Come Sit At McCann’s Knee
April 3, 2008
McCann is trying to make their brand be heard. This time, they’ve used New York office head Nina DiSesa, who is also bumping up her profile these days, with a video talking about their recent Mastercard campaign. She goes on to speak about effective advertising and how important the brand is in the consumer’s life. She also dabbles in the metrics, as well as why creatives are needed in this business and why user generated video won’t take over from agency created content. Actually, she has a ton to say about creativity. Hmm… to bad McCann ain’t so creative.
April 3, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I didn’t know Nina personally when I worked at McCann, but after I left she invited the entire studio up to her place, which I thought was cool. And as for her recent scribing on how to control men, all I can say if you ever had to deal with Eric “the only man in America who puts Rogaine on his knuckles” Keshin, you’d get her point. I have to draw the line when she gave a quote about great sex as if she was a guru on said subject. This takes you on the path of no insipid return, a lá Connie Sellica and John Tesh or Kim Catrall and her former husband (guess the sex wasn’t THAT great). Who made them the arbiters on the subject? EWWWW.
April 3, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I didn’t know Nina personally when I worked at McCann, but after I left she invited the entire studio up to her place, which I thought was cool. And as for her recent scribing on how to control men, all I can say if you ever had to deal with Eric “the only man in America who puts Rogaine on his knuckles” Keshin, you’d get her point. I have to draw the line when she gave a quote about great sex as if she was a guru on said subject. This takes you on the path of no insipid return, a lá Connie Sellica and John Tesh or Kim Catrall and her former husband (guess the sex wasn’t THAT great). Who made them the arbiters on the subject? EWWWW.
April 3, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Pretty funny. One small step for Nina – one giant step for all that is wrong with women.
And, while we’re at it- did you catch the WSJ profile of Choice Klutz Thomas? They could have scrapped all the copy and just run with the high school picture, which said it all. Her inimitable kisser- even then- strikes that delicate balance of humorless befuddlement and constipated rage. In the rather senseless (fittingly so) article, she goes on and on about the wonders and rewards of hard work. I would imagine that walking and chewing gum simultaneously is hard work for her. Seeing her non-performances, both in internal meetings AND new business pitches, I can see why McCan’t deemed her the ideal hood ornament for their broken down jalopy. With most drunken Irish hacks dead or golfing and boozing in Florida, what better, more irrelevent personage could they choose to head up their creative crapper? Also a hoot- the video on AdWeek.com of the clueless Ms. Thomas. It should really be used in a career counseling class for how NOT to deport oneself (on or off-camera.) Each question/topic is greeted with her classic pause of barren befuddlement before she begins to dribble and stammer through the flatest, most uninspired responses possible.
Ain’t advertising grand?
April 3, 2008 at 9:01 pm
So who were those creative talents who came up with those lines? Do they even still work at McHack ?
AAAAhhhhh…… priceless……..
April 3, 2008 at 9:02 pm
This is INTERESTING!
April 3, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I also find this INTERESTING!!
April 3, 2008 at 9:06 pm
mccann is a mecca for mediocrity. they can crank up the pr all they want, it won’t matter. and nina, please, you’re not a credible creative person at all. what i’d rather hear about is your personal life. (hint. hint.)
April 3, 2008 at 9:08 pm
They’re gonna keep milking that jammy like an Amish woman before a cheese festival.
April 3, 2008 at 9:21 pm
McCann may be trying to make their brand be heard, but they certainly aren’t trying to make it exciting. Other than recent events I have no experience with her, she seems like a decent enough sort. But I’ll still have this bookmarked for when I can’t sleep at night. They should rush her into the Toastmaster’s Club as soon as they can.
Ain’t it funny that they chose the forum for user-generated video to broadcast their message?
April 3, 2008 at 10:00 pm
What’s sad is that the most press McCann has gotten in the last few years is for Nina’s book about how to manipulate men to get ahead. The only problem with this handjob-to-power strategy is that it only works on men. And we wonder where all the women have gone.
April 3, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Couldn’t even watch the entire video—it’s just too depressing. I feel compelled to go off on a rant here. First, I have no doubt that Nina DiSesa has redeeming qualities and above average intelligence. You don’t usually rise to the level she’s at—even in BDAs—without exhibiting certain gifts. But she makes the same major mistake that a lot of folks at AdAge.com make—especially Bob Garfield. All these idiots seem to believe the public will be captivated watching them talk. If any creative person reporting to DiSesa presented a storyboard with a talking head, you’d hope the woman would immediately nix such an outdated idea. Yet she has no problem looking into the lens and blubbering endlessly about strategies and meetings. Please. Cut away to some dynamic pictures and just deliver the voiceover copy, if you must. But honestly, Ms. DiSesa and Mr. Garfield, you simply are not visually appealing enough to sustain viewers’ interest. For the love of humanity, satisfy your over-inflated egos in other ways. You’re embarrassing yourselves.
April 4, 2008 at 1:35 am
HighJive, she looks too uncomfortable to have an inflated ego. I think every day is a challenge to her.
April 4, 2008 at 5:32 am
Auntie,
Every video she produces is a challenge for me. Again, I want to believe she’s smart. And folks who’ve worked with her say she’s got a healthy ego. Is it out of the question to get some decent lighting and stylist help before hitting the record button?
April 4, 2008 at 1:55 pm
“That’s what the whole business is about is measuring the effectiveness of our ideas.”
I don’t know if that’s what this whole business is about, but I’d rather hear someone say that than listen to another drunken-hack-ball-hog creative director tell me that “it’s all about the work.”
April 4, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I discovered this blog (http://agencyspy.wordpress.com) by accident but ever since I’ve been hooked. I love the outspokenness and the anonymous venting. It makes one feel oh so much better inside!
April 4, 2008 at 3:35 pm
How many accounts has McCann lost in the past year? Buick, IHOP, Carnation, Sunmaid
April 4, 2008 at 3:53 pm
What have the won in the past 2 years? “Lies well sold.”
April 4, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Wow, that’s quite a list of losses. Maybe Nina’s losing her ability to seduce the boys club.
April 9, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Sounds like someone up there’s been canned by Ms. Thomas. Typing from the unemployment line, are we??
April 16, 2008 at 11:13 pm
dear hirsute daddy- if ur referring to moi…
to be clear- i am not a disgruntled ex-employee.
i was a digruntled employee.
i am now an ecstatic ex-employee enjoying the sweet
fruits of independent wealth and rewards of non-profit
work. hope all’s as well with you.