Grey’s Acquisition Headaches: Part Deux
September 25, 2007
It looks like the run for the door at Grey’s G2 unit is going to continue. Our sources tell us that there are two more resignations at G2 Interactive: the Lead Project Director and one of the top Account Supervisors on the Campbell’s account. When it rains, it pours.
We’d like to share a comment from a reader on the original piece about the shop’s troubles:
“Talent is there, but morale is down. The John Paulson comment is a low blow. Whoever sent that comment doesn’t know what they’re talking about and just aims at the head. G2 is a group of talented individuals who put their blood sweat and tears into the work for this agency - the real problem is:
1) Proper Compensation
2) Incentives
3) Departmental Ego’s”
Well, you can be assured that the first two issues are going to maintain, since HR has told employees that they can forget about raises. Departmental ego’s…? Aren’t most agencies suffering from that same exact problem?
Read More Here: What’s The Upside For Working At Grey?
September 25, 2007 at 3:10 pm
g2i deserve to “die”… From my experiences there are staff who wants to do a good job but they’re actively rebuffed by account who think they know it all while knowing nothing. This is especially telling with the research asst they made acct director for one of their major accounts. And don’t get me started on Masterfoods… Now there’s an account ripe for the picking for a clever agency…
Then again, this g2i would never have survived without papa uptown holding their back and giving them work they barely are able to execute. The really talented people have already left or have (have had) a foot out the door…
September 25, 2007 at 4:59 pm
ouch… I am not sure about the G2i deserves to “Die” comment… their is so much talent and amazing individuals here at G2i that it’s sad to see the way John Paulson has destroyed the moral… letting Mallory Anhouse conduct the dirty work…
Latest Victim
Sara Halpern - VP, Account Director - escorted out yesterday
More victims to follow…
September 26, 2007 at 2:23 am
come and knock on our door… we’ve been waiting for you…blah blah blah blah… three’s company too!
September 26, 2007 at 5:27 pm
No one’s arguing that the people aren’t great, but no real talent is at G2i. Any creative who argues that is just trying to defend his/her own lack of ambition for staying. There are plenty of great reasons to stay at G2 (everyone needs a nap during a long career), but it’s not because the work is great. And that goes to the top CDs. One of whom is just buying time until his real estate investments can get him out of there. Look at Graham and Kathy’s replacement: a questionable copywriter from Draft. (Yes, Draft! probably the only other agency that can compete at that low level of quality with the Grey group).
Halpern isn’t a “latest victim.” G2 was her victim.
Manhouse did the dirty work and then rightfully got canned herself. Her contribution to the agency was keeping people paid poorly while fattening her own waistline (that can be taken literally and figuratively).
Creatives who blame Account for their own dismal lack of talent will never do good work. Every agency has crappy Paulsons and departments and egos, good work tends to rise above that. The onus is on you.
This isn’t an agency that’s going to Cannes every year (or ever). We’ve probably been asked to not apply. But it is a wonderfully solid group of people that do solid base-line work.
September 26, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Time to end this nonsense. Grow up and work on your resume or blog. or both.
And btw, zzzz,
http://www.canneslionslive.com/downloads/CL2007_cyber_shortlist.pdf
Check out A17. Shortlisted at Cannes this year.
See you on the beach, motherfucker.
September 26, 2007 at 11:26 pm
What is obvious (especially to current G2 employees) is the “creature” making these posts or comments does not work at G2 anymore and for whatever reason was so heartbroken that they are no longer part of the company that they feel the need to bash G2 and get downright personal, which is similar to the way jealous exes behave and gossip with hopes of smearing G2’s image. Let me guess, next we’re going to see the G2 logo photoshoped with a nipple slip because as you’ve shown us, you’re so clever!! G2 is a small shop. It’s the truth. G2’s clients aren’t the type of clients that you always see nominated for a Canne’s award (which for the record G2 was nominated for in 2007). There are changes happening. The nature of the business is that some eggs will get cracked and obviously you were either one of those broken eggs who couldn’t hack it or left for personal reasons (good for u!). At this point you’re helping the company and making it apparent how much the “poison” isn’t among us anymore and really giving us something to read and laugh about. Get over yourself, you’re a loser.
September 27, 2007 at 4:21 am
for what it’s worth at least the company has (and had) its share of a few hot guys from creative (all designers of course) & project managers. with an all female account department it is no wonder i learned several relationships have come out of the that.
September 27, 2007 at 7:00 pm
jan? is that you?
September 28, 2007 at 1:46 am
I heard that employees at G2 get paid in punches, and that the filing cabinets are full of ants. And on Fridays, everyone in the office has to eat a pound of black licorice and then watch two entire seasons of The Golden Girls back-to-back.
September 28, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Hmmm, I find this commentary very funny, no strike that extremely funny. This mass exodus from G2 has been going on for over a year so it is nothing new and I am sure it will continue to happen. On my Aol IM I keep a count of former G2 employees and it now reads at 29 that have left. After reading these posts, apparently it needs to be updated. Sorry Sara. You are now officially added to the for G2 pile.
Yes, I was one of the 29 and counting former G2 staffers. Nope I am not biter or one of the ones that couldn’t hack it. I was one that was tired of the back stabbing and the poor senior management styles. I will not go into how bad Mallory is/was and how bad Jan is at managing people with her wonderfully absurd language. At one point I stared keeping a journal of all the interesting words she would use to describe people. (i.e. creatures) Oh I am enjoying. Seems like the chickens are coming home to roost.
