Real Mad Men Hit Europe

World’s Biggest Advertising Festival to Be Staged in London, March 18 – 21, 2013

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--15,000 of the world’s best and brightest minds - from Frank Abagnale (Catch Me If You Can) and legendary record producer Phil Ramone, to Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm) – will land upon British shores for Advertising Week Europe alongside industry giants Frank Cooper of Pepsi, R/GA’s Bob Greenberg, award winning producer, public policy maker and creative leader, Lord David Puttnam, David Jones of Havas, Maurice Lévy of Publicis, and WPP’s Sir Martin Sorrell. The New York-based festival, which celebrates its 10th anniversary with a European debut, will bring the world’s largest annual gathering of industry movers and shakers to London’s most spectacular venues, starting at St Paul’s Cathedral for the inaugural Opening Gala.

“We're really looking forward to Advertising Week Europe coming to the UK. It promises to be a real festival of advertising, joining together colleagues from across the industry to debate some of our biggest topics, hear from some exceptional speakers, and spend time celebrating the fantastically creative business of advertising.”

The week-long summit will launch on Monday 18^th March with the first of a four-part series of Leadership Breakfasts held each morning at Ronnie Scott’s. Throughout each day the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) will host Advertising Week’s thought leadership programme, with seminars running concurrently in all three BAFTA theatres. Each seminar will be handcrafted to feature the speakers and topics of today - the urgent, the unspoken and the unbelievable - with original content produced in conjunction with Elle, Fast Company, The Guardian, Metro, The Economist, Huffington Post, London Evening Standard and Variety among others.

Beyond the St. Paul’s Opening Gala, hosted in partnership with ITV, other confirmed special events include an opening night concert at Scala in partnership with Spotify; a celebration of women industry leaders at Kensington Palace in partnership with Hearst’s Cosmopolitan; a closing night Wrap Party at Fabric in partnership with Microsoft and Absolute Radio.

The week-long summit will include original research reveals, a daily spotlight on start-ups, product launches, and a special address by Frank Abagnale on privacy. Abagnale (long employed by the FBI) was depicted on the big screen by Leonardo DiCaprio in the awarding-winning film Catch Me If You Can and now talks on the hottest topic of the moment. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Curb Your Enthusiasm star, Susie Essman, will moderate a Seminar on advertising and humour. Music innovator Phil Ramone will offer unique insights on the creative process. The power of football will also be on display with the Premier League and Barclay’s sharing the stage.

Creativity also takes centre stage as the International ANDY Awards moves from New York City to London taking place at BAFTA on Wednesday 20^th March with judges including Jury Chairman, Bob Greenberg Founder and Chairman, R/GA, Colleen DeCourcy, Global Co-ECD W&K, Malcolm Poynton, ECD, Sapient Nitro and Mother Founder and Creative Director, Mark Waites.

With social, mobile and data high on the agenda, top brass from Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter, Tumblr, Buzzfeed, Radium One, a•mo•bee, Tapjoy, InMobi, Weve, Mojiva, AppNexus, The Rubicon Project, Criteo and Acxiom will all be taking part. Among those confirmed to take the BAFTA stage are such EMEA/UK leaders as Mark D’Arcy (Facebook); Bruce Daisley (Twitter); Dale Gall (Profero); Tom George (MEC); Josh Graff (LinkedIn); Andy Hart (Microsoft); Kate Howe (DraftFCB); Chris MacDonald (McCann); Nigel Morris (Aegis); Kate Robertson (Havas); and Michael Steckler (Criteo). Phil Stokes, Partner, EMEA TICE & Entertainment & Media Leader (PwC);

Founders cutting across generations on the agenda include Radium One founder, Gurbaksh Chahal, a•mo•bee founder, Trevor Healy, Taxi founder, Paul Lavoie, @radical.media founder, Jon Kamen, original PHD Founders, David Pattison, Nick Horswell and Jonathan Durden, Criteo co-founder, Jean-Baptiste Rudelle, and Keith Reinhard, co-founder of Omnicom, Chairman emeritus of DDB and widely regarding as the “Last Great Mad Man.” Advertising Week and DMR Partners will also shine the innovation spotlight on start-ups featuring founders of new emerging technology companies.

