Draft/FCB to work 24/7/365 in it's quest for creative excellence!

It would seem that Draft/FCB, New York, is prepared to burn the midnight oil in it's non-stop endeavor to raise the creative bar to new heights. Here is a copy of an internal memo sent to the troops by uber-hack, Sandy Greenberg.

From: Greenberg, Sandra (NYC-FCB)
Sent: Fri 9/28/2007 1:02 PM
Cc: Meyer, Terri (NYC-FCB); Becker, Christoph (NYC-FCB)
Subject: Wanna Get into Communications Arts?

Last year, two of our Oreo print ads in the "Milks Favorite Cookie" campaign got into CA: "Creamer" and "Midnight Snack." In addition, "Straw" was lauded in Ad Week's Agency Review issue and several ads in the campaign were recognized in Ads of the World, with very positive reviews. Our clients are asking for more ads, which gives us all more opportunities to win more awards, bigger awards.  (Is this Sandy character a writer, or a graffiti artist?) So push really hard to give us our next "Milks Favorite Cookie" ad, poster, etc. Start with ads for the classic Oreo. Then ask yourself: "They also make a Halloween Oreo with Orange Creme, a Spring Oreo with Yellow Creme." (Jesus, they all sound like snot!)
This is a reason to work nights, weekends, etc. For your print book.

Sandy & Terri

I am reliably informed by one of my spies that the ads she is referring to she had nothing to do with. In fact, she opposed doing them at all because they weren't productive for the client. And the one person that did have anything to do with it wasn't mentioned. On top of that, these are the only accolades the agency has to speak of after an entire year of working. Obviously, time for a "Creative Rumble!"

.

There's cookies and milk... After you've won a Cannes Gold!

Comments

[uh huh]

I think if you google sandy or terri it becomes blatantly obvious that they have done nothing notible...ever. They are suits who run the agency as a result of their political stronghold on the Kraft business. If it wasn't for Kraft they would be working a bingo table in the middle of america. Luckily there is trouble in Kraft land.

I've had the displeasure to work with both of those sub-par androids a few years back. They are as useless as they come, and as dumb as you could possibly imagine. At most points of the day they're assistant is the one that has to rescue them. For god sakes he had to teach sandy how to use email. They are one of the biggest reasons why the New York office is a disappointment to our industry and a laughing stock to us all.

[dickhurtz]

Yeah baby! I worked plenty of nites and weekends and holidays for these douchenozzles! What did it get me? Douchenozzle! A one way ticket to Palookaville. Burnt out, pissed off and with freakin 8% in raises over 5 years. Yeah, I'm a schmuck. But they are a bunch of slimeball, slave driving ........... douhcenozzles!!!!!

[dickhurtz]

Trouble in Kraftland??? Do tell!

[the lower depths]

hey wasn't "hammer" bitching about talking advertising and not politics? well???? where is he?

[George Parker]

Keep the "douchenozzles" coming!!!
Cheers/George

[HighJive]

Was that memo copied verbatim? Wow. Typos galore. Right down to stating, “Then ask yourself” — followed by no question. Telling the troops to work “for your print book” is hardly inspiring. That’s what decent creatives are always supposed to do. The memo creator needs to work on her print skills too, starting with remedial writing.

[George Parker]

HighJive...
That's why I asked if she was a writer or a graffiti artist.
Cheers/George

[HighJive]

George,

Graffiti artists are better writers than the memo creator. At first, I was going to give her the benefit of the doubt and presume she was an art director. But her background is in copy. Wonder how long it took her to memorize the correct spelling for Oreo.

[Journeyman]

Sandy and Terry have had longer careers than all you guys who are dismissing them. They've worked steadily at a bunch of big agencies on national packaged goods accounts for at least 25 years.

It's a great example of how fucked up this business is. They're two nasty, untalented hacks whose specialty is packaged goods TV that makes the client happy.

I spent some time up at FCB before the merger. People likes Becker a lot, he was a popular leader. But those two were to be avoided at any cost. I'm shocked she actually knew what CA was. The condescending tone of the email tells you everything you need to know about how they act to the people who report to them.

[Zippy]

I don't know these two people. Lucky break for me, it seems. In this one bad memo, they demonstrated why clients agency people. "Win more/bigger awards....for your print book." And thereby the glorification of the agency by "working nights, weekends."