Let’s say you can be a friend to G2 today and the favorite child and the bane of their existence tomorrow. One thing to think about is this, if the problems at G2 was because of the 29+ that were fired or resigned then shouldn’t it be better at this point. The only consistent factor seems to be Jan and Mallory. I wonder what G2 would look like if they were released of their duties years ago…..If there was a true alternate reality…..
September 28, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Hmmm, I find this commentary very funny, no strike that extremely funny. This mass exodus from G2 has been going on for over a year so it is nothing new and I am sure it will continue to happen. On my Aol IM I keep a count of former G2 employees and it now reads at 29 that have left. After reading these posts, apparently it needs to be updated. Sorry Sara. You are now officially added to the for G2 pile.
Yes, I was one of the 29 and counting former G2 staffers. Nope I am not biter or one of the ones that couldn’t hack it. I was one that was tired of the back stabbing and the poor senior management styles. I will not go into how bad Mallory is/was and how bad Jan is at managing people with her wonderfully absurd language. At one point I stared keeping a journal of all the interesting words she would use to describe people. (i.e. creatures) Oh I am enjoying. Seems like the chickens are coming home to roost.
Let’s say you can be a friend to G2 today and the favorite child and the bane of their existence tomorrow. One thing to think about is this, if the problems at G2 was because of the 29+ that were fired or resigned then shouldn’t it be better at this point. The only consistent factor seems to be Jan and Mallory. I wonder what G2 would look like if they were released of their duties years ago…..If there was a true alternate reality…..
September 29, 2007 at 3:58 am
You can bash John Paulson, Jan, Bob ,Richard and the rest of the management and creative of G2 but they are the life line that keeps the doors open and the lights on. A few years back when the days of Grey interactive looked like they were coming to an end –Bob, Jan and Richard made tough choices and worked hard to keep the doors open. It looks like those choices are paying off now – With big clients and the company on a major upswing.. Keep up the good work G2I – Also saying John Paulson is sleeping at the wheel has the be the biggest joke of the year – the company is coming together like pieces of a puzzle. Time will show that Bob and Richard have great talent and John, Charlie and Jan have great vision.
October 16, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Negative people (my guess is -those Paulson and company are ushering out)spend their time engaged in negative activty and amplifying the negative in most any situation.
Leadership isn’t easy, but it’s often simple; stay true to your vision, loose the dead weight, execute per plan. Those with talent worth keeping usually stick around.
November 17, 2007 at 1:55 am
G2 Direct & Digital just laid off 13 people yesterday.
December 10, 2007 at 8:42 pm
And I will reinforce, the people who work at G2/Grey Interactive are a talented, smart group of individuals that are and will lead successful careers in advertising. There is no lack of talent in regards to current and past employees (past includes those who have and have NOT left on their own terms) There is lack of leadership. What is missing is leadership that wants to get rid of the negative attitude that has poisoned the agency. When in fact,the current (and recently outed) leadership team puts their own personal agenda and insecurities in front of producing good work and keeping good people.
Sad as it is, members of the managment team did it to themselves and deserve to fail.
January 9, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Interesting,
It’s been a few years since I left G2/Grey Interactive. And I can’t believe that the same problems still exist. Clearly there is a culture there that needs to be dismantled and built from the ground up. Smaller agencies are eating G2’s lunch and the reason for that is that they made a commitment to focus on the dollar instead of building a sustainable business that can compete with the evolving digital arena. It was an issue of positioning and priorities.
Lack of foresight, lack of vision, lack of spirit doomed G2 many years ago. I am just not sure why it hasn’t turned back around. Everyone that could have left has left, but there is apparently something still there stinking up the joint.
All I can say is that there is some great work happening in this space, too bad Grey isn’t creating it. A piece of advice, if they haven’t, they need to re-evaluate their business model. What do they want people to think about when the think of G2. Though this may seem simple…we all heard of KISS…for the slow ones, Keep It Simple Stupid….Dueces
February 22, 2008 at 3:53 pm
One of their largest (and oldest) accounts, Mars, is on the rocks. They just lost Skittles and Bright Ideas. Word is other agencies are polishing their chops to go in and takeover their remaining Mars accounts: M&Ms and Starburst.
As the “abandon ship” phase seems to continue with losing more and more talent, the major turnover, lack of resources and solid leadership seems to be key to the brand looking elsewhere.
February 25, 2008 at 10:34 pm
The creature above obviously does not work with the company anymore. If this poor soul knew what really happened, they’d probably still be employed here - but I regress.
As with every company (loved or despised) changes happen. What is also true with Interactive agencies is that clients are either won, lost, or let go. In the case of Skittles, this was a sad lost. We’ve had the client for 5+ years and have executed great work. The account was in review and unfortunately the client wanted a different vision so we lost that account - but don’t rule out the great site work we’ve done. Many, many awards were won on the Skittles account - something I’m sure the creature above has no clue about. With that in mind, Bright Ideas was the complete opposite. What we’ve done for Bright Ideas is something great. We created a great platform for them, and then we took that same foundation we created and made it even better. At some point someone has to assess the situation and determine if there’s a great opportunity outside another redesign. There was not. We cut ties with Bright Ideas and we will now focus on establishing what we established for Bright Ideas with another company. Yes, we lost great people in the shuffle, but we also got rid of a lot of the poison that pigeon-held our agency development, growth, and maturity. Call it War Games, but it’s part of the business. You win some and then you lose some.
April 1, 2008 at 2:59 pm
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