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The Halo Group

Our client McGarryBowen has joined forces with Dentsu. Read the press-release below, but first check out some of our work for McGarryBowen:

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Big City's Work for McGarryBowen Agency

Lobster Roll Wins Guinness World Record with Kraft Miracle Whip

Kraft Miracle Whip Lobster Roll Spot :60

Kraft Miracle Whip Lobster Roll Spot :15

Maya Angelou 2008 Olympic Poem "Amazement Awaits"

Marriott In-Room Video

Reebok Fit - Inspirational Video

Reebok Fit - Follow-Up Inspirational Video

Reebok Sports Brand: The Sport of Lifestyle

Maya Angelou Libraries Greeting

Marriott: Driven Campaign Behind The Scenes

Chevron Shanghai Expo 2010

Verizon Wireless B2B Talent Interviews

Chase Blueprint Talent Interviews

JPMC Community Development Banking Spots

MCGARRYBOWEN JOINS DENTSU, CREATING GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS POWERHOUSE

Commitment to Clients’ Success the Centerpiece of Watershed Deal for Dentsu and mcgarrybowen New York, November 12, 2008 – Dentsu Holdings USA, Inc. today announced that it has acquired celebrated advertising agency mcgarrybowen. mcgarrybowen’s New York headquarters, Chicago office and its digital arm, Continuity, will all continue to operate under the leadership of the mcgarrybowen executive management team, which now has access to the global resources of Dentsu. Founded in 2002, mcgarrybowen quickly amassed an impressive roster of blue-chip clients and an unparalleled reputation for client service.

The brainchild of John McGarry, Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Bowen, Chief Creative Officer and Stewart Owen, Chief Strategic Officer, mcgarrybowen has since grown into the largest independent agency in New York and the 10th largest independent agency in the U.S. The acquisition is a natural outgrowth of mcgarrybowen’s desire to better serve its clients around the globe and across a full range of marketing and communications activities, and of Dentsu’s continued commitment to building a U.S.-based infrastructure with breadth and depth. “At Dentsu, we have always created, staffed and grown our agencies based on client needs,” said Tim Andree, President & CEO, Dentsu Holdings USA, Inc. “We knew from our first meeting with mcgarrybowen that this kind of inherent commitment to client service is core to both of our agencies’ cultures. I have sincere respect and admiration for the impressive agency that mcgarrybowen has been able to create in the last six years.

We are thrilled to be able to offer Dentsu’s vast global resources to mcgarrybowen, its management team and its formidable roster of clients.” “mcgarrybowen is all about serving its clients – creating powerful, compelling communications that help our clients succeed and beat their competition in a tough, competitive global marketplace,” said John McGarry, CEO, mcgarrybowen. “What we love about Dentsu is that they share that same overwhelming desire to help theirclients.” McGarry continued, “More and more, our clients demand global capabilities and this will allow us to continue to serve our clients better.”

Since Andree joined Dentsu in 2006, the Agency has embarked upon a series of significant acquisitions and realignments designed to drive growth and profitability and build a strong U.S.-based global network. The unprecedented success resulted in Dentsu America more than doubling its revenue in 2007, and becoming the fastest growing agency in the U.S., according to Advertising Age’s “Agency Report 2008.” In July 2008, Andree was named Dentsu Inc.’s first non-Japanese Executive Officer in the Company’s 107-year history. Concurrent with this announcement, Andree adds the role of President & CEO, Dentsu Holdings USA, Inc. to his existing responsibilities as Executive Officer, Dentsu Inc. and CEO, Dentsu America, Inc. “Two years ago, President & COO Tatsuyoshi Takashima and our Board, in a demonstration of their steadfast commitment to our clients, announced Dentsu’s intention to grow globally, to add diverse talent and skills to the network, and to extend the strength and capabilities of Dentsu outside of Japan,” said Andree. “Today’s acquisition is powerful evidence of Dentsu making good on that promise to our clients, and is a real coup for the growing Dentsu family.”

About Dentsu Holdings USA, Inc.
Dentsu Holdings USA, Inc. (DHUSA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dentsu Inc., the world’s largest single agency brand. DHUSA owns and operates award-winning advertising agencies in North America and Europe, including Dentsu America, Inc., Dentsu Communications, Inc., Dentsu Next Inc., Dentsu Canada Inc., ATTIK U.S., a division of Dentsu America, and ATTIK Ltd. (Leeds, UK).

About mcgarrybowen

Dr. Maya Angelou reciting her 2008 Olympic Poem Amazement Awaits

Big City Pictures recently produced a two-camera film shoot of the world-renown author and U.S. Poet Laureate Dr. Maya Angelou at home in her Harlem brownstone reciting the poem Amazement Awaits (full text below) which she wrote specially for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing China. The piece is intercut with archival footage of great moments from Olympics past and will screen on NBC during its August coverage of the games. Also, we’re thrilled to find out that the Olympic Committee will be distributing copies of this inspiring video to each and every athlete to view while they travel to Beijing to compete — we’re terribly honored to in some small way touch the lives of the 2008 Olympians.