Absent from the memo are the things agencies are HIRED to do...increase awareness, sell more product, make the client the hero. You know, little shit like that.

Someone should send this wrongheaded memo to the Oreo client. I'm sure they'd be interested to know where the creative priotites are on their account....i.e., not on selling more cookies.

[Auntie Christ]

And where will Sandra be while the creatives are working nights and weekends on the agencies portfolio? Taking clients out to the latest trendy eatery or home watching Greys Anatomy? Here is a blatant admission that award winning work and client assignment are not really thought of in the same sentence. Pour your heart and soul into a job to make us look great, but if we fire you - it's just numbers...honest.

I won an Echo for a mail campaign I did once, and I filled out the paperwork and it got bundled up with the agencys other submissions and sent off. I and my partner won, and months went by with no plaque in sight. One day I was in the account supes office and there was the Echo sitting on his shelf (I have no idea who delivered it to him). I asked why he had it and he said that it belonged to the agency, not the individuals who did the campaign, and there was no budget for duplicate plaques. Of course when he left the agency he took the fuckin' thing with him in his box of tricks. Yeah, agencies really know how to treat the people who do their best work.....

[Auntie Writer]

Translation-
"Be sure to work your ass off to carry our sorry asses, so we can throw you under the bus at first sign of client misgivings, water down your stuff the first chance we get, and take credit for it if somehow it's halfway decent despite our best efforts."

[LAM]

Why don't these assholes just pack it in and give it up?? Until IPG cleans house at the top and puts in place a senior management team that is capable of understanding the concept of service/creativity and solid management there is no hope for this group. These thugs still think the formation of Draft/FCB was about having their own personal "candy store" (personal gyms, swank offices for Howard and Laurence in New York) with the side benefit of granting Howard his revenge on the advertising community. Jonathan Harries will continue to keep any promise of good creative work, on the part of some of the people at the lower levels, from ever being produced as he squashes anyone/anything with promise throughout the company. He could safely be singled out for recognition as the very WORST creative person in the business...aside from being an evil snake, that is really how he has managed to distinguish himself. So all these memos are as misdirected and misguided as the thinking of their senior management. Here's the thing: their idiotic PR machine continually churns out such drivel and equally meaningless press releases for the primary intent of driving these blogs and comments that appear when one does a search on "Draft/FCB" further down on the Google pages - In their attempt to drive this kind of commentary further down on the Google pages they repeatedly create even more fodder for the bloggers and "commentators." Why don't they just stop?? It's not like they're doing themselves any favors....so, not only are they a bunch of self serving thugs, they're not exactly what you'd call a brain trust...Once again I ask, WHY would ANY client stay with this group? But NO it will NEVER change as long as Michael Roth is at the helm of IPG...what a sorry, sorry mess all this is...

[George Parker]

LAM...
You hit the nail on the head... IPG will never change as long as Roth is heading it. Don't forget, this guy came out of the fucking INSURANCE business... The Board must be insane (Yes, they are) to hire someone with that backgound to run a fucking ADVERTISING group. And please... tell me what you really feel about Jonathan!!!
Cheers/George

[Bob]

It isn't just advertising, it's every busness. And especially every publically-traded company.

If anyone thinks that any boss gives one shit about them, they're a fool.

You will be fired if business goes down, no matter how good, or devoted, or loyal or "I'll be working nights and weekends" you are.

We are all disposable, and the worst thing is, those at the top could give a flying fuck.

I saw a guy who was a really good copywriter in the early '90s on the street begging for change the other day. Honestly.

He was let go during what became known as Black Thursday, when every ACD in their entire (large) agency was canned. He'd only worked there for 17 years.

Ask him if he'd like those 17 years of nights and weekends back.

Juniors, I'm not going to tell you how to do work, or what the best creative is, but I will tell you this: look out for number one. Because whether you believe it or not, your boss thinks of you as number two.

