15140: Rating Rapists…?

 

This digital campaign from Nigeria encourages potential rapists to take an online quiz to determine if they are indeed sex offenders. There’s a Gustavo Martinez joke here somewhere…

14785: Ted Royer Is Adding Victims Who Deserve—And Demand—An Apology.

Advertising Age extended its lengthy coverage of the collateral damage created by Ted Royer’s dark comedy monologue staged at the recent LIA event. The reactions underscore the complexities of exclusivity and gender-based issues—as well as the diverse degrees of cultural cluelessness in adland.

Two outrageous responses came via condemnations from FCB and TIME’S UP/Advertising. Um, FCB being connected to IPG makes it rather hypocritical to express shock and distress, as the White holding company has produced some of the most scandalous sexual harassment cases to date. As for TIME’S UP/Advertising, well, the organization still has Wendy Clark—who hired Royer for freelance work—on its roster.

Advertising Age also revealed LIA President and Founder Barbara Levy recounted her personal sexual assault experience when the attendees displayed disapproval over Royer’s presence. Gee, a simpler apology than the ones Royer delivered would have sufficed.

Keep in mind, Royer projected mea culpas for his wife, Droga5 and the industry he loves. Yet there’s no remorse for the attendees who suffered through the spectacle.

Meanwhile, Ad Age collected reactions from lots of folks—with the glaring exception of a suddenly silent Royer. Wonder if the trade journal thought of asking David Droga for an opinion. Too many sources state Royer was fired after being targeted by Diet Madison Avenue. Sorry, the man got canned after a thorough investigation conducted by Droga5. If the dismissal was flawed, shouldn’t Royer show resentment for his ex-employer?

Others have opined that Royer deserves a second chance and should regain access to the field. Why? The industry has hardly collapsed due to the absence of Royer, Joe Alexander, Tham Khai Meng, Gustavo Martinez, Ralph Watson and Jeremy Perrott. Or Neil French. Forgiveness does not mean forgetfulness.

Ex-Droga5 CCO Ted Royer’s Recent Speech Sparks Widespread Anger, Some Praise And Calls To Action

Time’s Up Advertising demands apology; FCB cuts ties with organization

By Ann-Christine Diaz

Former Droga5 Chief Creative Officer Ted Royer’s appearance at an advertising event in Las Vegas this past weekend sparked heated, passionate reactions around the industry—from those in attendance and elsewhere.

Royer took the stage on Sunday morning and addressed the allegations of anonymous Instagram account Diet Madison Avenue that preceded his firing from Droga5 more than a year-and-a-half ago. While some praised Royer for being brave enough to speak, there was also plenty of shock and disbelief about his presence at the event from creatives both young and seasoned. Agency network FCB and advocacy group Time’s Up Advertising were moved to take action against the London International Awards, the organization that backed his presentation.

The Liaisons

The London International Award’s Creative Liaisons program ran over several days alongside its awards judging period, still continuing this week. Liaisons aims to provide promising talents with the skills to ensure their success. “Liaisons is designed to be a creative oasis in an industry that is in danger of focusing less and less on its creative output. We stand for the work and those who make it,” reads the description on its site.

During this year’s event, however, some attendees found Royer’s presentation the opposite of a “creative oasis.”

One attendee was so affected by his presence that she left the room crying, prompting festival president and founder Barbara Levy to take the podium and apologize, even recounting her own experience of sexual assault in 1983.

Some Liaisons attendees told Ad Age they felt Royer’s presentation was geared not toward their enrichment. “It was a redemption speech, in my opinion,” says one female creative. In interviews, others called it “tone-deaf” and “inappropriate.” “Everything about it felt very wrong for me,” another attendee tells Ad Age, “even if what he was trying to do was be a better person. He did it in a horrible way, in a really weird context. He’s telling us that all these victims are liars, but some of us in the room were sexual assault victims.”

Royer was asked during the Q&A session why he was presenting at that place and time. “It’s the first thing I’ve been invited to,” he said. “I wanted to talk to creatives because the things that I have learned and have embraced, and tried to embody over the last year-and-a-half I think are very relevant to young creatives. I wanted to level-set and I really wanted to give back to this industry.”

Lacking empathy

One of the points Royer made repeatedly during his presentation was his desire to meet face-to-face with people, including those he has hurt, as a means of opening up communication and promoting “understanding and empathy.”

But some attendees say that his presentation itself lacked empathy. “My issue with what he was saying was the implication that it was my responsibility to resolve the problem,” says copywriter Sydnie Felton of VMLY&R in Kansas City, Missouri. “I would have loved to hear his perspective, even if he gave advice for if you find yourself in a difficult situation, and how you can come out of it in the best possible way and not feel your career is threatened. Everything was about protecting men in his position rather than empowering us with the proper tools.”

“A lot of us were visibly shaken, but so were the guys,” says another female creative. “A lot of them afterwards were apologizing to the women in the room.”

She also observed a curious difference in the reactions from the crowd. “A lot of the women were talking about how inappropriate it was, while the guys were talking about accountability,” she says.

“As soon as he started talking, I thought it was a bit surreal because almost immediately he positioned himself as a victim—these are the things that happened to me,” one male attendee tells Ad Age. “He very clearly did not seem to understand these things happened because of his actions and decisions.”

But “I don’t want to dogpile,” he adds. “I saw a broken dude who lost everything, and I want him to find peace and turn this fucked-up thing into something good. I think he just messed up. He squandered a good opportunity and put the burden on the victims. He really needed to take accountability.”