“We can’t wait to premiere Advertising Week Europe in London; it has been a phenomenal success in the USA and Europe has yet to experience anything quite like it. Throughout The Week, we will unite talent and create a whole host of opportunities to take the discussion around advertising, marketing & media out of the ghetto and into the open. Never before has an event been held in London where every corner of the sector stands side by side to debate and celebrate the now and the future,” said Matt Scheckner, CEO of Stillwell Partners which produces Advertising Week globally.

Scheckner will be accompanied by Kathleen Saxton, founder of the London-based Talent Firm, The Lighthouse Company, who has been instrumental in bringing a new edition of Advertising Week to the United Kingdom. “Leading the way forward is the foundation of Advertising Week and we are delighted to help build a bridge from New York to London and to connect talent past, present and future from all corners of the globe,” said Saxton who will Chair an Advisory Board that includes:

Paul Bainsfair, Director General, IPA

Nick Bampton, Commercial Director, Channel 5

Mark Creighton, Chief Executive Officer, Mindshare

Julian Lloyd Evans, Managing Director of Advertising, Dennis Publishing

Tom George, Chairman of Northern Europe, MEC

Nigel Gilbert, General Manager EMEA, AppNexus

Josh Graff, Director, Marketing Solutions EMEA, LinkedIn

Chris Goldson, Creative Sales Director, ITV

Greg Grimmer, Partner, Hurrell Moseley Dawson & Grimmer

Stephen Haines, UK Sales Director, Facebook

Tracy Halliwell, Director of Business Tourism & Major Events, London & Partners

Tim Hipperson, incoming Chief Executive Officer, ZenithOptimedia

Andy Hart, General Manager, Advertising & Online UK, Microsoft

Paul Lavoie, Chairman, Co-Founder, TAXI

David Mansfield, Director, The Drive Partnership

Moray MacLennan, Chief Executive Officer Worldwide

Nikki Mendonça, President, of Europe, OMD

David Pemsel, Chief Commercial Officer, Guardian News & Media

Kate Robertson, UK Group Chairman, HAVAS WORLDWIDE

Seb Royce, Ex ECD, GlueIsobar

Bryan Scott, Marketing Communications Director, Metro

Linda Smith, Executive Chair, RAB

Phil Stokes, Partner, EMEA TICE & Entertainment & Media Leader, PwC

Welcoming Advertising Week to Europe are also advertising trade body IPA and London & Partners with both organizations providing extensive support.

“Advertising Week is the only one of its kind in the world and the IPA is looking forward to playing a part in bringing it alive on its first European platform. The UK’s creative industries are at the forefront of innovation and so it seems fitting that London has been chosen to play host to what will be an amazing coming together of talent, expertise, and thought leadership from across Europe, The IPA is encouraging its member agencies to take full advantage of this week which could form a major part of any agency’s annual CPD requirements.

And we are thrilled by Advertising Week’s support for our Creative Pioneers Challenge which was founded in order to create the next generation of creative and digital talent to ensure our industry continues to evolve and remain at the cutting edge,” said IPA President Nicola Mendelsohn.

Overall, a portion of the proceeds generated from Advertising Week's evening celebrations will go to support the IPA’s Creative Pioneers programme and the UK’s Historic Advertising Trust.

Also welcoming Advertising Week Europe’s launch is London & Partners.

“London is very excited to be welcoming Advertising Week Europe this spring. Following such a momentous year for the capital, with landmark events from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, London is no stranger to the power of advertising, marketing and media, and we’re delighted that this event has chosen London as its inaugural home for their first European event. A location to compliment a meeting of creative minds, London is a city that pushes the boundaries of innovation and creativity, attracting the best in talent and the creative industries who recognise the capital as a thriving environment for business.” said Tracy Halliwell, Director of Business Tourism & Major Events, London & Partners.

On behalf of the Corporate Partners, Fru Hazlitt, MD Commercial, Online & Interactive, ITV plc., said: "We're really looking forward to Advertising Week Europe coming to the UK. It promises to be a real festival of advertising, joining together colleagues from across the industry to debate some of our biggest topics, hear from some exceptional speakers, and spend time celebrating the fantastically creative business of advertising."

Registration to Advertising Week Europe is now open at www.advertisingweek.eu

Delegate tickets are £249, which allows for attendance at all BAFTA Seminars. Super Delegate tickets are £499 and include the Seminar program plus passes to select evening events.

Regarding travel to London, The Morgans Hotel Group's St. Martins Lane is the Official Hotel of Advertising Week Europe. Preferred rates are available at www.advertisingweek.eu.