[George Parker]

Bob...
Dead right... Management looks out for management... They will love you one minute, then shit can you the next. Years ago I got in a cab in NYC and asked to be taken to 40th and Madison.. The driver said... "Y&R?" I asked him how he knew... "Cos I used to be a CD there, 'til they laid me off" he replied. True story, I swear to God... It happens to us all, we are disposable.
Cheers/George

[LAM]

The sad thing about these stories is that they just reinforce in the minds of the Draft/FCB shitheads like Huey, Dewey, and Louie how smart and clever they think they are compared to the genuinely talented guy who's begging for coins or the other who's driving a cab. I literally just got off a call from a guy HD&L recently fired - he's yet another one who's facing a tough road ahead....and Laurence had the balls to build a "personal gym?" What the fuck was he thinking...or NOT?? We know the board of IPG is useless and asleep at the wheel but why haven't some of the shareholders protested OR is it because for the most part they're the poor people at the IPG business units who are clinging to their jobs and forced to hold on to their lousy sinking stock all the while hoping the stock will turnaround....so they don't want to "make waves." Is there any lawyer with class-action-suit experience reading this stuff? Fat chance that the stock will ever come back with the lousy self-serving Interpublic Group (IPG) management and the handful of guys like Howard, Laurence and Jonathan who are taking advantage of everything and everyone at every turn....and again I ask: Will someone please explain why their remaining clients remain clients??

[Auntie Christ]

Hopefully that cabbie was doing research for a novel about Manhattan nightlife...

I have to laugh now when I hear people talking about how they would do whatever it takes for their "careers." Most of us who read this blog have done that and now many are on the outside looking in--either by choice or not.

Whether you had your pension evaporate like Delta employees or you got canned by Y&R, the truth is no one else is there at the end of the day but yourself, and family if you have it. You can't eat your family though....

[LAM]

Hence, we put up with the Jonathans, Laurences and Howards of this world....it boggles the mind when you consider how low this industry has sunk when people like those thugs are put in charge...

[Zippy]

I harken back in this thread to what started all the subsequent eloquent posts...the likes of a Terri and and a Sandy. The worse curse the executives running that agency inflict upon good people are their appointed parasites, sycophants and "Mini Me" wannabes that lord over the day to day. It's like an infection that keeps getting worse down the line.

When it finally becomes a plague, those at the very top scratch their heads, wonder how it all went wrong and pull the ripcords on their chutes.

[LAM]

For the record, not only did the head of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Michael Roth "come out of the insurance business" but he was FIRED out of the insurance business...that's how, when he was simply an ineffectual board member of IPG, he ended up, with the aid of Howard Draft, as Chairman and CEO....which largely accounts for the why the place is the ugly mess it is today....

[Ex-Draft emp]

I just re-read "Atlas Shrugged," and while I find many of Ayn Rand's ideas repulsive, it was interesting to see how closely her dystopic view of business paralleled the ad world.

Still in it, but working on gettting out.

[LSPBH]

I love the philosophy that the only way to win awards is to "work nights & weekends." If you are genuinely creative, you know that an inspired idea is more likely to strike when you're walking around the block at lunch, taking a shower or sitting on the throne, rather than racking your brain in a stuffy office at midnight surrounded by a bunch of half-empty Chinese food containers.

[dickhurtz]

Speaking of class action suits - why haven't th legions of age discrimination victims banded together to sue the shit out of these bastards? When they let me go, I consulted 2 well known employment attorneys both of whom were aghast at the facts I presented. Unfortunately, without any other plaintiffs, the best they could do for me was double severance. Everyone else had already signed the FCB agreement.

[LAM]

These guys are thugs! I had been a senior employee in good standing. They basically fucked me over by assuring me that I'd get what was a very resonable settlement and then, in the process screwed me over and told me that even the bare minimum would not be forthcoming unless I signed their draconian severance agreement. SOoooo, we all have been taking our own individual forms of revenge ever since. Do they really think their idiotic lion ad would have garnered even a tenth of the attention (and ultimately landing on the CEO of Walmart's desk as the "final straw") if they had been decent and fair in their dealings with people? (Of course decent people would have NEVER come up with that asinine ad in the first place.) Talented people get fired all the time in this business through no fault of their own (mergers, layoffs, office closings, agency closings, etc.) AND there actually are companies, who have treated people fairly and decently in this process. What happened in the case with Draft/FCB, however; is that we got hoodwinked by a bunch of thugs who felt they were going to "win" by fucking over the very employees who had worked hard on their behalf. SOOooo, I hope they love these blog commentaries because they've earned every word of them...let's see now: for purposes of search engines - should any of this be overlooked - we're talking about Draft/FCB, a business unit of The Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG). Next time, before they fuck over more people, they might think this through. Laurence, since it's been said that you regularly read this blog - even though you've blocked it for all of the Draft/FCB employees - in case you don't know, one of the more interesting features of the internet is that this stuff "lives" forever...kind of like your court paper filings... Next time, think before you instinctively set out to fuck people over...we're living in an era of authenticity and accountability...in other words, when you truly fuck people over you WILL be held accountable, hence these comments!!

