Red Cell acquires Berlin Cameron & Partners

11 Dec 2001

Red Cell, WPP’s global agency network, has strengthened its US presence with the acquisition of New York creative agency, Berlin Cameron & Partners. Chairman Andy Berlin will become Co-Chief Executive and Chief Creative Officer of Red Cell.

Simultaneously, Lee Daley, former EVP Chief Strategy Officer for McCann-Erickson Europe, Middle East and Africa, is appointed co-Chief Executive and Chief Strategy Officer.

Ewen Cameron, CEO of Berlin Cameron, aged 37, will be responsible for Berlin Cameron in the US.

Andy Berlin, aged 51, is a highly-feted industry figure, with a history of doing things differently and collecting awards along the way. From his days as an award-winning copywriter at Ogilvy & Mather to the co-founding of Goodby, Berlin & Silverstein in San Francisco which became one of the most respected creative agencies in the US, he’s been a name to watch.

In 1991, the agency joined Omnicom and Berlin managed a turn-around team at the Group’s DDB Needham New York agency, nominated ‘Executive of the Year’ and ‘Agency of the Year’ respectively. In 1995 he co-founded New York agency, Fallon McElligott Berlin, which evolved two years later into the fully independent Berlin Cameron & Partners. In 2000, the agency had revenues of approximately $20 million.

With his belief that "wherever there is a mega-trend, there will be an opportunity to do things in the opposite direction," Berlin is idealolgically suited to the Red Cell proposition of servicing ‘challenger’ brands, identified by their emphasis on innovation and change.

Ewen Cameron, who co-founded Berlin Cameron, is a master planner, learning his skills at BMP in London before moving to New York to work with Andy Berlin on the regeneration of DDB. During his time with Berlin Cameron, he has led some remarkable business successes including the much publicized turnaround at Reebok International and the launch of Coca-Cola's global water brand, Dasani. He is a member of the global advertising steering committee for The Coca-Cola Company and consults with the American Association of Advertising Agencies on planning and training.

Berlin Cameron, which is 4 years old, has estimated billings of about $265 million and a blue-chip client roster that includes Coca-Cola, the National Basketball Association, New York Life Insurance, Ralston Purina and Reebok.

LEE DALEY
Lee Daley will be responsible for development of the Red Cell network and brand, for leading strategy on global and multinational clients, and for corporate strategic development of the network’s core advertising, diversified operations and client service capabilities.

Daley, aged 38, brings a rich experience to his new role, after 15 years in the communications industry, working for some of the most noted companies in the advertising world, including WCRS in London, TBWA/BDH, DMB&B and, for 11 years at McCann-Erickson in Europe and in the US, ultimately as a member of European Executive Management Board and worldwide Board, as the EVP Chief Strategy Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

In this role, which he held from 1998 to 2001, he had responsibility for brand and business strategy for European and global clients, corporate strategic developments (including the M.E.C.H. agency in Berlin), knowledge management, strategic planning operations as head of discipline in the region and was heavily involved in new business. In addition, he was head of strategy on Nestle Worldwide, Interbrew Worldwide and General Motors Europe. During this period, McCann was twice voted Media and Marketing Europe’s Agency of the Year.

Daley spent six years in New York where from 1994 to August 1998 he was Managing Director and Director of Strategic Planning for Amster Yard, a global strategic and creative hot shop set up by McCann Worldwide. During his tenure, the agency pitched against some of the best creative agencies in Europe and North America, winning billings in excess of $130 million with multiple international creative and strategic assignments from blue chip clients such as The Coca-Cola Company, Interbrew, Bacardi-Martini, Bancomer, Bravo and Chief Executive Magazine. The work produced by the agency picked up creative awards in multiple countries including the prestigious Cannes and New York Art Directors’ Club. Prior to this, he first managed the $100 million L’Oreal account for the US and global projects for The Coca-Cola Company and was then instrumental in conceiving McCann’s brand consulting unit, "the 14th Floor".

In 1991, he was made a Group Board director of McCann-Erickson London at the age of 28, having developed the strategy for and overseen the famous launch of Unilever’s "I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter."