STEVE MCCLELLAN

Articles by Stephen All articles by Stephen

• Up To Three-Year Ban For Future Cannes Lions Cheaters in MAD on 07/10/2025
  

  The new rules follow Cannes Lions investigation into a Grand Prix winning campaign at this year's Festival of Creativity for appliance maker Consul by Brazilian agency DM9 (part of DDB). The submission was withdrawn and the award rescinded.

• WPP Appoints Microsoft Vet Cindy Rose Next CEO in MAD on 07/10/2025
  

  Rose has spent the last nine years in senior leadership positions at Microsoft where she is currently chief operating officer-global enterprise, a role in which she advises clients on business transformation issues.

• Media, Ogilvy Drove WPP's First Half Slide in MAD on 07/09/2025
  

  The company's revised full-year organic revenue decline is now expected to be between 3% and 5%. The second quarter decline alone is between 5.5% and 6%.

• Stagwell Unveils New Agentic-driven Platform To Boost Efficiency, Outcomes in MAD on 07/09/2025
  

  According to Stagwell, the Stagwell Media Platform team will utilize Stagwell's technology, tech partnerships and scale to model, forecast and optimize efficiency and outcomes across media, creative and digital transformation services for clients.

• Mariano Promoted To CEO Of Publicis Groupe's Razorfish in MAD on 07/08/2025
  

  Dani Mariano has been president of the agency for the last two years. She succeeds Josh Campo, who is rumored to be headed to Huge as CEO.

• Oliver Taps Former Dentsu Exec Tangas As Global CEO in MAD on 07/08/2025
  

  Angela Tangas, the former Dentsu UK Group CEO will also serve as parent Brandtech's first Chief Strategy Officer, a role in which she is tasked with accelerating the Group's Gen AI capabilities.

• Stagwell Shuffles Management Duties Among Four Senior Executives in MAD on 07/08/2025
  

  CEO Mark Penn said the moves will help the firm better executive on its recently announced five-year plan to generate $5 billion in revenue within that time.

• Ogilvy's David Taps BBH Duo To Run New London Office in MAD on 07/07/2025
  

  The office will lead creative work for part of WPP's The Beauty Collective, a dedicated unit servicing Unilever's major beauty & wellness brands such as Dove, Sunsilk and others.

• Dentsu Invests In Neurosymbolic AI Platform in MAD on 07/07/2025
  

  The investment was made (through Dentsu Ventures) as part of a $25 million Series B funding round led by Prosperity7 Ventures.

• WPP's Top Communications Exec Chris Wade Stepping Down in MAD on 07/07/2025
  

  Wade said on his LinkedIn profile that he'd "been considering what's next and, as WPP prepares for a change of its own, it felt like a good moment to do something new."

Comments by Stephen All comments by Stephen

• Interpublic's R/GA Taken Private By Truelink Capital by Steve McClellan (MAD on 03/03/2025)
  

  Good question, Scott. Not disclosed so far. 

• International Advertising Association Establishes North American Chapter by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 03/17/2023)
  

  Michael, the IAA has had a New York chapter but has never had a North America chapter. This will encompass all of the US, Canada and Mexico, according to the group. Thank you for rasing the point as the article should have provided that background. 

• How Much Does Gun Advertising Contribute To All The Killing? by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 06/01/2022)
  

  Steve, here is a link to the NYT story referrenced in the Whitman column. It does not show the videogame type ads described in the piece. It does link to a Daniel Defense ad featuring children. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/28/business/daniel-defense-rifle-texas-shooting-gun.html?searchResultPosition=1

• New Era At Accenture Interactive As Droga Is Poised To Take The Reins by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 08/23/2021)
  

  Oops, thanks for pointing that out John.

• 4A's Creates Agency Review Participation Agreement by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 08/24/2021)
  

  Hi Michael, I think you're right--an effort to make clients aware agencies have major issues with the current process, particularly when the client doesn't retain professional help with the search. No power per se. 

• Agency Review Activity Spikes After Quiet 2020 by Steve McClellan (MAD on 07/09/2021)
  

  Hi Michael, the $544 million figure is a net figure that does take into account losses. No doubt marketers are pressing for lower fees/prices whereever they can find them, with all suppliers. But the spike probably does reflect the fact that marketers put off reviews last year to deal with other more pressing COVID-related issues. 

• Imagine A Pro Sports Team Called The 'New York Jews' by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 07/13/2020)
  

  Ed, I think the hockey team has a claim on the Capitals name there, although St. Louis had both a baseball Cardinals and a football Cardinals for some time. To your broader point, yeah, there are a lot options for non-offensive names. 

• Despite Rumors To The Contrary, Manly Men Drink Rose by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 08/06/2017)
  

  Thanks Nicholas, as editor of this column I should have caught that. Appreciate that you did. 

• Brands Failing To Provide Quality Training In Media Skills by Steve McClellan (MAD on 10/28/2016)
  

  It is J.R., although it's usually not referred to as 'educatiing' and frequently it is people below the c suite. But often agencies meet with clients to 'brief' them on this or that issue. Which makes sense given that the former are supposed to be experts in the field. 

• Agencies React To Finger-Pointing, 4As Calls ANA Report Anonymous, One-Sided by Steve McClellan (MAD on 06/07/2016)
  

  Thanks for catching that Michael, now fixed.

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