[Auntie Christ]

I gotta say, another sad part of this whole thing is that Howard and Laurence could be shilling vinyl siding or toothpaste or Pocono real estate. They come from the numbers end of things and could give a rats ass about advertising or good conceptual creative. It's just $$$ to them. But the folks who went to school for it and live it and breathe it and love it are the ones collecting $405 a week from unemployment. Draft is the kind of place where you work on Christmas Eve (yes, we were open one year on December 24, and all of us wondering WTF?) and Easter Sunday (the Bank of America disaster). Holiday pay? Make up time? Fuck you, employee, and no you can't have my phone number if you have any problems cause I'll be in the Hamptons.

[LAM]

Michael Roth (Interpublic Group of Companies CEO) and Howard Draft (Draft/FCB) totally fucked up the Bank Of America situation and were directly responsible for the loss. One, because Roth is a self-serving ass who doesn't "get" this business, he refused to grant what was essentially a "prestige-only" title to the top account person who ran the account and had the relationship with the client (it could be argued that the person who ran the account clearly had more knowledge of the industry and certainly the client's business than Roth ever will and therefore Roth perceived the guy as a threat to his newly won CEO spot) and secondly, Draft totally fucked up the work on the account by turning out their usual uninspired mediocre crap....that's why BOA ultimately left Draft and IPG... ONCE AGAIN, Draft and Roth are fucking clueless about "client relationships" - anyone who can't see beyond their own greed can't comprehend the basic premise of a service business and, hence, client relationships. It's entirely credible that it was less Draft's fuck up on the boring BOA work and more the fact that the client had the chance to meet Howard that, as a result, BOA fled. I mean, is Howard the kind of guy you want even remotely near your business?

[Auntie Christ]

The fact that Roth had to personally see each piece cross his desk before it could be shown to the client tells you he places his ego before the welfare of the client ("Red band at bottom? Check.") If any creative or acount person below EVP status was responsible for a client leaving the agency you could be sure they would be escorted out of the building before they knew what happened. These guys fuck up to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and they keep right on collecting the fat checks. Travesty.

[lionheart]

I worked with Sandy and Terri before on a pitch. These guys are two dumb numbnuts. If anyone deserves to be mugged, beated and pissed on, its probably these two. Seriously, they are a horror to work with and I really really feel bad for anyone that has to breathe the same air as these two. Here's hoping that when the good ship DraftFCB hits that iceberg (and it will soon enough), these two go straight down to the sea with the rest of the captain and crew.

[mer01de]

Every concept for BOA that the Draft creative teams came up with had to be approved by Steve Hardwick (Bruce Nelson's protege) before it ever went to the client. Plenty of concepts were killed because he didn't "get" a headline or a photo. Rarely did the creative team get a chance to explain or fight for the concept. It was usually "change it or lose it."

Utterly frustrating.

[the lower depths]

but we've all been in countless meetings likethese, and not just at Daft... the ECD or whoever is steering the tanker, being very afraid of their job and reputation will NEVER take a chance on anything that smells newer than '89 or maybe '92 concept vintage...

why take a chance? taking chances leaves a 50% margin for failure: terrible odds. take the safe route. please the client and continue to collect the checks while telling everyone "the brand matters most". horseshit.

it's moving the brand that matters most and sometimes you just have to go take that chance. too many campaigns have made the client happy and not moved the needle, one way or the other, and in the end: the client goes looking for a new agency.

"if you've never failed, you've never tried"...too true

[martim]

I've worked with both Sandy and Terri and I think they are BRILLANT! Some of the best, most strategic marketing people in the biz. so get a life, people! And think about your integrity for airing internal memos on the internet. For shame.!

[former coworker]

I worked with Terri and Sandy, and they are political snakes only concerned with being liked by the powers that be. They will drain every drop of enthusiam and humanity from the room. They are lemmings throwing themselves off the cliffs of profitability by proxy.