MARK FENSKE TO WIEDEN: HAS MARY MINNICK READ THE 14 ANTI-LAWS OF ADVERTISING?

Mark Fenske is returning to Wieden to work on the recently awarded Coke account. Mary Minnick, Coke's new marketing guru is the latest in a long line of Coke marketers to try to move the needle. George Parker has his typically hysterical view on the account move here.

I have several predictions: First, Mark will craft ads that will be creatively brilliant and will win at least two Lions at the '07 Cannes. Second, Weiden will siphon huge amounts of cash from Coke shareholders over the next 12 months. Third, Coke's market share erosion will accelerate as will their year over year marketing spend. Fourth, Minnick will depart Coke for personal reasons and then write a book about branding. Mark Fenske will write the forward to Minnick's book. Do you think anybody on Coke's board of directors has read Fenske's 14 anti-laws of advertising?

UPDATE: 12.14.05 - AdWeek via Yahoo via Adpulp has the full story on Fenske's return to Wieden here. I found this exchange between Wieden and Fenske interesting:

"He (Wieden) asked me (Fenske) what I'd been doing, and I told him I've been working freelance gigs; it's just that no one can sell what I write. He looked at me and said, 'I can."

UPDATE: 01.15.07 - A little more than a year ago I predicted Mary Minnick's departure from Coke. Her departure was announced today. I also made some predictions about her next move, Mark Fenske's creativity and Coke's market share and spend.

UPDATE: 01.31.07: Mark Fenske announces his departure from Wieden & Kennedy according to Adweek:

"I missed teaching," said Fenske, cautioning against reading more into his move. "In fact, I've already started teaching. The semester started two weeks ago." His last day at Wieden was Monday.

He said the Coke business would be "left in very good hands," but did not elaborate.

More on Mark Fenske here.

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Comments

[freelance creative]

I worked at Wieden, with Fenske, in the 80s. I wholeheartedly agree with you. I'm sick to god of Ad Cowboys who scream and yell about being creative but don't do anything besides write or design ads. Where are their novels? Where are their paintings? Ads are to sell the client's product. If you can make them creative, great. If you can't, because the client won't buy it, suck it up and save your brain cells.

I'm not leaving my name because I'm a freelancer and this is a small biz. I'm also a published novelist. When I get fed up with advertising, I concentrate on the next book I'm writing.

[Mike Smock]

Hi Freelance,

The irony is I actually like Fenske's work. I've long been a fan of his creativity. I'm not sure why he stays in advertising when his creativity could be applied elsewhere - likely to a much larger fan base and much better compensation.

[no]

the best creatives are those that understand strategy so well... that they do not need strategy.

i want them to work for me.

[c]

"Creative awards are meaningless if you can't convert them into revenue, profit and market share."

not really. market share, revenue and profit are meaningless. success was always the greatest lie. not mine, nietzsche.

[Mike Smock]

Nietzsche? Can't we be a little more creative?