Fallon agency promotes one of its own

The Minneapolis creative agency Fallon promoted Mike Buchner to chief executive officer, effective June 1.

"Honestly, I couldn't be more excited," said Buchner, a 27-year Fallon veteran. "This is the best job in the ad business."

The iconic Minneapolis agency, founded in 1981, is widely seen as one of the most creative and respected in the country, with such clients as Cadillac, H&R Block, Nordstrom and Nestlé Beverages.

Buchner, 49, is currently Fallon's chief operating officer. In his new post, he'll succeed Chris Foster, who was named chairman and regional CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Asia Pacific. Both Fallon and Saatchi & Saatchi are owned by French media holding company Publicis Groupe.

Buchner "is an outstanding communications professional who, after several senior management roles at Fallon, segues naturally into the lead," said Kevin Roberts, chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi Fallon Group. "Mike has been a pivotal player in the agency's A-list position and he will provide a formidable mix of stability, growth and vision."

Buchner has also served as director of account management and general manager at Fallon. He joined the agency in 1984 after graduating from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a master's degree in advertising. He earned an undergraduate degree in liberal arts and sciences from the University of Illinois.

Buchner has only worked at Fallon throughout his professional career. He says it's the agency's "unique culture" that keeps him engaged in the work: "Everything goes back to [cofounder] Pat Fallon and the magnetic culture he created."

"I'd say my main goal is getting Fallon back to the top of the mountain," he said. "We're on our way."

Other Fallon clients include NBC Universal, Travelers, General Mills, Charter Communications, Nestlé Purina and the Cosmopolitan hotel of Las Vegas.

Last week, the agency's work for BMW was inducted into the Clio Hall of Fame, an honor limited to no more than two bodies of work per year.

Over the years, Fallon has used its Midwestern Minneapolis base to its advantage. "We're pretty grounded here," Buchner said. "It helps us to stay in touch with mainstream America. Big brands are attracted to us because we don't live in a bubble. We understand mass markets and the average consumer."

Fallon, which employs about 200 people in Minneapolis, does not publicly release annual billings or revenue. Advertising Age estimated annual revenue of $40 million for Fallon Worldwide, which includes offices in London and Tokyo.