LIA misstep

For some in the audience, the bigger issue wasn’t Royer’s speech, but the fact that it was unannounced—or at least poorly announced—especially in light of the fact that some in the audience had endured harassment or assault themselves. Royer’s name and picture had not been on the program’s online schedule until the week of the event, and in the printed program, his slot listed only “Guest Speaker.” When the show presenter brought Royer to the stage he gave an awkward, quick intro: “I have no idea what this session is going to be about, but I do know that his work speaks for itself.”

“We’re sitting there, on our schedule it says ‘Guest Speaker’ and we’re completely unaware that he was coming,” says one female creative. “It felt like it should have been an op-ed that people could choose to read or not. We were completely unaware—or made to be unaware, in my opinion, that he was coming. I think it was a really big misstep from the program.”

Creatives were also upset by how LIA addressed the adverse reactions to the talk. After the attendee who was in tears left the room, Levy said, “We just had a little incident and I want to apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable. It didn’t occur to me that the topic he was talking about might make some of you feel uncomfortable.” Levy then went on to reveal her rape in 1983.

“When Barbara tried to use her own sexual assault story to justify their reasoning for bringing him there, it left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth,” says one creative.

Another creative, however, tells Ad Age, “I was very impressed that Barbara instantly got up on stage and apologized. For me personally I was happy to move on from there."

Some Liaisons also say that Royer’s presence didn’t prevent them from reaping the benefits of the other parts of the program. CHE Proximity Melbourne copywriter Lauren Eddy and art director Aicha Wijland, in industry publication Campaign Brief, wrote that while they felt “robbed” by Royer’s talk, they still learned valuable lessons in empathy and unconscious bias from other workshops and speakers, including award-winning journalist Lara Logan.

Another creative affected by the speech still called the program as a whole an “unbelievable experience” that left him eager to go back to his agency and start applying what he learned.

“We can see that our misstep was not taking greater initiative to inform the attendees of the schedule change once the conference started,” said Levy in a statement to Ad Age.

As for how she handled her apology to the audience after Royer’s talk, she explained that the intense reaction of one particular participant moved her to speak to the crowd. “I went to have a conversation with her and then felt the need to address the audience,” she said. “In the wake of all the emotion in the room, I may have taken a miscue and been too open about my own personal experience.”

The leaders in the room

While Royer’s presentation was meant for young creatives, a number of industry leaders who were judging the LIA Awards took a break to hear him speak.

During the Q&A session, Edelman Chief Creative Officer Judy John took the opportunity to shed light on questions presented to Royer regarding the “burden” of having to speak to or report an accuser. “As a young creative I’ve been in compromising positions as I think some other women in the room have,” she said in that session. “It’s hard to go to your boss or superior and say, that wasn’t cool… because you might lose your job, you might get blackballed, you might be a troublemaker. There are a lot of reasons why women don’t come forward.”

Another female industry leader echoed the sentiment of the young creatives. “Bringing up DMA and all those accusations were not necessary for someone who was accepting responsibility and apologizing to anyone he hurt,” she tells Ad Age. “But there has to be a path forward for anyone who wants to move forward in my opinion.”

She was also struck by the generational differences in the reactions to his talk. “For the most part my generation is a bit numb from growing up with all of the bad stuff,” she says. “We are happy to be talking about it and see a new awareness, but we are mostly focused on the wage gap and opportunities for women at the highest levels. Comments about how we dress have little effect, and attempts for romance or otherwise are annoying but not shocking.”

The younger generation represented by the LIA participants, however, seems to have very different reactions, she says. “There is a lot of anger and they don’t feel like they can talk. They feel way better hiding behind social media because they are used to it. They feel like we are enablers, and by being complacent we didn’t clean it up for them. That comment about their outfit is like a slap in the face.”

Veteran producer Oliver Fuselier thought Royer’s move “was a lesson in humility and true bravery,” he tells Ad Age. He “put it all out on the stage, from apologizing to the room of young creatives and beyond as well as putting his email address on the screen with a standing offer to meet with anyone that he hurt, angered or made feel bad... We as a society need to help us all to find a way to move forward and allow men to start righting their wrongs and healing themselves. We must still hold them accountable, but at the same time support them in their own road to recovery.”

Another industry leader in the room for the speech added that despite what happened, the LIA’s program is still important for the industry. “I believe in the power of learning and the LIA Creative Liaisons team has so far funded almost 1,000 young creatives from around the world to attend the program,” he says. “I urge young creatives who have attended Creative Liaisons over the years to also share their positive experiences so others who haven’t attended it will continue to attend and benefit from it. The learning must never stop.”

Ad Age reached out to Royer about the reactions to his speech, but he declined comment.

The Industry

The industry has begun to take action in response to the speech. FCB, which had both creatives in the Liaisons program and as judges in the LIA, announced it would be terminating its relationship with the awards show. “A recent presentation given at the LIA was deeply upsetting to some of our team in attendance, and the reaction and response by the LIA has been very disappointing and unsatisfactory,” the agency said in a statement.

In a letter to Levy and the other organizers of the LIA, Time’s Up Advertising also took issue with how Royer’s speech was not properly publicized to the attendees. “You left no option for consent,” the letter read. “You showed disrespect for LIA attendees who have been harmed by Royer’s behavior, specifically, or faced similarly disturbing behavior in the workplace. You signaled that his voice is worth a platform, while our voices aren’t worth believing.”

The organization then went on to list the actions LIA should take in the wake of this incident: apologize, publicly commit to creating a safer and more inclusive environment “that respects women,” and be transparent.

If LIA does not heed this advice, Time’s Up Advertising Executive Director Christena Pyle said in an additional statement to Ad Age that the organization is “prepared to take further action.”

Levy told Ad Age in her statement that the LIA has been communicating with FCB on the agency’s decision to sever ties with the organization.

