Cliff Freeman & Partners, a one-time creative hotbed, is shutting its doors. The New York agency's only major client, Baskin-Robbins, says it is searching for a new shop. Agency founder Cliff Freeman is known for creating Little Caesar's "Pizza, Pizza" ads and Wendy the Snapple Lady ads.

The shop had trouble emerging from the dot-com bust and by 2003, was leaking crucial talent. One trio of former executives started the boutique Amalgamated. In 2005, Freeman brought in CEO Jeff McClelland, a big agency executive with time at Dentsu and Ogilvy. The idea was to help the firm adapt to changes in the ad environment and move into more multidisciplinary integrated work. McClelland had some new-business success, but he left the agency last year.

Read the whole story at Advertising Age.

This news story is important. I recommend that everyone read it.