Converse Finds a home with Anomaly

Article from Adweek.

By Andrew McMains

NEW YORK Converse has hired Anomaly to handle creative duties on its ad account, sources said. Estimated billings are $20 million.

Anomaly, an independent agency here, is also expected to execute communications planning for the brand, which is part of Nike's portfolio.

Independent Wieden + Kennedy handles media duties for all Nike brands.

Independent Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners in Sausalito, Calif., split with Converse in the spring. Butler, Shine worked on the account for three years.

At Anomaly, Converse will work closely with creative chief Mike Byrne, who before joining the agency last year was a co-creative director on Nike at Wieden in Portland, Ore.

The hire came after months of meetings between the North Andover, Mass.-based Converse and Anomaly, whose other clients include Coca-Cola, Virgin America and Beverage Partners Worldwide.

Anomaly referred calls to the client, which could not immediately be reached.

Previous major media spending on the brand has ranged from less than $5 million in 2004 to nearly $20 million in both 2005 and 2006, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Spending in the first five months of 2007 approached
$10 million, per Nielsen.

Well this is certainly some good news. There is no doubt in my mind that the work Butler, Shine, Stern, & Partners helped move Converse to the next level. Especially when you consider the Brand Democracy campaign, which has inspired me to do this Blog and work towards bringing Converse back to the NCAA.

Acording to Anomaly's website, Anomaly is a departure from the norm or common order, form or rule. This is really interesting and it had me looking forward to seeing what they had done before. However, I can't seem to find any information about the deal on there website or any other clients. In the article is said that they're working with Coca-Cola, as a hardcore Pepsi man this is a red flag. I am willing to look past that, but I am eagerly anticipating the first ads to come from this new partnership. So I am assuming we'll see there first efforts around November with the release of the Wade 3.0.

Thanks for reading and come back tomorrow for Friday's Flashback!