“We apologize if we inadvertently upset anyone during at the LIAisons program,” she said. “We will work closer with the agencies and the top-level creatives to better curate the program moving forward.”

Contributing: Lindsay Rittenhouse

14766: Erin Johnson Discusses Post-Harassment Stress Disorder.

Advertising Age appears to be providing harassment gender equality, balancing the Joe Alexander report with a seemingly unabridged and unfiltered Erin Johnson interview. The piece is titled, “Erin Johnson on Sexual Harassment, J. Walter Thompson and Finding Out Who Her Friends Are.” Okay, the illustrator responsible for the interview image (depicted above) is definitely not a friend, as the rendering ain’t very flattering. One surprising revelation is that TIME’S UP/Advertising has never contacted Johnson. Perfect. What’s next for Ad Age—an insert spotlighting Gustavo Martinez?

Erin Johnson on Sexual Harassment, J. Walter Thompson and Finding Out Who Her Friends Are

In the aftermath of her suit against WPP, exec speaks out

By I-Hsien Sherwood

Eight months before the #MeToo movement began to play out in Hollywood, the global chief communications officer at J. Walter Thompson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the agency and its global CEO. Erin Johnson alleged inappropriate physical contact and racist, sexist and anti-Semitic comments—including jokes about raping female staffers—from Gustavo Martinez.

For the next two years, the suit dragged through the courts. WPP and its then-CEO Martin Sorrell were accused of digging in their heels when most agencies at the time opted to handle such matters quietly. As subsequent harassment scandals erupted at shops including The Martin Agency and Droga5, Johnson was put in a position uncharacteristic of a PR professional—constantly named in headlines, but unable to speak publicly during pending litigation.

Three-and-a-half years after filing her suit and nearly 18 months after reaching an undisclosed settlement with WPP, Johnson is dealing with a very different industry landscape. Sorrell has been ousted from the holding company he founded and now runs S4 Capital. WPP finally parted ways with Martinez two months following the settlement, after some reshuffling to quietly put him in charge of operations in Spain.

As for JWT, once the oldest advertising agency in the world, it’s gone, folded into Wunderman Thompson late in 2018.

Johnson left the industry, too, for a time, spending less than a year as chief communications officer at tech start-up Gifnote, for whom she remains an advisor. She spoke with Ad Age about the personal costs of bringing a harassment lawsuit, the #MeToo movement and what’s next for her. Our conversation has been edited and condensed.

J. Walter Thompson is gone, merging with Wunderman last year. How does that make you feel?

Very sad. Depressed. A little angry. It was such a great brand. I remember we had worked so hard to celebrate the future at the 150th anniversary [in 2014], and I was part of that. I loved the brand. I still love the brand. I’m sad that it’s not there anymore; it’s devastating to me.

For people who haven’t experienced harassment at work, what is it like to be in that kind of environment?

Sadly, I think a lot of people know how it feels because they deal with it every day. I think every woman has stories like mine. It’s like a death of a thousand cuts. And over the course of my career, I’ve experienced all sorts of things—inappropriate comments, inappropriate touching. Women especially have been taught or been told that it’s just the way it is.

How did you come to the decision that your only recourse was to file a lawsuit?

Everybody has a line. And when that line is crossed, it’s kind of like you can’t live with yourself unless you do something about it. This situation in particular with Gustavo began to cross the line of my ability to look myself in the mirror and accept it.

It’s really scary. I know I believe in myself. I know that I’m standing up for myself, but I also know the power of a billion-dollar company. You question and question and question yourself. I remember sitting up at night with my husband, at like 3 in the morning, debating what to do, because at a certain point I knew I had to file or not do anything. I kept saying “This is going to uproot our lives. This is not going to be quick. We could lose the house, we could lose everything [because of legal fees].” And I was terrified about what could happen to me. You go to really dark places. How would I afford mortgage bills? How would I pay for the kids? How would I continue to live? Who would hire me again? Would I be blacklisted forever? And my husband just said, “Babe, nobody treats you like this. We’ll sell the house. It’s just a house. We’ll get an apartment. It’s just about us and the kids.” He said, “You work too hard, and this is not O.K. I got you.” And he took away all my fear that night, because I was so afraid.

In hindsight, there’s a consensus that the holding company handled your case poorly. How should a company respond to allegations like yours?

Handle it immediately. Believe them. Believe them and support them.

The legal filings detail your work conditions during the lawsuit. But what were the effects on other parts of your life?

I have a way of making jokes about it to offset the reality of the fear and the stress about it. But it was exhausting and isolating and lonely. You wake up thinking about it, you go to bed thinking about it. You have nightmares about it. I mean, it was my life for two years, and trying to be a good mom and a good caregiver and a good partner, it’s really hard.

And I think the kids definitely picked up on a lot of my stress. They had a lot of questions because they overheard certain names, so they would ask about “Who’s this? Who’s that?” Or “Why is Mommy crying? Why is Mommy so sad?” I had to explain to them in ways that a young preschooler and kindergartner at the time could understand. How do you explain that to a child?

With all this, did you ever have second thoughts? Did you ever wish you had kept quiet or gotten a different job?

No, never. Never. I would do it all over again if I had to. It was the right thing to do.

You were deep in litigation when the #MeToo movement emerged. What did it feel like watching it unfold but not being able to say anything?

I think that The New Yorker and The New York Times did amazing work, and any woman or any person that comes forward is very brave. I applaud anyone standing up for themselves, but it was a very lonely eight months before then. I was out there alone for a long time.

How do you think your case affected the way #MeToo played out in the advertising industry?

