one of those New York Times alerts that scares the hell out of me. But Twitter is where I get all my news, really. I’d like to be somebody who gets the Times delivered and sits back and sips coffee, but, then again, I’m also somebody that doesn’t really get up in the morning because I don’t have to. What other social platforms do you use? I have a Facebook fan page, and my wife and I have been using Facebook Live a fair amount when we’re on tour. After a show, we’ll go out to dinner and do a Facebook Live and talk about the upcoming episode of The Jim Gaffigan Show. And I use…

Rather than operating as Deutsch New York and Deutsch L.A., the agency is now united. What does that mean for the organization? We still have our accounts [in New York] and L.A. still has their accounts, but now we have the benefit of Mike [Sheldon, CEO], Pete [Favat, North American chief creative officer] and Winston [Binch, chief digital officer] lending their expertise and fresh insights to all the projects we’re working on. It’s great for me, because it means more people with great big ideas who can help the work. Favat said recently that Deutsch looks for talent in unconventional places like Instagram and Reddit. What’s your take on hiring? I want to hire people who are inspired and passionate, and those platforms can provide great examples of people not…

In June 2016, Cadillac opened Cadillac House, a brand-experience center on the ground floor of the company’s New York headquarters sporting gleaming new Caddy sedans and SUVs at its center. The 12,000-square-foot space includes a Joe Coffee shop, fashion pop-up store and art gallery, and hosts events and car exhibitions through partnerships with the Council of Fashion Designers of America and art magazine Visionaire. Cadillac House is just part of the brand’s strategy to tailor experiential opportunities around the interests of consumers 18-49—namely fashion, design and travel. Says CMO Uwe Ellinghaus: “It shows people that we’re part of the fashion and design world. We’re convinced that this will positively change people’s perception of the brand. It shows that we’re walking the walk when it comes to luxury.”…

PEP BOYS FULL NAME The Pep Boys—Manny, Moe & Jack FOUNDED 1921, Philadelphia SLOGAN “Trust the boys to get you there.” HOME BASE Philadelphia NUMBER OF LOCATIONS 801 2015 REVENUE $2.1 billion AGENCY OF RECORD MullenLowe SNAPSHOT Though the company’s official name suggests that three men founded Pep Boys, it was actually the brainchild of four Navy friends (there were two Moes) who witnessed the burgeoning auto market and saw an opportunity. Now, with over 800 locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the company is known for more than just servicing cars and selling auto parts. In recent years the company’s focus has been to improve customer service. It makes sense then that Pep Boys is cribbing from high-end car dealerships by offering amenities like customer lounges with free…

In this Adweek CMO Report, dedicated to the automotive category, staff writer Christine Birkner profiles Uwe Ellinghaus, who, two years into his job as marketing chief of Cadillac, reflects on his role in remaking the luxury legend. Ellinghaus is fond of saying the brand should steer clear of trying to “out German the Germans” in its race against Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW (where Ellinghaus worked prior to Cadillac), which is why he’s focused on selling the strengths of a true American original. With the aim of doubling sales over the next five years, what’s clear is that the company must continue to rethink conventional tactics of auto marketing. “Not only can we take risks,” says Ellinghaus, “we have to take risks.” On the topic of unconventional approaches to selling a…

PORSCHE HAS INVESTED NORTH OF $150 MILLION IN ITS NEW L.A. TEST TRACK. As the world’s busiest passenger airport, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson moves over 75.9 million travelers through its eight terminals every year. Many inbound passengers will catch connecting flights. Some will drive into the metro area to do business with the 16 Fortune 500 companies headquartered there. And some will head home to one of the city’s 26 major suburbs. But a tiny, fortunate segment of that group will get onto I-75 and take exit 239 to a place called the Porsche Experience Center, which sits just off the airport’s northeastern border. Opened last year, the 26-acre complex houses the legendary German automaker’s new North American headquarters, a mammoth, LEED-certified building complete with business center, restaurant, museum and a restoration…

THE SEAL It’s the all-important Olympic rings that denote official merch. While Ralph Lauren is a domestic sponsor, not a worldwide one, it still gets to use those famous rings. THE LOGO Here’s where Ralph Lauren’s sponsorship investment pays back: The Polo logo—nice and big—instantly identifies the brand and is visible on TV, too. THE BOTTOMS The logistical beauty of RL’s Olympics designs is that many of them resemble the clothes RL sells anyway, like these white twill cotton shorts ($98.50). THE ACCESSORY Still another opportunity to use the national colors, this belt will be worn by Team U.S.A. in the games’ closing ceremonies. It can be yours today for $98. It really wasn’t Ralph’s fault. Last week, right after Team U.S.A. took to Twitter to release a photo of…

Throughout 22squared’s 90-year history, the full-service agency whose roster includes Baskin-Robbins, Publix and Southeast Toyota has always remained independent. Although the shop is headquartered in Atlanta, it has a commanding presence in Tampa, Fla. After 22 years in the same location, the Tampa office moved across town, enlisting design firm Associated Space Design to whip up its new digs. “It was crucial that this was a Tampa-led, Tampa-inspired space,” said 22squared chief administrative officer Mike Grindell. “All of 22squared’s design partners were local Tampa companies, other than national suppliers like Knoll.” Lighting was the easy part: the large windows throughout the space take full advantage of the sunlight and Tampa scenery. As for impressing those top-shelf clients, the Creative Living Room (pictured above) is where new business meetings and pitches…