November 8, 2004

		Buddy Lee Offers Career Advice in MTV2 Tie-In
		Silburn Named Fallon ECD
		Wieden's Smith to Lead Content Efforts at BBDO
		MOVERS: Oberlander Goes to McCann and other moves
		ON THE WEB: What's Wrong with George?

Buddy Lee Offers Career Advice in MTV2 Tie-In

Buddy Lee "Guidance Counselor"

Lee Jeans spokesdoll Buddy Lee plays the role of guidance counselor in a new series of branded entertainment films tied to the MTV2 program Control Freak. Created by Fallon/Minneapolis, the series takes advantage of the show's format -- which lets viewers pick what video comes on next -- by letting viewers decide which career path Lee's young charge should choose. The initial episode aired on Oct. 31. The next two episodes, which will show the student pursuing the career selected for him, will air on Nov. 14 and Nov. 28.

In the first episode, directed by Jon Nowak of St. Paul's Uncle Forehead Filmworks, we see Buddy reflect on his own past careers before viewers are asked to decide whether our young student should become a trapeze artist, a soap opera actor or a ventriloquist.

Silburn Named Fallon ECD

British copywriter and creative director Paul Silburn, currently deputy creative director at TBWA/London, has been named executive creative director of Fallon/North America, the agency announced today. Silburn, who will relocate to Minneapolis early next year, replaces former ECD David Lubars, who now holds the top creative job at BBDO.

Silburn -- whose resume includes stints at Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Lowe Howard-Spink, and Leith London -- is perhaps best known for writing the John West Salmon commercial "Bear" at Leo Burnett/London. The commercial became a worldwide internet sensation and earned a Gold Lion in Cannes.

Wieden's Smith to Lead Content Efforts at BBDO

Jimmy Smith, formerly a writer and creative director at Wieden + Kennedy/Portland, has joined the David Lubars-led creative team at BBDO. One of the creative forces behind such landmark W+K work as Nike "Freestyle" and "Rucker Park," Smith will be stationed in L.A. (dividing his time between both coasts) and will devote his efforts not only to commercials, but to spearheading commercial content outside the spot framework. During his ten years in Portland, Smith worked on projects including the agency's successful Nike Battlegrounds documentary and series for MTV, the basketball book Soul of the Game and the still-in-production musical Ball, among other initiatives.

While Smith says he was given freedom to pursue content projects at W+K, he says he was drawn to BBDO, where Lubars and worldwide CEO Andrew Robertson have made developing new forms of content a key agency mandate and where he will have a chance to work on big ticket accounts like Pepsi. "Part of my job description will be making this content thing happen," he says. "To have the marketing dollars behind it kicks it to a new level." In L.A., Smith will be based out of the offices of director Jesse Dylan, who is currently finishing up the feature Kicking & Screaming with Will Ferrell.

Smith says he will work with Dylan on some projects but is talking to a range of players in the advertising and entertainment industries. "David and I plan on working with anyone with a great idea," says Smith, citing the advantage of being able to leverage contacts he's built up working in different cultural and media milieus and through his current location amid Hollywood movers. And he's not thinking small. "I'm talking about a Friends, I'm talking about a movie that will be up for an Oscar," he says. -Teressa Iezzi

MOVERS

Bill Oberlander, formerly an executive creative director at Ogilvy & Mather, has been named executive VP-executive creative director at McCann-Erickson/N.Y. Oberlander, who officially starts at the agency Nov. 30, joins McCann ECDs Steve Ohler and Irwin Warren. ... Director Wayne Holloway, formerly of RSA USA, has signed with Santa Monica production company Uncle, where he rejoins head of sales and executive producer Bryan Farhy. Farhy and Holloway previously worked together at transmission@RSA and Headquarters. RSA/London will continue to represent Holloway in Europe. ... Director Sam Jones -- best known for the Wilco documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart -- has signed with Tool of North America for commercials representation. He was previously repped by Blink USA.

ON THE WEB

What's wrong with Chicago-based copywriter George Ellis? According to this self-promotional video, you'll have to interview him to find out.

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