Execs & Accounts for August 13, 2004

Digitas laid off 50 after reporting two major clients were reducing their ad spend for the rest of the year. According to Digitas executives, Delta Air Lines and AT&T have both signaled to the agency they will reduce their budgets. The company expects the layoffs to trim $6 million in costs and boost its bottom line enough to meet 2004 guidance.

Web marketing firm DigitalGrit hired Aimee Kessler Evans as marketing manager. Kessler Evans worked for MarketingSherpa as director of marketing and public relations. She was that company’s first hire. She also held posts with PFS Marketwyse, Phillips Group InfoTech and George Street Playhouse.

“She will be particularly helpful in expanding DigitalGrit’s leadership role within the search engine marketing industry,” said Scott Delea, senior VP and general manager of DigitalGrit.

Interactive marketing firm Schipul promoted Lauren Hall to director of search engine marketing. Prior to joining Schipul, Hall was Web development programmer for Satterfield & Pontikes Construction and merger and acquisition research specialist for VerticalNet.

Squeaky Wheel Media launched a new online presence for client Caliper, a management consulting firm. The site features information on hiring, company development, team building and organizational concerns; and it introduces viewers to Caliper’s key evaluation tool.