• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, February 1, 2018

Well, that didn’t take long.

Earlier this week word surfaced that Droga5 chief creative officer Ted Royer was on leave pending an investigation of undisclosed allegations.

Today, the agency said it has parted ways with the creative chief.

Here’s the latest statement issued by the agency: “Effective today, Droga5 New York has ended its employment relationship with Ted Royer, CCO. We are committed to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all our employees. We are unable to comment further on personnel matters.”

And there you have it. Royer did, well, something—something wrong, obviously, or he’d still be there--that presumably had to do with the agency’s maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all of its employees.

It would have been nice if the agency had come out and said what specific policies Royer violated—and what specific behavior he engaged in--to warrant his separation from the agency. You know, instead of just leaving the alleged allegations to waft around like the dark and dirty smog over Los Angeles.

Why not clear the air? Go read the detailed New York Times stories over the past four months about people in high-level positions abusing their power in the workplace.  That’s the kind of specificity I’m talking about.

That would be the better strategy in my view. Not only would such action show thought leadership, it would show industry leadership plain and simple. As in, this specific kind of behavior on the part individuals at this agency will not be tolerated.

For now at least, in the case of Droga5, we’re left to speculate as to what actually transpired. I guess if Royer engaged in misconduct, and is now gone that’s a good thing. But wouldn’t it be great if the agency spelled out the misbehavior that took place so that the next great creative hot-shot who comes along—male or female--will have some kind of blueprint to use as a guide for behavior that’s acceptable and behavior that isn’t.