Crispin Porter + Bogusky Hires Ari Merkin as Executive Creative Director, Miami

MIAMI, March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) announced today that Ari Merkin has returned to CP+B as executive creative director. Ari will lead the creative department in the Miami office, working on a number of the agency’s accounts. One of his first priorities will be to bring in additional creatives to be based in Miami. The agency also announced today that former executive creative directors Andrew Keller, Rob Reilly and Jeff Benjamin have been promoted to chief creative officers.

"Ari has never stopped being a part of this place. I'm humbled that we get to have him back," said Andrew Keller.

Ari is a recognized industry leader who has been featured in almost every publication that follows the advertising industry. In 2006, Advertising Age named Ari among its "40 Under 40." He currently serves as a member of the One Club Board of Directors and in November of 2009, Ari was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Achievement.

Ari's success stems from his early career at CP+B, where his work on the BMW MINI helped the campaign become one of the most successful U.S. auto launches in history. His "Body Bags" campaign for truth®, the anti-smoking campaign for the American Legacy Foundation, is still considered one of the most effective public service efforts of all time. As writer of the IKEA "Lamp" spot, Ari earned a Grand Prix at Cannes, as well as the Grand Clio. The spot still appears among listings of Top 10 commercials.

At just 33 years old, Ari left CP+B to take over as executive creative director of Fallon, New York. In 2005, Ari co-founded boutique agency, Toy New York, which attracted an impressive roster of blue-chip clients, including Amazon, Macy's, Disney, Google, Virgin Mobile, Activision, American Eagle, OfficeMax, BusinessWeek, and Extended Stay Hotels. Among the agency's most noteworthy work was the "Elf Yourself" viral phenomenon for OfficeMax, which attracted 200 million visits in fewer than six weeks. "Elf Yourself" is still on the record books as one of the greatest viral successes ever.

"CP+B consistently delivers work that's breakthrough and game changing. Not to mention wildly effective. It's everything an agency should be," said Ari Merkin. "I'm thrilled to be back in Miami, the base of the agency's heritage, with the chance to once again be a part of CP+B and MDC Partners. "Miles is a great guy. He totally gets what makes the place tick and everything he and MDC do is in support of their entrepreneurial vision. He was a big factor for me in my decision to rejoin the agency. I'm thrilled to be back helping to build the agency's creative resources in the place where it all began."

"It is important that every office have creative leaders with immense character and intelligence," said Rob Reilly. "There is no question the impact that Ari will have on CP+B."

About CP+B

Based in Boulder, Miami, and Gothenburg, Sweden, and additional offices in London and LA, Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B), a member of the MDC Partners network, has a client list that includes Burger King, Microsoft, Domino's Pizza, Coke Zero, Old Navy, Gap, Best Buy, Geek Squad, and more. CP+B is one of the most-awarded agencies in the world, with the unprecedented distinction of winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes International Advertising Festival in five separate categories. The agency has been named Agency of the Year thirteen times in the trade press, as well as twice being named Interactive Agency of the Year at Cannes. In 2010, CP+B was named Agency of the Decade by Advertising Age. The agency and its work have been profiled numerous times in publications that include the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Fast Company, Time, Newsweek, Campaign, Archive, and Shots. The agency currently has $1.2 billion in billings.

SOURCE Crispin Porter + Bogusky