McCann Worldgroup has hired NikeInc.veteran Alex Lopez as its president and global chief creative officer as part of an effort to help clients rethink their broader marketing strategy rather than focus on the traditional creative process, the agency network said.

Mr. Lopez spent 23 years at Nike, most recently as global vice president of brand marketing and global men's creative director. He will start at McCann on November 1.

The hiring of a longtime marketer from a major brand represents a shift in strategy for McCann, which is owned by Interpublic Group of Cos. and houses agencies such as relationship-management firm MRM, sponsorship-and-events agency Momentum and production shop CRAFT.

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Mr. Lopez's outside perspective and ability to work at the fast pace of retail will help clients think more broadly about how creativity can support their broader business functions, said Bill Kolb, chairman and chief executive officer of McCann Worldgroup.

"Having somebody like Alex who worked not only across geographies but capabilities, from experiential platforms and digital to distribution and customer experience, brings a whole new level of creativity," Mr. Kolb said.

Advertisers in recent years have overhauled their marketing strategies and spending plans in an effort to reach consumers who are spending more of their time and money online. Many advertisers have shifted their focus from making 30-second commercials to working with digital influencers, creating numerous versions of ads targeting individuals online and e-commerce marketing.

Agencies have scrambled to catch up. They have reorganized around new digital and data-analytics capabilities as well as consulting resources in an effort to help brands with their broader business challenges.

"Over the last couple years the world has changed dramatically," said Suzanne Powers, president and global chief strategy officer at McCann Worldgroup. "We're already playing in the full ecosystem of marketing. This goes beyond that. What are the right ways clients can engender deep relationships with constituents and future consumers, how do they go to market and what do they create."

That may mean helping a client redefine a product or build a sustainable business model, she said.

Mr. Lopez fills the top creative job at McCann following the departure early this year of McCann's longtime creative chief and ad-agency veteran Rob Reilly. Mr. Reilly, credited with ideas like the installation of a bronze statue of a girl facing down the iconic "Charging Bull" statue in lower Manhattan on behalf of State Street Global Advisors, left the IPG shop to become global chief creative officer of ad holding company WPP PLC.

Mr. Lopez's work at Nike spanned campaigns including "Dream Crazy," which featured Colin Kaepernick; efforts to enter new sports categories such as skateboarding; the brand's move into wearable technology via the Fuel Band; and the creation of Nike's production arm, Waffle Iron Entertainment. He has worked across a portfolio of brands within Nike.

Write to Alexandra Bruell at alexandra.bruell@wsj.com

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Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. published this content on 30 September 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 21 October 2021 13:53:06 UTC.