Mark Wenneker, MullenLowe’s U.S. Chief Creative Officer, is leaving the IPG agency due the financial impact of Covid-19. His departure comes just a month after the shop laid off 10 percent of its staff across its New York and Los Angeles offices.
During his 12 years, Wenneker and his creative teams developed award-winning work for clients including Acura, Burger King, National Geographic Channel and the Grand Effie-winning “World’s Toughest Job” for American Greetings.
Wenneker also helped staff up MullenLowe’s Los Angeles office and contributed to new business wins including Acura, E*Trade, Google, Grey Goose, JetBlue, Patrón, Whole Foods and Zappos.
“Mark was a huge part of MullenLowe’s success over the past 12 years. He was more than just a great creative, he put his heart and soul into reshaping the Mullen brand,” an agency representative said in a a statement. “We wish him the best wherever his creative pursuits lead him.”
Before joining MullenLowe as an Executive Creative Director in 2010, Wenneker spent over seven years at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, where he rose from a senior art director to a group creative director.
Below is an excerpt from an internal email Wenneker sent to MullenLowe announcing his departure, which was obtained by AgencySpy:
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I started at Mullen 12 years ago in a big beautiful mansion in the woods of Wenham—April 14, 2008. Right in the middle of the great financial recession. It is with some twisted irony that I will be leaving MullenLowe in May 2020 amid an economic downturn in which no one sees the bottom.
From a work standpoint this is a painting that is incomplete for me. The beaten-up brushes are dripping with years of rich colors and the canvas is screaming to be loved, but the artist will not be asked to complete the big picture.
Not this artist. Not this picture.
This picture, the song, and the story is yours to paint and sing and write.
The brush is yours.
The canvas is yours.
The keys are yours.
Love it.
Respect it.
Never give up on it.
Going forward, the CCO role at MullenLowe will be decentralized, with Wenneker’s responsibilities handled by other creative leaders at the shop, reports say.