I would like to think that my case did have a multiplier effect. I’ve gotten emails and phone calls from many people in the business who have subsequently stood up for themselves. So I know that it has had a positive impact.

How much support did you receive from people in the industry?

That’s a complicated question, because part of the problem is change happens when the people who are holding the purse strings can implement it. There was a company that in the early days of my suit wrote a wonderful tweet about me and how they supported me. I have a screen grab of it, and it was really nice. And then three days later, the tweet was deleted. That was devastating, but also eye-opening—so that’s how it’s going to be. Someone got their hand slapped for publicly endorsing me. The bottom line is still the bottom line.

Was there more support in private?

There was a lot of private support from people who couldn’t go public because they were too afraid of backlash, which was really sad. To me it was like, “That’s great, but that and $2.75 will get me on the subway.” I’m all about transparency. If you can’t support me publicly, don’t bother calling me privately.

Did that change after the suit was settled?

A lot of people who were not reaching out to me, reached out to me about how much they believed in me and blah, blah, blah. But I don’t talk to anyone who suddenly found their voice after they knew which way the wind was blowing. I really learned who my friends were, and I learned a lot about the character of others.

Have you worked with any groups on #MeToo issues, like Time’s Up Advertising?

I’ve never been contacted by Times Up Advertising. I didn’t even know it was launching.

How do you handle the notoriety?

I do worry that there’s always going to be an asterisk next to my name for companies that would want to hire me. People who are plugged into what happened in the industry recognize my name. In entertainment and tech, not as much. It was kind of a relief, actually, working in tech.

What’s next for you?

I kind of was adjacent to the industry for a year, and now I’m trying to figure out what’s next because I’m someone who loves to work. This summer, I’ve had more time to think about what I want. But I probably was pushing feelings away. I was able to lock up my feelings, like I just wasn’t ready to process them. It’s really been like a death for me, and I’m mourning my life. For so long, your career is part of your identity.

But I’ve had enough time to wait at the beach with my kids and try some new things. I don’t rest well. I’m better busy. So I want to do something that makes me happy. Something that I can believe in.

14586: Advertising Industry Boys’ Club Introduces The 97% Movement.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2019

Former Creative Honchos Launch The 97% Movement

Madison Avenue, New York City, NY — A group of former Executive Creative Directors and Chief Creative Officers launched The 97% Movement, a bold initiative designed to enhance and grow the male majority in the advertising industry. The 97% Movement is aiming for 100% macho dominance in agency creative departments by 2020, according to anonymous reports from Diet Madison Avenue that really pissed off Ralph Watson.

“You can’t be a great creative director and have a baby and keep spending time off every time your kids are ill,” reiterated Neil French. “Everyone who doesn’t commit themselves fully to the job is crap at it.”

The 97% Movement leadership includes Joe Alexander, Tham Khai Meng, Jeremy Perrott, Ted Royer, Eric Springer and Ralph Watson. Gustavo Martinez is overseeing group activities in Spain.

Industry female figures presented varied responses. Cindy Gallop delivered an expletive-filled tirade, Kat Gordon filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement and Jo Wallace declined to comment per the insistence of legal counsel at JWT London. “The 97% Movement has my full support and restless ambition,” gushed Wendy Clark. “Oops. I mean they’re fully reprehensible and reckless assholes.”

###

14524: JWT Commodore Sailing Toward Another Stormy Court Battle.

Campaign reported the JWT London discrimination case—where a group of White, British, privileged, straight men charge they were fired after voicing concerns over JWT London Creative Director Jo Wallace griping about White, British, privileged, straight men—will go to tribunal. Remember when JWT New York CEO Lynn Power argued the internal perception and external perception were very different for the White advertising agency—i.e., she claimed the place did not have the diversity and divertsity dilemmas that the Gustavo Martinez-Erin Johnson lawsuit seemed to symbolize? Bwahahahahaha!

JWT discrimination case to go to tribunal

Group includes Chas Bayfield.

By Jeremy Lee

The straight, white, middle-aged men who claimed they were forced out of J Walter Thompson as part of a diversity drive are taking the agency to an employment tribunal.

The men involved, which include senior creative Chas Bayfield, have engaged law firm Judge Sykes Frixou to fight the case. They are due to serve papers either tomorrow (Friday 15 February) or early next week.

JWT will then have a maximum of 28 days to respond to the claims in writing, giving its side of the case. Once it has replied, the tribunal will decide whether there will be a full hearing to decide on the case. If they can prove that they were discriminated against, there is an unlimited payout.

Campaign broke the story of the allegations in November. It is alleged that they were ousted after raising concerns about the comments of JWT creative director Jo Wallace at a Creative Equals conference in May. Wallace introduced herself as a gay woman and said that she wanted to “obliterate” the reputation that the agency was full of white, privileged straight men after the company announced a gender pay gap of 44.7%. Wallace was speaking in a joint presentation with JWT executive creative director Lucas Peon.

The story attracted considerable media attention and it is believed that the BBC is making a programme about the case. Since the allegations first came to light, WPP is in the process of merging JWT with Wunderman.

Wunderman Thompson declined to comment.

14458: Matt Eastwood Goes From Sinking Ship To Selling Drugs.

Advertising Age reported former JWT Worldwide CCO Matt Eastwood is replacing former McCann Health Global CCO Jeremy Perrott. Eastwood once cautioned former JWT Worldwide Chairman and CEO Gustavo Martinez to avoid blurting “rape” during executive conferences. Too bad Eastwood wasn’t available to counsel Perrott about blurting “rack” in offices.

McCann Health taps Matt Eastwood as global chief creative officer

The former JWT worldwide CCO joins the IPG agency in the position previously held by Jeremy Perrott.

