I’VE TAKEN A PARTNER.

The partners here have had a lot of discussions about moving the agency forward and getting to the next level. It became clear that if I could find someone who had a track record of creating award-winning work across all channels, who was renowned in the industry for his new media prowess, and who was a really nice guy, well, then there would be nothing VB&P couldn’t do. To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure this mythological creature existed. But it does. And it goes by the name Will McGinness.

I’m thrilled and downright giddy to say, Will McGinness is joining forces with VB&P (you can read the press release here). He’ll be my creative partner, and he’ll work across accounts just as I do. His title will be my title: Creative Director. The creative leaders here now have another complementary resource to turn to for guidance and direction and multi-platform thinking.

It’s an exciting time. For the agency. For me, personally. And even for the industry, if I may be so bold. It’s going to expect great things from this combination. And I can tell you with complete certainty, the people of this agency are ready for the challenge. Especially the new guy.

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE.

This week we announced the addition of new client, Clearwire, the leading 4G mobile broadband internet provider. This news comes on the heels of VB&P’s 40% revenue growth since 2008 and a banner new business year thus far in 2010. VB&P added Phillips 66 to its current ConocoPhillips responsibilities and expanded its work on the ConAgra portfolio with a significant assignment for Chef Boyardee. So far, the SF Egotist, Adweek and the New York Times have all picked up the news.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND.

Last week Paul returned to the Ron Owens show on ABC radio out of San Francisco. If you want to know what his biggest pet peeve is when watching football, the best place to learn how to be a copywriter and why McDonald’s uses the colors yellow and red to sell hamburgers, tune in here.

SHOCK ADVERTISING.

ABC’s Nightline invited our agency President Bob Molineaux onto their program about shock advertising and featured our work for the Meth Project. In the debate over the effectiveness of using graphic ads, we’re proud to say our work for the Meth Project is winning. In the five years since they’ve been running, teen meth use is down by 63% and adult use by 72% in the state of Montana. Watch the show here.

RAVIOLI IS FOREVER.

Today, Adweek Ad Critic Barbara Lippert gave a glowing review of our first work for Chef Boyardee. “The work really works. The tone is perfect,” she said. In the spot, a Chef-eater is confronted by her once-loved, now-abandoned blankey. Needless to say, the insecure blanket is not happy to learn that its owner has not outgrown the saucy taste of Chef Boyardee. Look for a cantankerous soldier and a PO’d nightlight to follow in blankey’s ravioli-scoffing footsteps. In the meantime, check out the article here.

THE SF EGOTISTS ASKS. PAUL ANSWERS.

This week, the San Francisco Egotist featured Paul in a Q&A. Read here about the best advice he ever received, why the world doesn’t need another ad agency, and why he thinks San Francisco trumps New York.

OUR CLIENTS AREN’T LIKE YOUR CLIENTS.

Ad Age has named our Intel client, Deborah Conrad, a “Woman to Watch.” This is not exactly news to us. We fell in love with her as a client on day one, and she’s been pivotal in leading our work for “Sponsors of Tomorrow.” As Paul Venables tells Ad Age, “All great clients are smart, intuitive and courageous, and Deborah Conrad is all of the above. But what makes her the kind of client the agency bleeds for is how she is as a person.” Thanks, Deborah, for being a rockstar client and for making us all look good.

ALMOST THREE BILLION IMPRESSIONS AND COUNTING.

In their annual Green issue, Elle magazine awarded gold to VB&P’s “Green Car” Super Bowl spot for Audi. They called it, “a 60-second lesson in the power of humor to change perception.” And said it, “made mainstream Americans think about the environment, and environmentalists rethink the delivery of their message.” The article also re-quoted David Roberts of Grist, who remarked that the spot “is an appeal to a new and growing demographic that isn’t hard-core environmentalist — and doesn’t particularly like hard-core environmentalists — but that basically wants to do the right thing.” So far, “Green Car” has generated almost three billion PR impressions since it aired in February.

THE BONG IS ADDICTIVE.

This month Fast Company revealed that our client Intel’s Bong is the second most addictive sound in the world, one notch below a baby’s giggle and just ahead of the “Star Spangled Banner.” The results were part of findings by branding guru Martin Lindstrom and sound identity company Elias Arts, who wired volunteers and measured their pupil and brain wave responses to sounds. Read more here.

GREEN AMERICANS ARE HAPPY AMERICANS.

Recycling is on par with volunteering for the needy when it comes to acts that make Americans feel like better people, VB&P has found. In a survey of 500 Americans around the topic of green, respondents said the only activity that ranks above recycling is doing a favor for a loved one or friend.

“Our study has shown Americans have a strong conscience and individual sense of duty to do their part when it comes to activities related to the green movement,” said Lucy Farey-Jones, partner and head of brand strategy, VB&P. “Green living is definitely no longer just the trendy thing to do; it’s a lifestyle.”

Even though only 20% of respondents classify themselves as “green,” more than 80% of respondents say they conserve energy and water, recycle, buy products that use recycled materials and purchase energy-efficient light bulbs.

“There seems to be a disconnect between how people perceive green and their actual green habits,” says Farey-Jones. “Most Americans don’t define themselves as green, but the reality is almost three-quarters are engaging in six primary green acts. I think it’s safe to say green is a behavior, not a label.”

The top four motivations for a green lifestyle include protecting the environment, leading a healthy lifestyle, saving money and feeling better about your place in the world. Impressing others comes in last on the list. In fact, 76% say green practices are worth the effort and they would still recycle even if no one in their neighborhood did. Additionally, 89% would continue recycling if they found out global warming didn’t exist.

Leaving behind a green legacy and teaching children good green habits are also priorities for Americans. Three-quarters of those surveyed say they believe strongly that their current green habits will impact future generations and living green is an important part of conserving the planet for future generations. 89% say it’s a parent’s job to teach his or her children to recycle, though 66% say it’s annoying when other people enforce their green lifestyle on others.

Americans may not want their peers enforcing their green habits, but 50% think it’s government’s responsibility to enforce environmental protection rules. Roughly a third of participants say they would support a green tax on income or products. And when it comes to fines on recycling, two-thirds say they would support corporations being fined for not recycling, though only one-third would support individual fines.

For more information on the study, or to schedule an interview with Lucy Farey-Jones, please contact Meredith Vellines at meredith.vellines@venablesbell.com.