News From the Advertising Industry

Accounts

â–  E*Trade Financial, New York, and Grey New York â€" part of the Grey unit of the Grey Group, owned by WPP â€" are parting ways after working together since November 2007; during that time, Grey New York created the popular character known as the E*Trade baby, which appears in commercials and online ads. E*Trade Financial spent more than $110 million on advertising last year. Grey New York said it had resigned as the E*Trade Financial creative agency; E*Trade Financial said it had begun a review of its creative account and Grey New York decided not to participate. The end of the relationship came after Nick Utton, the chief marketing officer at E*Trade Financial who hired Grey New York, left the company and was replaced by Liza Landsman.

â–  Bernstein-Rein, Kansas City, Mo., and LAK Public Relations, New York, which worked for Hostess Brands, Kansas City, before the company went bankrupt, were hired by the new owner of Hostess Brands â€" a joint venture of Apollo Global Management and C. Dean Metropoulos & Company â€" to handle advertising (Bernstein-Rein) and public relations (LAK) for the return of Hostess products like Twinkies, which is scheduled for July 15. Spending has not been determined.

■ Rubio’s, Carlsbad, Calif., a chain of 196 restaurants that is known for its fish tacos, hired BarrettSF, San Francisco, as its creative agency. Spending was estimated at less than $1 million. The assignment had been handled by M.A.D.E., Long Beach, Calif.

People

â–  Peter Sherman joined JWT New York, part of the JWT North America division of JWT, as chief executive, assuming duties from David Eastman, who will continue as chief executive of JWT North America. Mr. Sherman, who will report to Bob Jeffrey, chairman and chief executive of JWT, had been executive vice president and managing director at BBDO Europe, part of the BBDO Worldwide division of the Omnicom Group. JWT is owned by WPP.

â–  Andrew Benett, global president at Havas Worldwide, was named to a new and additional post, chief executive of the Havas Worldwide New York unit of Havas Worldwide, as part of a reorganization. He assumes duties from Matt Ryan, co-chairman and president for global brands at Havas Worldwide New York, who will leave, the agency said. Also as part of the reorganization, Marty Susz, managing director of Havas Worldwide Tonic, will additionally serve as director for client services at Havas Worldwide New York; Alex Bombeck, co-president at Havas Worldwide Digital, will additionally serve as chief digital officer for New York; and Jason Jercinovic, co-president at Havas Worldwide Digital, will additionally serve as head of social media for North America. Havas Worldwide is part of the Havas Creative division of Havas.

Miscellany

â–  VML, Kansas City, Mo., part of the Young & Rubicam Group unit of WPP, bought a majority stake in Native, Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, a digital agency that will be renamed Native VML. Financial terms were not disclosed.

â–  The American Association of Advertising Agencies, New York, formed a data advisory council, to be composed of executives with experience in fields like analytics. The chairman of the council will be Donnovan Andrews, vice president for media sales and operations at Bazaarvoice.

â–  SiteScout, Toronto, a media-buying platform, acquired through a subsidiary certain intellectual property assets of AdBrite, an online ad exchange that ceased operations in February. Financial terms were not disclosed.

â–  Handsome Brands, London, a branding and design agency, opened its first office in North America, in Toronto.