By I-Hsien Sherwood

Matt Eastwood is joining McCann Health as global chief creative officer, starting Monday. Previously the worldwide CCO at J. Walter Thompson, Eastwood is taking on the position formerly held by Jeremy Perrott, who was fired last year after unspecified violations of the company’s code of conduct. He will work with John Cahill, global CEO of McCann Health, and report to Rob Reilly, global creative chairman at McCann Worldgroup.

“The CPG space has been shrinking in budgets, and health and wellness has been growing,” says Eastwood. “It’s kind of the one space that seems to be attracting more clients. It felt, for me, the right time to move more definitely into that space.”

At JWT Eastwood oversaw lauded health and wellness work, including a campaign for “The Fin,” a prosthetic leg created by Northwell Health that allowed a disabled veteran to move both on land and in the water. A campaign for Abbott in Latin America encouraged shopping malls to include mannequins representative of breastfeeding women.

“I’ve been doing this kind of work, but not in an official health agency,” Eastwood says. “It’s good work to do, because it’s work that matters, and the opportunity to focus on it seemed exciting.”

He began his career in Australia and held positions at M&C Saatchi before joining Y&R New York as CCO in 2004. Two years later, he joined DDB, working in New York and Sydney, where he hired June Laffey, now CCO at McCann Health New York. “It’s kind of an exciting reforming of a partnership,” Eastwood says.

In 2014, he joined JWT, leading it to 80 Cannes Lions in 2016, a record for the agency. He remained there until March 2018, when his role was eliminated as part of a “structural decision.” At the time, JWT was in the second year of a lawsuit brought by former chief communications officer Erin Johnson, which was finally settled in April. JWT has since been merged with Wunderman to form Wunderman Thompson, in a string of consolidations at WPP spearheaded by CEO Mark Read.

“It was definitely time for a reinvention” of JWT, Eastwood says. “A lot of the baggage of the last couple of years just needed to be behind the agency. I think this and the name change helps do that. I’m hopeful for them.”

14389: Giving Thanks For Significant Settlement…?

AgencySpy posted on former JWT Global Chief Communications Officer Erin Johnson, who landed as Chief Communications Officer for Gifnote. AgencySpy stated Johnson received a “significant settlement” from WPP, even though no news sources ever provided a figure, as the agreement terms were confidential. At least Johnson has a fresh headshot to tout her new job. And if she did receive a significant wad of loot, maybe she’ll send the GIF below to Gustavo “I want to be a university professor” Martinez.

Erin Johnson to Lead Communications for Messaging Startup Gifnote

By Patrick Coffee

Erin Johnson, the former head of global communications for JWT, has taken a new role as head of comms for Gifnote, a music messaging startup.

Johnson earned worldwide attention after suing her former employer and CEO Gustavo Martinez for sexual harassment in a case that stretched over two years and ended in a significant settlement for WPP.

In the new position, she will work with Gifnote’s executive team to help oversee marketing communications strategy and execution. The product, which launched earlier this month, allows users to send music clips or Soundbytes in texts and social media messages. The company “works in compliance and partnership with the music industry” to maintain a database and search engine consisting of thousands of samples from popular songs.

Founder Andy Blacker is a former AOL executive who also co-founded ToneMedia, which was acquired by music listings company Bandsintown.

In a statement, he said Johnson “is driven by creative excellence and a sharp understanding of today’s digital media landscape and economy,” adding that “Our mission is to bring our patented and licensed Songbytes into the world’s largest form of communication—texting and social posts.”

Earlier this week, Gifnote announced the hire of Quello founder Richard Johnson as executive advisor.

Johnson spent 13 years with the JWT organization and served as its chief communications officer from 2008 to her departure earlier this year.

Her suit, first filed in 2016, preceded the larger string of cases that attracted headlines starting approximately one year ago. Martinez, who was described by many as a [probable] successor to Martin Sorrell, officially left WPP in June. Johnson responded to the news by sharing a link and a Gifnote image.

14347: Gallop, Gordon & Guy Are Scary.

Advertising Age published a list titled, “What Scares Me Right Now…” featuring a variety of industry figures who shared their fears. Three comments worth noting:

Cindy Gallop, founder, IfWeRanTheWorld.com

I’m scared that the Harvey Weinsteins of our industry think they’ve gotten away with it and will carry on doing it.

Okay, but Gallop declined to offer her bold opinions when probed on the Wendy Clark-Ted Royer fiasco, a scenario that completely connects to what scares Gallop right now. Keep in mind, she certainly didn’t hesitate to blast WPP for continuing to employ Gustavo Martinez while he was in the middle of a discrimination lawsuit against JWT and the White holding company. Isn’t it scarier to see a Harvey Weinstein-type invited back by a major White advertising agency whose leaders include a Pioneer of Diversity and a woman with a restless ambition for inclusive justice? This sort of stuff should have Gallop shitting her knickers, no?

Kat Gordon, founder, The 3% Movement

What scares me right now is a backlash against women, the LGBTQ community, immigrants, people of color and other populations that have fought so hard for protections of their rights. The atmosphere of disinformation and otherizing in this administration is unprecedented and deeply destructive. Some days, this scares me. Most days, it whips me into a rage that propels me to keep fighting.

What’s most scary is when Gordon’s rage propels her to keep writing angry Op-Eds that don’t make sense. When that happens—and it happens much too frequently—be afraid, be very afraid.

Jason Harris, CEO, Mekanism

The scariest thing in the world today is our crisis of leadership. Sure, there are always ups and downs, peaks and valleys, mad men, wars, corruption, money grabs, income inequality, the strangling of Mother Earth and on and on—but we always have a few leaders in power who the world can look up to. Currently, we lack a moral compass to guide us. We don't know right from wrong and decency and politeness have all but disappeared. We can throw up the Bat-Signal, but there is nobody there to answer the call.

