Swedish duo end DDB marriage for solo assignment

<p>BANGKOK: Swedish advertising veterans Ron Spaulding and Thorleif </p><p>Hawi are back in the brand building business after a brief hiatus, with </p><p>a new agency Spaulding & Co, but without the burden of shareholders or </p><p>investing partners. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The two Swedes found local fame when their award-winning firm Spaulding </p><p>& Hawi was acquired by DDB in 1997, just four years after it was </p><p>founded. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Back in 1998, at the helm of Spaulding & Hawi DDB, they signed on </p><p>Ethiopian Airlines, Thailand's first global account. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The DDB marriage came to a "happy divorce" when both executives retired </p><p>last year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We decided to retire. Then we decided to start all over again," said </p><p>Spaulding. The agency was launched with just 15 staff and, according to </p><p>the pair, is already in the black. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Besides Ethiopian Airlines - which they took with DDB's blessing - the </p><p>agency has signed several new deals, including Scandinavian Airlines' </p><p>regional account. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The pair claimed that the agility of the small agency enabled the team, </p><p>with Spaulding as art director and Hawi as copywriter, to offer quicker </p><p>turnarounds at competitive rates, while still concentrating on creative </p><p>quality. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We wanted a different situation, we wanted to be able to work with </p><p>clients who like the way we are, who choose what we are and what we </p><p>stand for," said Spaulding. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>