Comments on: A Lesson In Ethics: From A Miami Advertising Agency

By: Gil

Gil — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:20:57 +0000

I agree with redbullman. Why wasn’t the guy who said asked to explain himself? Seems like the Jewish guy who walked out didnt deal with it properly. Perhaps the guy who said it would have not been able to explain himself and looked momentarily silly. Then perhaps he would have revised his borderline anti-semitic attitude.

Certainly the situation was mismanaged by whoever was in charge in this situation.

By the way I’m Jewish and make sure I pull up anyone who comes with nonsense like that. Doesn’t need to be confrontational either.

By: CEXenophobia

CEXenophobia — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:04:02 +0000

Unfortunately, some pretty freakish racist and sexist attitudes are tolerated in many companies when the offender is in a position of power. I’d like to think this is something that is changing but who knows.

By: redbullman

redbullman — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:21:22 +0000

Hey,stop with all the huffy puff walking out of the room, resigning clients before they are actually clients, etc. What happened to the leader in the room saying, “what do you mean by that?” Communication. And listening. Age old tools that seem to be missing here. Easy to jump on what sounds like a racist, but if people would have challenged the client a bit, maybe there was a point that was not clearly made. At least you would know WHEN to walk out of the room. People in our business have got to grow up. Clients pay us. We have to listen. We have to coach and train them. If we can’t communicate at that level as partners, then we have to resign. Or wait to be fired. Bad economy or not, you have to have principals…but you have to know when to execute upon them.

By: God

God — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:08:33 +0000

Everyone from the agency should have walked out.

By: Auntie Christ

Auntie Christ — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:49:14 +0000

What if the writer was hired for that account? You resign the account and fire the writer? Stupid. There are other ways to handle it, without simply being reactive. None of us were in the room. We don’t know the relationships or discussions that led to this statement. History recognizes Joseph Goebbels as a master of propaganda. If I say that in the workplace does that make me an anti-semite?

By: Dan Wieden

Dan Wieden — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:42:41 +0000

If any of you think an agency is going to resign decent billing because of the comments of one dumb client, you’re out of your minds.

Welcome to the world we live in, where people say stupid things, all the time. The best you could hope for is that the person would be taken off the job, or atleast taken out of contact with the agency. The chances of seeing that guy fired? about 5%, and the agency resigning the account? 0.01%.

By: Loweisthebestagencyintheworld

Loweisthebestagencyintheworld — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:31:36 +0000

that’s just gross. without knowing the context (was the client serious? was there an inside joke we’re not privy to?) i only wish that agency would have the cojones to resign it. or at least demand the resignation of the person who said it. sadly, it won’t happen. and it speaks to the state of our own ethical-to-a-point tendencies. to quote nick naylor: “I just need to pay the mortgage.”

By: Auntie Christ

Auntie Christ — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:05:55 +0000

You’re all making too big a deal out of it, but Bob was closest…gotta know the context and the relationship. You think the agency is going to resign any client these days? Sure, that’ll happen. I think the writer SHOULD read Mein Kampf (at least the Cliff Notes version) and start quoting the hell out of it next time the client is in. But he should also discuss Martin Buber and Gertrude Stein while he’s at it. Here’s his chance to show the client that he’s an idiot, in a subtle way.

By: ad police

ad police — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:50:19 +0000

Was that the Australian client from the Commonwealth Bank?

If so the account went to Goodby. I wonder how Rich would have reacted!?!?!

By: Dabitch

Dabitch — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:04:37 +0000

Nix the client and also make sure you tell the clients boss why you don’t think it will work out.

Seriously, like required_name says it’s full of rubbish and not something anyone would refer to as a inspirational book if they had actually read it. If the client was saying this to be “edgy” or something then call him on it right there.

Also I second “jewish writers or not” in the room, it’s irrelevant if there are any jewish people on the team it’s offensive no matter how you slice it. I’ve heard clients say some odd things about “africans” (yeah the entire continent) in a meeting and they were met with cold hard stares from everyone on the agency side. We were waiting for him to dig the hole deeper so that we may call him on it – but he found his brain at the last second and apologized profusely as “that didn’t come out right”. Sometimes you gotta give people a chance to explain themselves too.