Dr. Maya Angelou recites Amazement Awaits for an NBC Olympic short film

Executive Producer and Creative Director for Big City Pictures George Spyros and Dr. Angelou.

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As a Greek-American, I was pleased to have the opportunity to help spread the true spirt of the Olympic Games. In fact, Dr. Angelou’s last name is taken from her first husband surname was Angelopoulos. It was quite an experience speaking with the amazing Dr. Maya Angelou who is in person sincerely lovely, generous, imaginative and outspoken. Without prompting, she provided copies of two wonderful children’s books which she had written and autographed each to one of my twins Sophia and Hudson.

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Team Maya Angelou 2008 Olympic Poem "Amazement Awaits"

Client: McGarryBowen Agency

Client: United States Olympic Committee

Katya Bankowsky, Director

George Spyros, Executive Producer

Tracy Zukowski, Line Producer

Kat Uhlmansiek, Production Manager

Kira Kelly, B-Camera Operator

Jeanne Lipsey, Director of Photography

Jon Montgomery, Gaffer

Justin Lundstrom, Production Coordinator

Gear Maya Angelou 2008 Olympic Poem "Amazement Awaits"

Arriflex SR3 Advanced 16mm Film Camera

J.L. Fisher Dollies

ARRI Compact HMI 2500 Watt Fresnel Flicker Free

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Big City's Work for McGarryBowen Agency

Lobster Roll Wins Guinness World Record with Kraft Miracle Whip

Kraft Miracle Whip Lobster Roll Spot :60

Kraft Miracle Whip Lobster Roll Spot :15

Maya Angelou 2008 Olympic Poem "Amazement Awaits"

Marriott In-Room Video

Reebok Fit - Inspirational Video

Reebok Fit - Follow-Up Inspirational Video

Reebok Sports Brand: The Sport of Lifestyle

Maya Angelou Libraries Greeting

Marriott: Driven Campaign Behind The Scenes

Chevron Shanghai Expo 2010

Verizon Wireless B2B Talent Interviews

Chase Blueprint Talent Interviews

JPMC Community Development Banking Spots

MORE Sophia & Hudson

Amazement Awaits
By Maya Angelou

Sheer amazement awaits
Amazement luxuriant in promise
Abundant in wonder

Our beautiful children arrive at this Universal stadium
They have bathed in the waters of the world
And carry the soft silt of the Amazon, the Nile,
The Danube, the Rhine, the Yangtze and the Mississippi
In the palms of their right hands.
A wild tiger nestles in each armpit
And a meadowlark perches on each shoulder.

We, the world audience, stand, arms akimbo,
Longing for the passion of the animal
And the melody of the lark
The tigers passion attend the opening bells,
The birds sing of the amazement which awaits.

The miracle of joy that comes out of the gathering of our best, bringing their best,
Displaying the splendor of their bodies and the radiance of their agile minds to the cosmos.
Encouragement to those other youth caught in the maws of poverty,
Crippled by the terror of ignorance.

They say Brothers and Sisters, Yes, try. Then try harder.
Lunge forward, press eagerly for release.
The amazement which awaits is for you.
We are here at the portal of the world we had wished for
At the lintel of the world we most need.
We are here roaring and singing.
We prove that we can not only make peace, we can bring it with us.

With respect for the world and its people,
We can compete passionately without hatred.
With respect for the world and its people,
We can take pride in the achievement of strangers.
With respect for the world and its people,
We can share openly in the success of friends.

Here then is the Amazement

Against the odds of impending war
In the mouth of bloody greed
Human grace and human spirit can still conquer.

Ah … We discover, we ourselves

Are the Amazement which awaits
We are ourselves Amazement.

Photo Credit: Joergen Geerds

Named Ad Age 2009 Agency of the Year!

mcgarrybowen was founded in 2002 and has offices in New York and Chicago. mcgarrybowen is a fully-integrated agency with advertising, design, relationship marketing and a digital arm, Continuity. The Agency has been the recipient of many honors, including Adweek’s President’s Award for the “non-traditional agency having the greatest impact on the industry.” The Agency works with many of the of the world’s best known companies including JPMorgan, Chase, Kraft, Disney, Marriott International, Chevron, Pfizer, HP, Reebok International, Crayola, InBev, Century 21, News Corp, The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. Olympic Committee.

On November 12, 2008 McGarryBowen joined Dentsu Holdings USA, Inc.

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Big City's Work for McGarryBowen Agency

Lobster Roll Wins Guinness World Record with Kraft Miracle Whip

Kraft Miracle Whip Lobster Roll Spot :60

Kraft Miracle Whip Lobster Roll Spot :15

Maya Angelou 2008 Olympic Poem "Amazement Awaits"

Marriott In-Room Video

Reebok Fit - Inspirational Video

Reebok Fit - Follow-Up Inspirational Video

Reebok Sports Brand: The Sport of Lifestyle

Maya Angelou Libraries Greeting

Marriott: Driven Campaign Behind The Scenes

Chevron Shanghai Expo 2010

Verizon Wireless B2B Talent Interviews

Chase Blueprint Talent Interviews

JPMC Community Development Banking Spots

McGarryBowen Philosophy

mcgarrybowen was founded in 2002 on the simple premise that clients deserve better. So we built a company committed to delivering just that. A company that believes, with every fiber of its being, that it exists to serve clients, build brands and grow businesses.

