Jay-Z faces Kaepernick questions over NFL deal and Revlon could be up for sale: Friday Wake-Up Call – AdAge.com

Just briefly:
Retained: Publicis Groupe’s Starcom and Epsilon have retained Novartis’ global media account following a seven-month review, reports Ad Age’s Lindsay Rittenhouse. They will form a bespoke unit, NovartisOne2, to service the assignment.

Game on: Activision Blizzard has hired Creative Artists Agency exec David Messinger as its global chief marketing officer, writes Ad Age’s E.J. Schultz. It’s a new role, overseeing units with games including “Call of Duty,” “Overwatch” and “Candy Crush.”

Inside story: Barton F. Graf creative director Avinash Baliga has written his personal account of what went wrong at the agency for Ad Age. Read his fascinating story—including how the agency pitched a creative idea involving Benicio del Toro dressed as a cactus—here.

Campaign of the Day: The NFL kicks off its 100th season on Sept. 5, and to celebrate, it’s released a stirring new film. As Ad Age’s Ann-Christine Diaz writes, it “features vignettes of NFL players, fans, and other notable athletes and pros appearing laser-focused, buried in thought and staring fiercely at the camera, as if there’s serious business to come.” Everyone in the spot, by 72andSunny, is singing a version of the classic pop tune “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” but instead of the original lyrics, they chant: “We ready.” Watch it here, and even if you’re not an NFL fan you might feel excited about the new season.

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