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Premium independents are outbidding Chicago networks for senior creatives as restructuring pushes talent toward equity models.
$2M-$5M
in senior creative hires to compete for CPG and…
2017
as Associate Creative Director
2022
At DonerColle
11
brands across those verticals
Mariana O'Kelly departed Leo Burnett Chicago after seven years to become Executive Creative Director at DonerColle Partners, the Southfield-based independent. The appointment landed during a period when mid-tier agencies are investing $2M-$5M in senior creative hires to compete for CPG and automotive accounts previously locked to holding-company networks.
O'Kelly spent her Leo Burnett tenure leading work for Kellogg's, Allstate, and Samsung. She joined the Chicago office in 2017 as Associate Creative Director, advancing to Vice President and Senior Creative Director by 2022. At DonerColle, she reports directly to Chief Creative Officer Lynn Wojcik and will oversee creative for the agency's automotive, healthcare, and spirits portfolios. DonerColle holds AOR relationships with 11 brands across those verticals, generating an estimated $47M in billings annually.
The timing matters for portfolio positioning. DonerColle Partners formed in 2021 when Doner merged with Colle McVoy, creating a 340-person shop with offices in Southfield, Minneapolis, and Boston. The combined entity targets brands seeking creative depth outside New York and Los Angeles markets, where overhead runs 30-40% higher for equivalent headcount. O'Kelly's hire follows DonerColle's Q4 2024 win of a regional spirits brand estimated at $8M in media spend, a category where creative leadership directly impacts renewal rates.
Single-family offices and heritage brands should note the talent migration pattern. Leo Burnett Chicago reduced its creative department by approximately 18% between 2022 and 2024, consolidating teams under Publicis Groupe's Power of One model. That restructuring pushed senior creatives toward independents offering equity participation and direct client access. DonerColle's model includes performance-based profit sharing for VP-level and above, a structure that attracts operators who understand margin preservation during CPG budget contractions.
Watch for DonerColle's new-business announcements in Q1 2025, particularly in premium spirits and electric-vehicle categories where O'Kelly's Samsung experience translates. The agency is reportedly in final rounds for two automotive accounts worth a combined $22M in annual billings. If those close, expect follow-on hires in strategy and production within 90 days.
Leo Burnett Chicago has 43 days until its fiscal year-end planning cycle, when leadership typically announces structural changes. The creative department now operates with 68 full-time staff, down from 83 in mid-2023.
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