We believe in eliminating anything that isn’t essential to that task. It’s why we run lean and smart. It’s also why we focus relentlessly on the quality of our people because what is always essential are good people. We are an agency of creatives — not just copywriters and art directors but creative account executives, creative strategists, creative receptionists, production people, and IT people.

We believe in experience. Our senior officers have held some of the biggest jobs at the world’s largest agencies. We also believe in the energy of the next generation. And for that reason we populate our hallways with the cream of the world’s best new talent.

We believe in ideas. So while some agencies have tried to stifle and control ideas, we have openness, a sense of ownership and emotional freedom.

mcgarrybowen is a place where creativity blossoms and clients feel at home. A place where we never forget that an idea isn’t really an idea unless it has at its center a core emotional truth.

We believe in something more than mere “integration.” Maybe it should be called “unification.” It’s a place that required us to build an agency from the ground up — with one P&L, one point of contact and a single-minded focus on creating big ideas and organizing ideas. All that, and an equally adamant focus on delivering those ideas anywhere and everywhere that customers are.

People often ask us how we were able to grow as quickly as we have. It’s simple. Do what you love. Love what you do. The work, the challenges, the stress, the people, the results ¬ it’s why we get up every day. That love is the only way to consistently bring the level of passion and commitment that great brands require and deserve.

We feel that our clients around the world agree. Don’t take our word for it, though.

mcgarrybowen

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Our good friend Katya is a documentary filmmaker and commercial director.

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Katya Bankowsky’s Work with Big City

Maya Angelou Olympic Poem "Amazement Awaits"

Villiage Voice, Amy Taubin: Woman on Top; Girls in Heat
Villiage Voice, Anngel Delaney: Fighting for Their Rights And Their Lefts. Women Foment a Boxer Rebellion

ECO-DOWNLOAD her feature documentary film Shadow Boxers
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While boxing was once an exclusively male sport, that’s not longer the case, and filmmaker Katya Bankowsky offers an inside glimpse at the small but growing world of female boxing in the documentary Shadow Boxers. Bankowsky starts by following a group of aspiring female pugilists, eventually centering on two: Jill Matthews, a tough and quick-witted Golden Gloves champion, and Lucia Rijker (MILLION DOLLAR BABY), a high-ranking European kickboxer who has come to the United States hoping to a pursue a career in sports (or the movies). Rijker became the first female fighter to sign with promoter Bob Arum, and Bankowsky documents both her skills in the ring and her effortless charm and intelligence. Shadow Boxers was well received in its screening at the 1999 Seattle Film Festival.
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Berenter Greenhouse & Webster, or BGW, is a fully integrated, national advertising agency based in New York City. The agency has experience with a wide range of categories including consumer products, alcoholic beverages and fashion but its primary strengths are in retail marketing and marketing to kids and moms. The agency’s retail expertise spans direct mail, direct response, in-store, on-line, database, circulars as well as media placement and general advertising. The agency also has strength in marketing to kids with a 25-year resume of toy experience. BGW is part of the Interpublic Group of agencies.

Big City's Work for Interpublic Group IPG

Curious George

VTech

Toys R Us Pitch Reel

Toy Fair Reel

Matusalem Rum

One of the world’s premier advertising and marketing services companies. Its agency brands deliver custom marketing solutions to many of the world’s largest advertisers. IPG covers the spectrum of marketing disciplines and specialties, from public relations and consumer advertising, to mobile and search engine marketing.

The work IPG produces for its clients is specific to their unique needs. Solutions vary from project-based activity involving one agency and its client to long-term, fully-integrated campaigns created by a group of our companies working together on behalf of a client. With offices in over 100 countries, IPG can operate in a single region or align work globally across all major world markets. Interpublic employs approximately 40,000 marketing professionals and in 2008 had revenues of US $6.9 billion.

As the parent company of global agencies like McCann Erickson, Draftfcb and Lowe Worldwide, Interpublic provides centralized resources and support that help all its companies meet their clients’ needs. Based in New York City, Interpublic sets company-wide financial objectives and corporate strategy, directs collaborative inter-agency programs, establishes financial management and operational controls, guides personnel policy, conducts investor relations and initiates, manages and approves mergers and acquisitions. In addition, IPG provides limited centralized functional services that offer our companies operational efficiencies, including accounting and finance, marketing information retrieval and analysis, legal services, real estate expertise, travel services, recruitment aid, employee benefits and executive compensation management.

Visit IPG

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Some of BCP's Work for IPG

Curious George Tub Time Toy Commercial

VTech VFlash Toy Commercials

We Did It: St. Ives Rip for Momentum Agency

Interpublic Group (IPG)

McCann Worldgroup

McCann Erickson Worldwide

Momentum Worldwide

Amster Yard

Berenter, Greenhouse & Webster

A New York-based creative division of McCann Erickson founded by creative director Jeff Weiss.
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Big City's Work for Advertising Agency Amster Yard

Sol Beer: Ripple

Sol Beer: Static