While Harris was presumably referencing political officials in the U.S. and abroad, his comments apply directly to the crisis of leadership in adland, where moral compasses are spinning aimlessly, right and wrong are highly subjective terms and decency and politeness are delegated to and fabricated by PR crisis managers. Even Harris’ Bat-Signal reference underscores the true issue—that is, “leaders” hope that a masked hero will appear to save the day. Um, true leaders strive to solve problems without rescuing interventions from outside vigilantes.

14203: Putting Pressure On Kids…?

Not sure what JWT in Argentina was attempting to communicate with this campaign, but the imagery is disturbing. Maybe the Philco pressure washers could have been used to douse folks like Gustavo Martinez, Duan Evans, Sir Martin Sorrell and the WPP executives attending the Presidents Club Charity Dinner.

14185: Code Of Cannesduct.

Adweek reported on the latest ravings from Divertsity Diva and pseudo-provocateur Cindy Gallop, who followed up her cuckoo contention that sexual harassment is the biggest business issue facing the industry by downgrading the problem to being the biggest business issue facing the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. Gallop announced she isn’t attending the annual soiree because “I can only afford to go when someone pays to fly me in and pays me to speak…” Gee, Gallop once insisted, “…Nobody anywhere is paying me anything to do the work I do in this area…” But less than two years later, she requires full travel and lodging accommodations, as well as a speaker’s fee. Hey, maybe she can piggyback onto Diet Madison Avenue’s GoFundMe donation drive to get a free ride to the French Riviera. Anyway, Gallop’s new brainstorm involves creating a “code of conduct” to curb bad behavior at Cannes. The last person in recent memory to be charged with drafting a code for adland was Shona Seifert, and it was part of her sentence for leading the White House anti-drug campaign scandal in 2005. In keeping with the tradition, Gallop, Kat Gordon or any other faux do-gooders should not be penning the crazy Cannes code. Rather, the task should be assigned to the perpetrators—e.g., Joe Alexander, Ted Royer and Duan Evans. Sir Martin Sorrell, Gustavo Martinez and Ralph Watson wouldn’t qualify for the job, as they haven’t been officially charged with wrongdoing.

Cindy Gallop Has a Bold Suggestion to Help Cannes Lions ‘Eradicate #MeToo’

Proposes a new ‘code of conduct’ for the festival

By Patrick Coffee

Gender equality and sexual harassment will inevitably be a major topic of debate at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, whether at official events or in the many conversations surrounding them throughout the week.

But one of the industry’s most visible advocates on that front will be notably absent from the beaches of southern France this year: entrepreneur, public speaker and former agency executive Cindy Gallop.

Several women who spoke to Adweek about the festival said they were surprised or disappointed to learn Gallop would not be there. But Gallop, who has been calling on women to submit their own #MeToo stories for the better part of a year, argued that advertising’s most public podium might not be the best place to discuss the subject.

When reached for comment on whether Cannes should play a more active role in the movement, Gallop took a different tack than some other gender-equality advocates.

“I don’t want to see Cannes program #MeToo,” she wrote. “I want to see Cannes eradicate #MeToo.”

The solution, in Gallop’s mind, is a new code of conduct “that goes into every single registrant’s swag bag that you get handed when you register in the Palais, and that is pinned up at regular intervals on the walls of the Palais alongside the work” in addition to being mentioned by the leaders of every event, panel and celebratory dinner.

Gallop’s code, as she described it, would include calling on every man to watch out for improper behavior and “rescue women from situations that frequently involve an abuse of power that makes it particularly difficult for women to rescue themselves.”

She also stressed the need for a #MeToo hotline that doesn’t begin and end with a human resources representative but includes “counseling contacts and medical/rape center details where necessary.”

Ultimately, the code “should also include the fact that #MeToo whistleblowers are the true heroes of our industry, and that everyone exposing sexual harassers at Cannes will be celebrated for helping to remove the single biggest obstacle to true, gender-equal, diverse, effective, brilliant creativity in our industry,” Gallop wrote.

It’s a daring and perhaps unrealistic pitch, but some, like Wieden + Kennedy co-CCO Colleen DeCourcy, found it very appealing.

“We do need a neighborhood watch,” DeCourcy said in supporting Gallop’s call for signage. “[Cannes] is an easy place for people to get confused about what’s OK. It just needs to be said: We know it happens, and it’s not going to happen anymore.”

Or, as an internal memo sent to all IPG employees attending Cannes this year put it, “There can be a sense that this isn’t quite work or that we can behave differently, especially if alcohol is present.”

Spokespeople for Cannes Lions have not responded to a request for comment on the viability of Gallop’s suggestion.

Though the festival has avoided making formal changes to address harassment, next week may well bring some surprises. For example, an anonymous group of agency employees going by the #WomenCannes moniker plans to wear black and “roar” for female nominees in a protest similar to the one staged by Cannes Film Festival attendees last month.

Whatever happens, the entire industry will be watching closely.

14180: Hasta La Vista, Martinez.

Campaign, Adweek and Advertising Age reported former JWT Worldwide Chairman and CEO Gustavo Martinez has left WPP, although likely with a lot less money than former JWT Global Chief Communications Officer Erin Johnson and WPP Overlord Sir Martin Sorrell. “It’s time for me to leave WPP to chase other personal projects and passions,” stated Martinez. “I want to go back to the university where I was teaching a long time ago and which I really love.” Those who can, do; those who can’t resist making sexist, racist and rapist remarks—creating hostile work environments—teach.

