Mayor Rahm Emanuel today celebrated DDB’s Chicago office being selected to lead the United States Army’s marketing and advertising program. DDB’s Chicago office is expected to grow by 200 employees as a result of this contract with a potential term and value of ten years and $4 billion. This investment in Chicago’s marketing and digital advertising space will also support additional jobs and investments throughout Chicago’s growing digital media space. 

“I want to congratulate DDB Chicago on their successful bid and tremendous achievement that brings billions of dollars of investment to Chicago and will support hundreds of good-paying jobs in Chicago,” said Mayor Emanuel.  “Chicago is leading the nation in corporate relocations and business expansion because we have the talent, connectivity and infrastructure businesses need to succeed.”

Team DDB, the full-service marketing organization dedicated to servicing the U.S. Army, will be responsible for a range of initiatives intended to build brand perception and drive qualified leads for the U.S. Army. Team DDB is formed by nine specialized agencies, including DDB, OMD, Annalect, Critical Mass, Fluent360, The Marketing Arm, RAPP, FleishmanHillard, and Fors Marsh Group, each providing a unique skill set required to meet the scale and complexity of the U.S. Army’s marketing and recruiting needs. This team pioneered a model built around the prospects the Army must attract and deliberately places data and intelligence at the center of the entire marketing apparatus to ensure the Army meets prospecting and mission goals through continual optimization.

“We’re honored that the U.S. Army selected Team DDB and look forward to the opportunities this new relationship will bring to Chicago. The city is known for its creativity and being at the forefront of innovation, making it the perfect environment for Team DDB to develop innovative solutions for the U.S. Army,” said Paul Gunning, President and Chief Operating Officer of DDB U.S.

The growth of DDB further demonstrates Chicago’s reputation as a hub for business growth and expansion and corporate relocation. The announcement of DDB Chicago’s expansion follows on the recent announcement by Site Selection magazine naming Chicago the top metro area in the nation for corporate relocation and investment for the sixth consecutive year. 

“Chicago is a magnet for exceptional and diverse talent, that includes a deep bench of marketing, advertising and digital media professionals. So, it is with great pride that we see the employee growth at DDB’s Chicago office and look forward to seeing the work they will provide to the U.S. Army,” says Andrea Zopp, President and CEO of World Business Chicago.

This investment also doubles down on Chicago’s record-breaking year for film, television and media production in 2018. Last year, 520 film and media projects took place in Chicago, resulting in an estimated economic impact of approximately $474 million in job creation and local expenditures locally according to data from the State of Illinois. Since 2011 the Chicago film industry has experienced significant growth, with a total economic impact of more than $2.6 billion, 90,000 jobs created, and 3,700 projects produced.

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About DDB

DDB U.S., part of the Omnicom Group (NYSE), is one of the country’s leading and most influential advertising agencies, with offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. DDB has been recognized by top awards shows including Effie, Cannes, CLIOs, The One Show, New York Festival and more. The agency's U.S. clients include McDonald’s, State Farm, Mars, U.S. Army, Miller Coors and Symantec, among others.

Founded in 1949, the agency is part of DDB Worldwide which consists of more than 200 offices in over 90 countries with its flagship office in New York, NY.