Susan Credle has been named chief creative officer of Leo Burnett USA, effective October 5. Credle formerly served as executive VP/executive creative director at BBDO New York.
In her new role, Credle will have oversight of both Leo Burnett and Arc USA. She will report to Mark Tutssel, chief creative officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide.
For over a decade, Credle has been leading BBDO’s creative development on M&M/Mars and Cingular/AT&T, among other brands. Under her direction, these brands have won numerous awards, including Cannes, One Show, Andy’s and Clios, and meshed themselves into pop culture.
For instance, Credle’s contributions to BBDO New York were noteworthy when that shop was named SHOOT’s Agency of the Year in 2007. In many respects, her exploits in ’07 reflected the wide ranging creative at BBDO. For example, Credle made what she characterized as her first significant high-profile move into “new media” with Mars/M&M’s “Inner M” campaign in which TV spots showing what people would look like when turned into M&M characters helped drive traffic to BecomeanM&M.com.
Visitors (there were 2 million in just the first three weeks) got in touch with their “Inner M,” building their own avatar M&M character based on their self-image, selecting such features as color of the candy shell, eye shape and hairstyle. The campaign brought a new dimension to branding. While it’s great to bring consumers to a brand, the “Inner M” initiative had them become the brand.
Also on the ’07 awards show front, Credle scored with AT&T/Cingular’s “Battle,” which was not only nominated for a primetime commercial Emmy but also won a Gold Effie Award for its effectiveness in the marketplace, and an AICP Show honor in the Performance/Dialogue category. The commercial shows a mother and teenage daughter “arguing”–at least that’s their tone–but the incongruity is that they are conveying positive messages to each other, as the parent entrusts her teen with a cell phone.
Particularly appealing about “Battle” to Credle was that it respected the audience’s intelligence. “The human brain is a problem-solving mechanism. This spot requires you to work a little bit,” she observed back in ’07. “If you lay something out that requires no activity for the brain, you might be missing more of a connection that you can make with the consumer.”
Of Credle’s appointment, Burnett’s Tutssel stated, “Creativity is the heartbeat of this agency. There is no role that is more important in powering this agency to the top than the U.S. CCO role. We have found the perfect leader to take on this responsibility. Susan is a creative powerhouse with a demonstrated ability to lead blue-chip clients to outstanding creative heights while creating work that truly matters to people.”
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More