Former JWT chief Gustavo Martinez exits WPP two years after sexual harassment row

Former JWT global chief executive Gustavo Martinez has departed WPP in a sign that the ad group’s new leadership wants to draw a line under his controversial tenure.

By Gideon Spanier

A WPP spokesman said: “Gustavo Martinez and WPP have agreed it is in the best interests of both parties for him to pursue his career outside the group.”

Martinez used to be based in New York but now lives in Spain.

He said: “I want to go back to the university where I was teaching a long time ago and which I really love.”

It is understood that Martinez has left WPP with immediate effect and will receive no compensation or share awards.

Martinez declined to comment on that.

It is thought the decision to part ways with Martinez was approved at the highest level of WPP by Mark Read and Andrew Scott, the joint chief operating officers, who are keen to send out a message that the ad group is moving on from the Sir Martin Sorrell era.

Martinez controversially stayed on at WPP for more than two years, after stepping down from his JWT role in March 2016 over allegations that he made sexist and racist comments.

Erin Johnson, the chief communications officer of JWT, claimed that Martinez had talked about whether he should “rape” a female member of staff “into submission”, referred to black people as “monkeys” and complained about Jews.

Martinez said at the time that there was “absolutely no truth to these outlandish allegations”.

WPP, under the leadership of Sorrell, the then chief executive, spent two years defending a sexual harassment case brought by Johnson against Martinez in a New York court.

Industry sources say WPP’s decision not to settle with Johnson for so long caused internal anger and upset at some of the highest levels of the ad group.

WPP eventually reached an “amicable settlement agreement” with Johnson in early April 2018.

Martinez has most recently been country representative for WPP Spain, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Sorrell left WPP on 14 April.

14110: To Sir, With Love Of Money.

Campaign published a statement to the global staff from WPP Overlord Sir Martin Sorrell—who has historically earned 780 times more than the average worker—on the day of his resignation.

The lengthy letter opened by declaring, “For the past 33 years, I have spent every single day thinking about the future of WPP.” Okay, but he probably spent too little time each day considering the present—and the people—of WPP.

Sorrell then stated, “We welcomed J Walter Thompson, Ogilvy, Young & Rubicam, Grey…” Um, JWT was the first hostile takeover in the industry, so it’s a little bizarre to say the agency was welcomed to the fold. In roughly 30 years, JWT went from hostile takeover to hostile workplace.

Next, Sorrell proceeded to recite the breakthrough accomplishments experienced over the years. The self-congratulatory list did not include any kudos for being “the most diverse example of diversity of any single organisation.” Also absent were salutes for gender equality and talent recruitment in the holding company.

Sorrell promised, “In the coming period, I will be available to the Board and any of you, should you want help with anything, anywhere.” Oh, please. Then again, it would be interesting to learn what Gustavo Martinez might request.

In closing, Sorrell proclaimed that WPP will always be more important than life or death, which likely inspired over 200,000 eye rolls. Sorrell ended by saying, “Good fortune and Godspeed to all of you… now Back to the Future.” Somebody tell Doc Brown to leave Marty wherever he lands.

Sorrell’s full resignation message to WPP: ‘Godspeed to all of you’

By Staff

Sir Martin Sorrell sent this statement to the staff at WPP, following his resignation as chief executive.

“To everyone at WPP

For the past 33 years, I have spent every single day thinking about the future of WPP. Over those decades, our family has grown and prospered.

We welcomed J Walter Thompson, Ogilvy, Young & Rubicam, Grey, 24/7 Real Media, Taylor Nelson Sofres, among so many others.

We created Group M, including Xaxis and Essence.

We put the focus on Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East and Central Eastern Europe, the home of the next billion consumers. We embarked on the early development of digital capabilities; and the evolution of a firm-wide integrated client and country-centered approach.

Our holding company was recognised as the world’s best and most effective through the Cannes Lions and Effie Awards year after year after year.

We pioneered Atticus Awards for original written thinking…. the WPP Fellowship Awards to recognise promising talent…. the Partnership and Practice Awards for client endorsed integrated market and case studies.

Our Stream digital conferences have attracted the best in the digital business for more than a decade.

Our Annual Sustainability and Pro Bono Reports highlight the unique social, environmental and public policy work that we do day in, day out across the globe.

As I look ahead, I see that the current disruption we are experiencing is simply putting too much unnecessary pressure on the business, our over 200,000 people and their 500,000 or so dependents, and the clients we serve in 112 countries.

That is why I have decided that in your interest, in the interest of our clients, in the interest of all shareowners, both big and small, and in the interest of all our other stakeholders, it is best for me to step aside.

We have had a succession plan in place for some time. A new generation of management, led by Mark Read and Andrew Scott (who have each been at WPP for approximately 20 years), are well qualified and experienced in the Board’s opinion, to deal with the geographic and technological opportunities and challenges our industry faces.

We have weathered difficult storms in the past. And our highly talented people have always won through, always.

Nobody, either direct competitors or newly-minted ones can beat the WPP team, as long as you work closely together, whether by client and/or country or digitally.

In the coming period, I will be available to the Board and any of you, should you want help with anything, anywhere. I shall miss all of you greatly. You have given me such excitement and energy and I wanted to thank you for everything you have done and will do for WPP and me.

As some of you know, my family has expanded recently, WPP will always be my baby too.

As a Founder, I can say that WPP is not just a matter of life or death, it was, is and will be more important than that. Good fortune and Godspeed to all of you… now Back to the Future.

Thank you.”

14097: Set Off By Settlement.

