Movin’ on up…
March 25, 2008
For some reason, I have the theme from “The Jeffersons” running through my head this afternoon on this one (could be the cold meds) but there have been a series of promotions at Euro RSCG (we are all about domestic & international news today)
From Adweak:
“Havas’ Euro RSCG, on a roll in recent years, today appointed Ron Berger and Ron Bess executive chairman and COO for the network’s North American operations, respectively.
They join Esther Lee, N.A. CEO and president of global brands, as the organization’s leadership team.
Berger had been CEO of Euro RSCG’s offices in New York and San Francisco. Despite his new title, he will retain oversight for key clients such as Jaguar, Charles Schwab and ExxonMobil, all of which were added during Berger’s tenure at the helm.
Moving forward, Alan Burgis will serve as CEO of Euro RSCG in S.F., while Jeff Brooks and Andrew Benett run N.Y. operations as co-presidents.
Bess’ new title comes in addition to serving as CEO and president of the outpost in Chicago.
All told, the shop’s North American operations employ 3,000 staffers and also include Euro RSCG offices in Dallas and Toronto, as well as communications firm the Abernathy MacGregor Group and the Euro RSCG DRTV a direct-response unit…
In its earnings statement in February, parent Havas noting that Euro RSCG’s 5.5 percent revenue increase in 2007 helped boost the parent company’s overall global revenue 4 percent. The agency got off to good start in 2008: the New York office added lead creative chores on the $225 million LendingTree account (from IPG’s Mullen) and the Chicago unit is competing in the final round of Burlington Coat Factory’s $60 million review.”
I have had the opportunity to chat with both Bess & Berger in the past to shoot the shit & network — they seem like good blokes…so good on them. Nice to see some of the nice folks progress in the business…although they are already pretty high up on the ladder of course.
(I can feel the critics lining up for their shots now…)
March 25, 2008 at 6:27 pm
i would ask around a little more before you term them nice folks–no one gets to where they got–especially in a political organization like euro–without knifing a few people. bess has never really had a good rep–ask people from y&r or ddb about him and berger long ago stopped caring about his agency’s creative product, but still shows up every year at Cannes sporting a tan.
March 26, 2008 at 5:34 am
Bess is a decent bloke, the same today as he was in the 1980s. That’s also part of his problem. Take a closer look at Euro RSCG Chicago. You’ll find senior management comprised of senior citizens and/or individuals not attuned to the present. In Chicago, RSCG means Retirement-bound Senile Curmudgeonly Geriatrics.
March 26, 2008 at 2:19 pm
euro in chicago is kind of the new jwt chicago–basically an old-school place for b-players. they tapped all their contacts–bess with AB and steffan with his dad to get new biz to keep it afloat, but it’s still financially driven by all the below the line stuff. and the work–what there is of it–is spotty at best. they also go after stuff like circuit city which is not a good sign.
March 26, 2008 at 2:55 pm
while i dont know much about bess, berger is and will always be a legend in this industry. without the creative chops and culture he created at MVBMS, which he has continued to drive at EURO, the network wouldn’t be much of anything. havas and euro are starting to turn the corner now, but for more than a decade it was the smart people and creative leadership at the helm of Euro’s NYC office that kept this “network” afloat.
now, his latest creation, Advertising Week, which will go on for many decades to come, will go down as one of his greatest acheivements.
March 31, 2008 at 3:23 am
Andrew & Anonymous-
If you think AB or my father are in the habit of giving agencies charity you’re dumber than most dumb fucks on the Net. And while I’m here, Andrew Oldham produced records for the Stones. Why are you impuning his name in your late-night blog attacks? Just hide behind a white flag like that chickenshit Anonymous.
Mooks.
SRP
April 2, 2008 at 5:58 pm
bess is a draconian dinosaur and a pedantic loser!!!!