• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, September 22, 2016

Everyone at Mediavest |Spark is stoked! Their CEO, Chris Boothe, has been named recipient of the Chicago Advertising Federation's 2016 Silver Medal Award. Created in 1983, the Silver Medal Award recognizes a distinguished member of the Chicago advertising community for his or her career contributions and accomplishments. Past honorees have included DigitasLBi North America CEO Tony Weisman, Off the Street Club Executive Director Ralph Campagna, former Publicis Groupe executive Jack Klues, and Boothe’s Mediavest | Spark colleague and industry legend John Muszysnki.

Of his win, Boothe said: “I think it all comes down to something I call ‘winning people.' It’s become a slogan we use at Mediavest | Spark to remind us that this business is all about getting the best talent inside our agency, in service of winning the hearts and minds of other human beings. Ours is a people business.”

Congratulating Boothe on his win, Chicago Advertising federation President Jill Sylvester said: “Chris Boothe embodies a new kind of leadership in our industry. Although no less competitive and driven than his predecessors, Chris’s humanity and spirit of collaboration and partnership are reinventing agency life for clients and talent alike. For Chris, winning isn’t simply about money and the marketplace. It’s about winning hearts and minds and making a positive impact on people’s lives. That’s why he’s our winner this year.”

About four years ago, Boothe was hired by Starcom Mediavest Group CEO Laura Desmond to head up the network’s boutique agency, Spark, with the goal of growing it beyond its healthy but small 65 employees and nearly $1 billion in annual client spend. Four years later, Boothe grew Spark -- combined with Mediavest -- to 1,500 professionals and more than $10 billion in client spend.

Recently, Mediavest | Spark scored nearly 40 Lions at Cannes including the Titanium Grand Prix for work with outdoor retailer REI. The agency also earned 14 Lions garnered by pro bono client the Art Institute of Chicago, for work the agency did to bring the Van Gogh exhibit to life.

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