Russ Stoddard, founder and president of Oliver Russell, penned an opinion piece for The Drum a few weeks ago on “good-washing.” Give it a read here:
Job opening – Senior Designer / Art Director
Oliver Russell in Boise has an opening for a Senior Designer / Art Director. From the job listing on their website:
Here’s the person we’re looking for:
You’re a team-oriented individual with a bent toward strategy and a strong identity skill set, but you should have outstanding design chops across all media, from packaging through digital.
You’ll need to be strong in developing a concept and able to implement it as well—we are a small and flat organization. (You should also be comfortable getting dirty on a volunteer project to rebuild trails in the Boise Foothills or helping rearrange furniture to accommodate a speaker’s event in the office. We’re a collaborative place, we work hard, and there’s no job too big or small for anyone.)
You’ll have a strong desire to change the world and will have demonstrated an active pursuit of social purpose in your career, which could come to life through volunteering, advocacy, past work for social enterprises, or perhaps even something else. Tell us about it!
You must have strong communication and presentation skills. Emphasis on presentation—you will need to present your ideas at the same high level of quality as the work you have created.
You’ll likely have 10+ years professional experience. While an agency or professional services background is preferred, it’s not a must.
Full details about the position and how to apply can be found on Oliver Russell’s website.
Reunited
A few months ago we got word that Carew Co. was on the hunt for a Relationship Manager to join their team, and recently we discovered that they found the person they were looking for in Pat Brubaker.
In their words:
He’s a whiz at client and customer management. He’s a master at agency flow and schedules. He’s able to see the big picture and develop processes that work. He figures out people’s best qualities and plays to them. And he’s a smart strategy guy.
In other words: He’s a catch.
This also reunites Brubaker and Carew Co. founder Paul Carew, who worked together at Oliver Russell in the mid-2000s.
Oliver Russell joins The Purpose Collaborative
Last month, Oliver Russell announced that they’ve joined Carol Cone’s The Purpose Collaborative, a growing collective of the foremost purpose-oriented agencies and consultants created by one of the world’s purpose pioneers, Carol Cone.
Oliver Russell is the first Idaho-based company to join The Purpose Collaborative, and is among more than 37 agencies and subject matter experts with significant experience in–and an authentic commitment to–purpose. The Purpose Collaborative’s services include the discovery and definition of an organization/brand’s purpose, culture development, employee and customer engagement, sustainable product sourcing and innovation, social issue identification and partnerships, storytelling and marketing communications, multimedia and digital activation, and program effectiveness analytics.
Read Oliver Russell’s full announcement about the news here.
Big boulder in a little pond
You’ve seen it. And probably done it more than once. You’ve picked up that big, heavy rock and heaved it into a pond.
First there’s the big splash.
Then the ripples spread. And spread.
As we rolled into 2018, the boulder dropped with the seemingly abrupt departure of Ward Duft and Jill Watterson from Stoltz Marketing Group.
Shortly thereafter, a new player emerged in the Boise agency game, and at least two other shops have been pulled into the fray.
The first ripple: Stoltz Marketing Group
The departure of Duft and Watterson left an obvious hole at the top of the agency, as they represented two-thirds of the new leadership announced in the summer of 2017.
The vacancy was short-lived, however, as SMG recently announced that Jaime Ekman has taken the helm of the company as president and COO. This marks Ekman’s second go-around with the company originally founded by her father, Ken Stoltz. She most recently spent the past eight years with Castor & Pollux, now a Nestle Purina brand.
Shortly after taking the reins, Ekman appointed Kate Holgate creative director, and announced that Crissie McDowell will be rejoining the agency as associate creative director. Holgate has been with SMG for 16 years, progressing from art director to associate creative director and now to her current role. McDowell rejoins the agency, having been an art director from 2006 to 2015.
The second ripple: Duft Watterson
Shortly after their departure from Stoltz Marketing Group, Duft Watterson emerged as a new addition to the agency lineup in the Treasure Valley.
According to their website, Duft Watterson is led by Ward Duft as co-founder, CEO and creative director, and Jill Watterson as co-founder, COO and head of client service. Joining them are two other former SMG colleagues, Marc Cowlin as director of content and digital, and Tony Hart as associate creative director.
Rounding out the Duft Watterson team is designer Madeleine Godwin, Kesey Badgett handling branding and digital, accounting specialist Talia Spencer, and Lisa Cloyd as account manager.
Duft Watterson is based in Boise, and also has a presence in the San Francisco bay area.
The Oliver Russell connection
How does Oliver Russell factor into all of this, you ask? The answer, of course, lies in the moves outlined above. At the end of her first stint with Stoltz Marketing Group in 2015, Crissie McDowell departed to join Oliver Russell, where she’s spent the past three years as a senior art director.
The DaviesMoore association
Similarly, DaviesMoore factors into the drama, as Lisa Cloyd spent a short stint with them as director of client services, before joining Duft Watterson in January.
The rest
Time will tell what — if any — other fallout there will be as a result this shakeup in the Boise-area agency scene. Is there more to the story? Most definitely. But those are details that are best left to the parties involved to share (or not share) as they see fit.
On a personal note:
As some may know, I spent several years at Stoltz Marketing Group, and have worked with many of the people mentioned here. That being said, I’ve done my best to be as impartial an unbiased as it relates to these changes. Hopefully it came across that way.