Who Wants To Be Gore’s Right Hand Agency
August 27, 2007
Alliance for Climate Protection, the organization formed last year by Al Gore, is basically in account review. The Alliance is looking to make sustainability a high level priority for Americans. Four agencies — Crispin Porter & Bogusky, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, the Martin Agency and Y&R — are getting ready to present their plans to the former vice president himself early next month. It’s a three-to-five-year, multimedia global campaign with a media spend somewhere around $100 million a year.
AdAge has some editorial about how advertising agencies are no longer afraid to get involved in “hot button” issues. Is the environment a hot button issue? Think not. Chris Becker, chairman-chief creative officer of DraftFCB’s New York office, said “blowback from less-than-eco-friendly marketers is unlikely. ‘It’s such a loud issue and so accepted that no one can get away with that,” he said. “There’s already such a broad platform for agencies.’” We agree.
Update: Draft And FCB To Divorce?
August 22, 2007
Our sources are confirming that Draft and FCB are headed for a break-up. The authority on all things Draft, blogger George Parker, is proving to be right, yet again. Our sources also say that the commentator on George’s blog named LAM is reporting accurate info.
Every blogger has their most hated agency. Ours is McCann. We defer to all things DraftFCB to Mr. Parker.
By the way, we hear that Mr. Parker is working on a new book and…. here’s the unconfirmed news – a film! We’re waiting for Parker to confirm or deny. If you don’t know who George is, read a little bit about him here and get that much needed download.
Draft And FCB To Divorce?
August 21, 2007
Hmm… we’re not sure if this little rumor holds any weight, but we just got an IM from little birdy who said the split between Draft and FCB is just weeks away. Hunh. So… we checked with George “Down With DraftFCB” Parker over at AdScam who says he heard the same news. Read his report here. In the mean time, could it possibly be true?
If you know, let us know yeah?
Email – agencyspy at mediabistro dot com or hop on AIM and hit us at agencyspy
Bob Oates Out At DraftFCB
August 17, 2007
Seems as though Howard Draft has shown Bob Oates the door. We got the word from Draft’s nemsis crazy Mad Man George Parker. He reports:
“Widely regarded by many at FCB as one of the most decent, smart, kindhearted and talented people in the organization, rumor has it that because he [Oates] wasn’t too enamored about the excessive personal spending of Hughie, Louie & Dewey, (including Laurence’s personal gym) they decided it was time for him to “spend more time with his family.”
DraftFCB is such a hot mess.
More: All DraftFCB’s latest gossip
More Shit To Go Down At DraftFCB?
August 13, 2007
George Parker is reporting that the shit is about to hit the fan (yet again) at troubled agency DraftFCB. Yes, Todd Chant, EVP, executive creative director at DraftFCB in New York, has left the agency, but Parker is claiming that the impending news is about the little guys. His spies have hinted that more bodies are going to fall from the agency in response to the loss of their Verizon account. You’d be wise to believe him considering his moles inside the agency have a track record of being 100% accurate. Who’s on top now DraftFCB? We’re going with Parker.
More Layoffs At DraftFCB?
July 31, 2007
George Parker aka the Mad Ad Scammer always has all the latest dirt on DraftFCB. Today, George drops the bomb that his moles are positive that more layoffs are eminent for the agency. Meanwhile, he’s also got all the dirt on COO’s Laurence Boschetto’s home away from home – oh actually, we should say compound in Sag Harbor, too. Thank god the Parker isn’t after us. He’s good. Really good.
The Playstation RFP – Who’s In, Who’s Out
July 30, 2007
We mentioned a bit ago that Sony was (rightfully) looking for a new agency. Despite the PS2 being the number one gaming console, the company needs to contend with the recent rise of Nintendo and Microsoft’s gaming units, as well as what Adweek is nicely calling an “erosion” in core brand attributes. You know… after the blogosphere cried bloody murder over their recent PS2 India ads and the consumer backlash against the PS3, you gotta think this is a good move for Sony. The RFP reads:
“For the first time in its history, the company finds itself in a catch-up position with the next-generation consoles [e.g., Xbox 360 and Wii],” the document noted. “While the PS brand health is still strong and the PlayStation brand is still believed to deliver a ’stimulating experience’ that ‘pushes the boundaries,’ it has become more of a safe choice. These indicators are pause for the company to reassess its strategic road map for managing its brand and products over the next ten years.” Blah, blah, blah… you get the picture.
