• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, December 8, 2006

If all Wal-Mart's departing marketing executive Julie Roehm got was some bribes, she needs to do some better shopping. That stuff was marked down.

The dramatic ouster of Roehm this week after a short stint as the senior vice president of marketing communications at Wal-Mart has left virtually everyone in the ad community shaking their heads. All this happened just weeks after Wal-Mart shifted agencies, giving its creative business to the newly formed Interpublic Group of Cos.' Draft FCB, and the media buying and planning business to Carat USA.

Company insiders, according to a number of reports, say the alleged offenses occurred with agencies vying for the business. Roehm reportedly had a dinner or two with the Draft FCB people, and rode around in some cars. One ride was in an Aston Martin, owned by the chief executive at Draft FCB. Another ride was in a BMW Convertible owned by an executive at GSD&M, Wal-Mart's previous media agency. Apparently, there was also an improper relationship with a subordinate--which both Roehm and the subordinate deny.

If that's all Roehm got from this, she needs to bone up on better kickbacks. Having your hair buffeted in the wind in a convertible can be priceless in the right frame of mind, as well as the heavenly taste of some good risotto and lobster. Wal-Mart rules apparently forbid much of this stuff.

So what are we left with? Because of all these accusations, the entire review process will start again for Wal-Mart's highly desirable $580 million account. Draft FCB will not be invited back; but Carat looks to have weathered the storm and will be asked to have a go again.

I'm only wishing the TV and film industry would take up these strict food guidelines. TV network executives would then never pay for lunches of any hot new producer--nor pay millions for those pricey parties at the upfront presentations in May. Then think about all those TV and advertising executives having to dine alone day after day, not allowed to talk or gossip with each other while lunching in the same restaurant.

Next time around, competing agencies that look to wine and dine any Wal-Mart marketing executives will sheepishly think twice before giving those execs so much as a cup of coffee during a pitch meeting.

And what about future lunches with Julie Roehm? You'll need to split the check to get a fair shake.