McCann Erickson Makes A Really, Really Dumb Mistake
August 2, 2007
Check out the Intel ad above featuring a Causacian white-collar employee standing over six prone black men. We’re guessing that is one of those ads that was created totally unconsciously and with 100% stupidity. In any case, Intel has issued an apology due to severe blogosphere backlash. See the letter after the jump.
So, who is responsible for this total shitstorm? A spokesperson for Intel said that, “I won’t point fingers. Both Intel and McCann-Erickson were working closely on this.” So, we’re still waiting for McCann Erickson’s apology. You know they created the damn thing. The client just foolishly gave it the thumbs up. McCann? Right now would be good…. like right now. Anyone know who the creative director was? Don’t worry. We’re not going to lynch him, but we’re just sort of curious about his/her thought process. Create a fake gmail account and let us know at agencyspy at mediabistro dot com
Meanwhile, Intel competitor AMD has set up a page called “Break Free,” where they highlight all the news of the current anti-trust lawsuit against their rival. Someone should start a page for McCann, which documents all their mess-ups like their L’Oreal/Penelope Cruz debacle or their loss of Buick to Burnett or even, their Powerade ad that was deemed dangerous by the ASA. Sorry, but McCann is fast becoming the agency we dislike most. Can you believe it?
“Intel’s intent of our ad titled “Multiply Computing Performance and Maximize the Power of Your Employees” was to convey the performance capabilities of our processors through the visual metaphor of a sprinter. We have used the visual of sprinters in the past successfully.
Unfortunately, our execution did not deliver our intended message and in fact proved to be insensitive and insulting. Upon recognizing this, we attempted to pull the ad from all publications but, unfortunately, we failed on one last media placement.
We are sorry and are working hard to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Nancy Bhagat Vice President, Director of Integrated Marketing”
Via Gizmodo
More: Seriously… Dear readers… have any thoughts on this recent campaign?
August 3, 2007 at 3:32 pm
[...] worth checking out this week include one about Google potentially launching its own phone, a racially-sensitive ad that Intel apologised for and a really interesting hotel branding [...]
August 3, 2007 at 11:12 pm
I interviewed with McCann Erickson Seattle last year. I wondered if they had it all together from the person I interviewed with. Oh well, fate smiled on me.
August 13, 2007 at 10:11 pm
The problem is that it isn’t six guys. It’s one guy photographed from both sides, Photoshop’d 3x each. Total Getty Images JO.
If you really want to deconstruct it, it says that Intel processors turn your employees into super-charged clones ready to serve your every command, even charging headlong into each other from a sprinter’s crouch.
And that’s a message I can get behind.
Love your takes. Go fake Gmail accounts! As always with first post, hope the code renders! Lack of Preview makes me colon dash open parens.
PS Brand Strategy Magazine Blog is a bot. Bot comments should be DELORTED.
August 13, 2007 at 10:30 pm
My bad BSMB. I get it now. Ya’ did a great jorb
August 17, 2007 at 3:55 pm
[...] More: McCann’s Erickson Is Color Blind (and not in a good way) [...]
August 25, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Mcann is without a doubt the lowest rent dinasour in the business. JKT is a befuddled wacko who herself even seems dumbfounded at the position she holds- as in, “How stupid must this place be to let me run the creative department?” Honestly, the woman has never had an enlightening thing to say or add. Obviously, her cheap blackmail tactics of leaving the agency (she, afterall is considered vital by MasterCard fools for some very unknown reason) if she wasn’t handed DiSesa’s job worked. But, there she sits graciously holding the door open for the flood of wisely exiting clients. Guess it’s time to officially change the name of the place to McCAN’T.
September 3, 2007 at 5:55 am
Well feel free to visit my comment under your “The Problem With Your Clients” Post. McCann-Ericson rides again! And I’ve known agency Chairman John Dooner since he was an assistant account executive on Sprite at Marshalk. That’s a long time.
And yes! Agency Spy got a mention on my blog MADISON AVENUE. Please keep doing what you’re doing!
September 3, 2007 at 6:00 am
By the way, did anyone ever visit McCann’s website when hey had those “mental jellyfish” floating around on the main page. Think I’ll go back and see if they’re still there. If it’s on the label you know what’s in the can. McCann’s motto is, “The truth well told.” Good times. Good times.
September 4, 2007 at 4:10 am
[...] only other update I have to give is on the Intel ad from the other day. According to a post on Agency Spy, McCann Erickson was the creator of this ad. Now, I’m not gonna lie to anybody, I’ve [...]
September 24, 2007 at 12:28 pm
I wonder if McCann would seek to make amends by supporting this take on Priceless:
http://desedo.com/blog/2007/09/24/mastercard-the-jena-6/