TBWA's Digital Arts Network Los Angeles Announces Launch of Specialist Digital LABS

Major new hires join to lead Datalab, Mobilelab and SMARTSlab

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Aug 15, 2013, 03:15 ET

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TBWA's Digital Arts Network (DAN) Los Angeles today announced a series of new senior hires and the formation of additional specialty groups within the 100-person digital shop, part of the TBWA LA Group, which includes TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles.

Justin Manfredi joins DAN as deputy director from David & Goliath, where he was a senior integrated account director, overseeing the Kia Motors America account. Prior to David & Goliath, Justin was at AKQA San Francisco, working on VISA. Previous agencies Justin has held account management positions at include Deutsch and JWT in New York. Justin will be responsible for client services and the digital group's account teams at DAN LA.

Larry Lac comes to DAN LA from 72andSunny and previously Wieden + Kennedy, New York, where he held digital strategy and community management roles and worked with clients including: Samsung Mobile, Anheuser Busch-INBEV, Unilever, ESPN and Coca-Cola. Before switching to advertising, Larry lead digital content production at PR agency, Rubenstein Communications. Larry will lead DAN LA's social efforts as the director of SMARTSlab.

Vaino Leskinen is also joining the group, coming from TBWA Helsinki where he recently won five Cannes Lions for his work on the adidas campaign, "Window Shopping." Vaino will be focusing on mobile strategy and product creation, as part of the new division, Mobilelab.

Peter Basset has been promoted to director of digital production. Before joining TBWA a year ago as executive producer, Basset was at 180 Amsterdam where he worked on global campaigns for adidas. He comes from an integrated production background, having started his career as a broadcast producer, as well as spending time at pure play digital shops like AKQA and integrated agencies including Goodby Silverstein + Partners.

Finally, Eric Fader, formerly of local LA shop, Ignited, where he led digital analytics, and social network MySpace, where he formed a global analytics team. Eric joins DAN LA to head up the agency data science and analytics practice, Datalab.

DAN LA has been operational since summer 2012, and has contributed to the double-digit growth in digital revenue for TBWA LA, new client wins and expansion of TBWA's remit on existing clients. DAN LA is currently working with clients including Nissan, Infiniti, Energizer and Hillshire Brands.

Jason Clement, executive director of DAN LA, commented: "This is a new way of working and it shows in what we're producing. We think proximity to the big integrated agencies at TBWA in LA, alongside deep specialty expertise in social, mobile and technology, really is something special and unlike anything else the marketplace offers. We end up being both big and integrated, and small and crafty. Our clients have been impressed by it and we're proud of the work we're getting done both as DAN and with our partners across TBWA, including at TBWA\Chiat\Day."

Carisa Bianchi, president of TBWA\Chiat\Day Los Angeles, said: "Digital Arts Network is a critical part of the TBWA LA group, alongside the Shopper Arts Network, Let There Be Dragons and TBWA\Chiat\Day. We've always had digital expertise within our offering, but the framework we've established with DAN gives us a stronger offering and highlights our specialist capabilities."

Stuart Sproule, global president of TBWA's Digital Arts Network, said: "The growth and evolution of Digital Arts Network LA is testament to the success of its structure and specialist expertise. It has the scale to operate across global territories, while being highly specialized and nimble enough to flex to local client needs as well. Couple that with the passion of the talent there and it is truly one of the highlights of our network."

About Digital Arts Network
TBWA's Digital Arts Network (www.digitalartsnetwork.com) is a network of over 700 people operating in 19 offices across the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Europe. The core competencies of the Digital Arts Network include creative technology, UX, e-commerce, social media, content, mobile, IP and platforms, analytics, search, audience behavior and production. Digital Arts Network is headquartered in New York and is part of TBWA Worldwide.

About TBWA Worldwide
TBWA Worldwide (www.tbwa.com) creates Disruptive Ideas expressed through Media Arts for global clients, including ABSOLUT, Accenture, adidas, Apple, Energizer, Four Seasons, GSK, Henkel, Infiniti, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Pfizer, Roche, Standard Chartered Bank and Singapore Airlines. TBWA is ranked as a Top 10 worldwide advertising agency and was recognized by Advertising Age in 2010 as the "Best International Network of the Decade." TBWA has 274 offices in 100 countries and over 11,000 employees worldwide.

About Omnicom Group Inc.
TBWA is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

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SOURCE TBWA Worldwide