So who got this RFP? Publicis & Hal Riney in San Francisco and Publicis West in Seattle; Interpublic Group units DraftFCB in San Francisco and Deutsch/LA; WPP Group units Grey in San Francisco, Young & Rubicam, and JWT in San Francisco; and independents 72andSunny in El Segundo, Calif., and RPA. Looks like the incumbents TBWA/Chiat Day are going to pony up to the plate too, but you know Sony just asked them out of courtesy. We’ll see what happens. The final decision can be expected in October.
More: Salaries At Publicis
DraftFCB And Taco Bell? Yawn.
July 27, 2007
We recently gave a little nod to Taco Bell and Draft FCB’s recent online contest to get people to upload their avatars with the chance to be cast in a late night commercial in support of the “fourth meal.” We still like this concept of the drunken or post-gaming meal, as well as the avatars for the spot. However, we just took a peak at their new online home for this campaign and we’re disappointed.
Navigating around is a pain. Partly due to the code and defintely due to the art direction, it’s hard to figure out where things are and how to perform simple tasks like scanning your image to create an avatar. The games available to be played are nonsense – rock, paper, scissors anyone? It also looks as though you should be able to challenge other avatars to a game, but every time we’ve been to the site, we’re the only ones walking around. Super unclear. Getting back into the cab after you finish wandering around downtown has also proved to be extremely difficult and we used to be video game testers!
The site also includes a “Taxicab Confessions” section much like the HBO series where visitors can upload their deep, dark secrets. There’s only one up there right now and the embed code isn’t compatible with WordPress. Anyone ever heard of seeding or um, covering your code bases, Draft? And why Draft FCB was selected to create such an intense online world is beyond us. There are plenty of better interactive shops who would have created a slick, culturally relevant and intricate site worth spending time on. Anyway, we’re not into this at all. It’s clunky, confusing and boring as hell.
New Agency? Check Out CommonGround
July 19, 2007
Steve Centrillo, (pictured here) former CEO of Foote, Cone & Belding (you know, the FCB in DraftFCB?) in New York, and ex-Grey executive creative director Dave Tutin have teamed up to launch CommonGround Partners, a strategic brand consultancy that will assist chief marketing officers with a focus on brand strategy and integration rather than creative execution.
From Adweek: “For years now the ad industry has wrestled with the issue of integration, while not admitting that it created this problem by disintegrating the ever-growing forms of advertising communications in the search for revenue streams,” said Centrillo.
The goal is not to replace a client’s agencies but rather “to provide them the springboard for creating great work for clients,” said Tutin.
They seem like a good pair and they’ve known each other for some time having once both worked in darkgrey – that once cool unit of Grey Worldwide. Good luck to ‘em both.
DraftFCB Is Taking 50 Heads
July 17, 2007
DraftFCB in New York is set to cut 50 people out of the loop or you could say, 3 percent of the office is getting laid the hell off now that the agency has lost their direct marketing duties on Verizon. The layoffs are expected to occur over the next 30 days.
DraftFCB COO Laurence Boschetto, who was recently named in a sexual abuse lawsuit, didn’t deny the beheadings were taking place. He confirmed that 175 staffers worked on the Verizon account. Thirty-five will move to MRM, 90 will go elsewhere and the rest? Off with their heads!
If you end up getting axed, give us a holla’! Maybe you’d like to share a few things with us? Could be fun. Dinner is on us. agencyspy @ mediabistro dot com
UPDATE: The genius that is AdScam has ferreted out some surprisingly different info then what Laurence is schilling. What can we say? The Scammer has got Draft by the balls. READ THE DIRT HERE
More: Hey McCann? Listen Up!
Meanwhile, Interpublic Wakes Up
