• by Tig Tillinghast , August 1, 2002

Last week, Congress started down a slippery slope, with congressman Bob Barr, R-Ga, attempting to interfere with a recent pitch win by Ogilvy & Mather. While the story slipped in and out of the headlines in a couple hours, this could have very lasting negative effects on the ad industry.

I do not deny that there may be shenanigans over at O&M. Not long ago, the mega-firm paid $1.8 million to settle accusations that it overcharged the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. A criminal investigation is still floating around as well. But it’s unlikely that a congressman like Barr will shed useful light on the matter. He has threatened to add a measure to an upcoming appropriations bill that would essentially freeze out O&M from continuing on the account.

There is a long and inglorious tradition of large government accounts going to the well connected. The stereotype seems to be that once an agency gets in the door, the client jiggers the selection criteria during each subsequent mandated account review in order to not have to switch agencies. The well connected become permanently connected.

Critics of the Bush Administration have been quick to point out that the man who ran to “clean up” the White House, installed campaign friend and former chairman of O&M Charlotte Beers (who may be best known for involvement in the aftermath of the aborted “we might lie, but it will be for a good cause” Pentagon PR policy) to the Office of Public Diplomacy. O&M was given the almost $800 million goody of the WHONDC account, and then allegedly proceeded to bilk a couple extra millions. Adding insult to injury and a kick in the pants for good measure, the account review inspired by an indignant General Accounting Office report got awarded right back to the incumbent.

All of that could be seen as the picture of impropriety, and one could well expect the losing agencies in the pitch to cry foul. But, instead, we see a Republican congressman doing it. It makes me nervous.

It may well be that Barr, a member of the House Reform Committee might see this as worthy of congressional oversight. A cynic might say this is an opportunity for public hearing grandstanding. The absolute worst, though, would be if Barr – whose Marrieta, GA office is 19.2 miles away from the offices of one of the pitch losers – is looking to involve Congress in the matter in a bid for “constituent service.”

This would open up the Pandora’s box that never got closed in the defense industry. There isn’t a public defense project in the entire country that hasn’t been filtered through four layers of congressional payola. Bases are placed in regions more for their job creating abilities than their tactical efficiency.

The very large public sector of the ad industry may fall in a similar direction. O&M may very well be innocent, but they and the ad industry as a whole need to make it politically difficult for congressmen to interfere. Right now, they seem to be inviting congressional meddling. And ad agencies that engage their local congress critter for “help” in pitches they’ve lost are asking for more trouble than they know.