• R/GA Founder Bob Greenberg Says Cannes Lions Judges Should Accept 'Innovative' Scam Ads
    Bob Greenberg is pro-scam ads entered in industry creative awards. Havas Melbourne president blame big CMO egos on obsession with industry awards. Lake Capital to acquire parent company of Deep Focus. Deutsch LA hires Joshua Hirsch as EVP, executive creative technology director.
  • This CEO Says Media Companies And Ad Agencies Are Clueless
    CEO of Naspers calls media houses clueless. BLT launches a new division, BLT+. CEO of Edelman China reported missing.
  • Every Agency Should Ask Their Clients And Prospects This Wise-Ass Question
    Shake things up at your next client meeting. White Castle account in review. WWJZD? What would Jordan Zimmerman do? Group M enters publishing world. Unilever's global digital account is in review... we think.
  • Ad Industry Can't Decide Whether or Not TV is Dead
    Depending on who you ask, TV is thriving or TV is dying. How Ogilvy's head of digital got his start. The American Marketing Association hires a new CMO. All media buying will be automated... one day.
  • AgencySpy Commenters Reveal Why the Ad Industry in So Much Trouble
    Why has GS&P's new reception area led to the realization that the ad industry is in trouble? Ackermania and The Harmon Brothers fight over VidAngel credits. MUH-TAY-ZIKIHOF-FER wins an award. Moroch Partners sued by former employee.
  • Hedge Fund Investment In Interpublic Fans Flames Of Sale Rumors
    Activist hedge fund Elliott Management has taken a 6.7% stake worth about $570 million in Interpublic Group, in what could be a precursor to a sale. The $24 billion hedge fund, run by Paul Singer, made a regulatory filing on Thursday indicating that IPG's shares "are undervalued and represent an attractive investment opportunity." The firm said it wants to "engage in a constructive dialogue" with the company's board of directors. A source familiar with Elliott's stake in Interpublic said it is gearing up to push the company to the auction block with hopes of attracting IPG's larger competitors as buyers. …
  • Arnold Is Selling Its Emmy But Doesn't Think A Woman Deserves It
    Arnold Boston is moving offices, and it would appear from a Craigslist post that they are selling an Emmy Award -- an "actual Emmy award, and a good one, too, not a crappy Daytime one" -- as part of the agency's moving sale. The ad reads, in part: "You have the trophy wife. You have the trophy car. From our vantage point, it looks like all you're missing is the trophy trophy. Well, the last piece of your carefully constructed facade is about to slide into place. You, sir, are about to win an Emmy. And when you casually mention …
  • Maurice Levy Adjusts Expectations For 2014 Sales Growth
    Publicis is warning observers that it will be "very difficult" for the agency to meet its annual target of 4 percent annual growth after a lackluster second quarter stemming partly from the failed Publicis-Omnicom merger. Speaking to investors and the press Tuesday, Publicis CEO Maurice Levy said: "There is one point that we may have underestimated: the time that we devoted to the merger. That has certainly weighed on our performances." Net profit in the first half of the year fell 17% to $351.6 million on sales of $3.36 billion. While organic sales rose 0.5% in the second quarter, that …
  • Epic Used Car Ad Brings Attention to Australian Digital Agency
    Jumping aboard the whole used car ad trendlet, Australian ad man David Johns has created a dubstep infused, pulse-pounding ad for his old 1999 Holden Barina which borrows heavily from every car ad cliche you have ever seen. The video, with over one million views since its launch July 13, ends with a plea to tweet Johns an offer or to visit BuyMyBarina.com on which the vehicle's "specs" are highlighted. The whole thing may or may not be a promotion for Johns' agency, Sydney-based digital agency Chimney Group. Tiny links from the BuyMyBarina site point to the agency's website. Either …
  • McGarryBowen Can Blame Taco Bell For Its Pizza Hut Loss
    You know how you sometimes become infatuated with a person when you first see them and you think you've met your soul mate? And then they open their mouth and speak. And then their personality begins to grate. And then you can't stand to be in the same room with them. It would seem this is exactly what happened between McGarryBowen and Pizza Hut, which just dumped the agency and handed the account to Deutsch. The pair split after just 10 months together, a very short courtship in brand/agency terms. McGarryBowen started dating Pizza Hut after a review in September. …
« Previous Entries