• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, October 29, 2013

While Ex-Huge execs, who have formed a new agency called Work & Co., are causing havoc for Richmond-based Work, Mumbai-based Enormous has been formed by former Publicis Ambience Vice Chairman Ashish Khazanchi and former Draft Olka Chief Growth Officer Ajay Verma. What is it with ad guys and their fixation with size? Oh wait. Don't answer that. We're sure it has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with a rampant, ego-maniacal fixation with spreading their seed and fulfilling their plans for world domination. Right? Am I right? Anyway, Khazanchi, who is a self-described "ideas engine," and Verma, who is a "manager engine," plan to focus heavily on digital media.

Wanna be grossed out? And not because this is actually gross but because it's a harshly accurate, close-to-home representation of how the advertising business (in other words, you) works. As a follow up to their famous Human Centipede of Advertising Infographic released last year, a couple of creative guys, Whit Hiler and Jason Kaufman have unleashed Ad Agency Human Centipede Infographic Part 2, a representation of how new forms of advertising such as native ads, real-time marketing, Vine videos, Facebook content and branded Instagram photos are created. It's not pretty. Really. Not pretty at all.

Oh how this industry loves awards. Digital marketing agency, Elite SEM, has been named Best Agency by the US Search Awards. The Best Agency Award was presented to Elite SEM at an awards ceremony October 23 in Las Vegas during PubCon, a social media and optimization conference and expo. This, the inaugural US Search Awards, recognizes the agency which consistently demonstrates a superior understanding and use of search marketing. Elite SEM was selected for its expertise in search marketing, exceptional campaign results for its clients, thought leadership in the search industry, talented employees, and unparalleled company culture. The awards featured 21 categories and were judged by a panel of industry experts.

Yes, even dry cleaners need advertising agencies. Mid-Atlantic-based ZIPS Dry Cleaners has selected MGH as its lead creative agency. But the agency will also handle strategic planning, media and social. Sounding like a boy about to board Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom, ZIPS Dry Cleaners CEO Reid Bechtle said, “After an extensive search, we have found such a partner in MGH. We are excited to embark upon this new partnership and look forward to seeing the dynamic creative concepts and strategic plans they develop for us.”

Wunderman has hired former Digitas chief creative officer Lincoln Bjorkman as its global chief creative officer. Bjorkman, who will begin November 11 and report to Wunderman Chairman and CEO Daniel Morel, will oversee the agency's creative efforts in 60 offices across 170 contries for Soke, Shell, Land Rover, Microsoft, Nokia and Dell. Bjorkman returns to Wunderman after having served as group creative director from 1997 to 1999 when he left for Brand Buzz and then Digitas .