Adweek presented the obligatory “agency insiders” commentary on the settlement between Erin Johnson and JWT/WPP. At this point, speculation is useless, as the agreement prohibits all involved parties from disclosing details. In other words, JWT/WPP is not admitting to any wrongdoing, and Johnson is not able to claim victimhood or even victory. Of course, that isn’t stopping the always self-promotional Kat Gordon from offering unsolicited critiques. Calling the outcome “a bummer,” Gordon whined, “Once again, the whistle blower is gone and the perpetrator is still employed and it’s all hush hush.” Um, what the hell does she mean with the “once again” remark? The perpetrators are losing their employment status in adland—just ask Joe Alexander and Ted Royer. Like it or not, Gordon is out of line to label Gustavo Martinez a perpetrator, as the confidential settlement makes such a conclusion impossible. Adweek also shared opinions from an anonymous executive who allegedly knows Johnson. So clearly, little progress has resulted from the two-year-old lawsuit if people are unwilling and/or unable to publicly express their viewpoints.

Agency Insiders Debate Whether the Erin Johnson Harassment Settlement Will Inspire Real Change

Some hold out hope while others are unsatisfied

By Lindsay Rittenhouse

The two-year legal battle former J. Walter Thompson global chief communications officer Erin Johnson waged against her employer and its onetime CEO Gustavo Martinez came to an end earlier this week, with the world’s oldest ad agency agreeing to a settlement over sexual harassment and discrimination claims.

But some in the industry are left feeling a bit unsatisfied.

“What made this case unusual was that it was filed in federal court; the entire complaint was public,” said Kat Gordon, founder and CEO of The 3% Conference. “I was hoping for more of a conclusion where the public would know the precise outcome. It’s like watching a movie and not being able to see the last 20 minutes.”

Summing up the public facts—that JWT entered into a “confidential agreement” with Johnson, who stepped down from her position while Martinez continues to work for WPP—Gordon said it’s “a bummer.” (WPP has repeatedly denied claims that Martinez leads its operations in Spain, though he currently describes himself as “country representative.”)

“Once again, the whistle blower is gone and the perpetrator is still employed and it’s all hush hush,” Gordon said. “It’s not progress.”

An industry executive who knows Johnson and spoke on condition of anonymity expressed disappointment over the fact that the matter was “dragged on so long,” and described what Johnson went through as “horrendous.”

“I was sorry to see what happened and I’m glad it’s over,” the person said. “I think Erin is a very skilled communications professional who did something very courageous that put her career and family at risk. I hope that it was a substantial settlement and that a company will give her an opportunity to come back if she wishes to do so because she is very gifted and talented.”

JWT and its parent company WPP were initially supportive of Martinez, who denied the allegations in the suit. But they soon announced his resignation and promoted WPP chief client team officer Tamara Ingram to replace him. After Johnson returned to work, her lawyers claimed she was stripped of her responsibilities and treated as “a pariah” by agency leadership, which had hired Christine O’Donnell to fill the global director of communications role in her absence. (O’Donnell later resigned.)

Both Gordon and the aforementioned executive said they hope Johnson’s case will be the last of its kind and that real change is on the horizon thanks to the rise of the #MeToo and Time’s Up Advertising movements. Ingram herself signed the latter group’s mission statement, released last month.

“I think other agencies who are running into this issue are dealing with it in a much more constructive way in terms of removing the parties creating the problems,” the executive said.

Christine Stack, founder and CEO of talent advisory firm Moral Compass Talent who formerly led human resources at UM and MediaVest, said she too has hope, given the amount of support Johnson has received from people inside and outside the industry.

“I try not to dwell on the negative,” Stack said. “What is important is that people look at this situation and learn from it.” One female agency veteran described Johnson’s “bravery and strength” as “awe inspiring,” adding, “Much respect.”

“Like most women—especially women who run an agency—we immediately recognized the situation and believed Erin Johnson,” wrote Cat Lincoln, CEO and co-founder of influencer marketing agency Clever. “This settlement sends a message to women that they deserve a safe and fair work environment. This will only happen consistently when there are more women in agency leadership positions, and leadership positions in general.”

Stack added: “I’m proud of her for what she endured.”

Describing the first conversation she had with an unnamed reporter after news of the lawsuit went public, Gordon said, “I remember the reporter saying, ‘Who’s ever going to employ Erin Johnson again after this?’ And I said, ‘Why is she the pariah? She’s the hero.’ The first instinct of one journalist two years ago was that this wouldn’t bode well for her. That to me is victim blaming.”

After the settlement went public, Johnson issued a statement thanking the law firm that represented her and expressing gratitude for “those of you in the industry who spoke up and offered support.” Her response ended with the line, “Moving forward, I wish Tam and the JWT team success.”

“My perception is that the culture [at WPP, not necessarily JWT] is a little hostile and defensive and protective of certain people,” said the executive, who noted that Johnson’s comments included “no ill will toward Tamara.”

“Perhaps she viewed her as a change agent,” the person said.

14095: Unsettling Settlement News.

Adweek, Advertising Age and Campaign reported the discrimination lawsuit starring Erin Johnson and Gustavo Martinez has ended with a settlement, which means that no more details will be provided or publicized—unless Campaign manages to get extra gossipy rants from insiders. However, it’s a sure bet that Kat Gordon, Cindy Gallop and Diet Madison Avenue will take credit for something, or at least seize the opportunity to deliver unsolicited commentary. Johnson has resigned her position with JWT, although it hasn’t been clear exactly what her position was after returning to the company while the lawsuit was still happening. So technically, the legal affair resulted in resignations for Johnson and Martinez. Wonder if Johnson will resurface as Chief Communications Officer for WPP in Spain. Campaign claimed the settlement had been signed weeks ago. Gee, it would have been nice if the case had concluded during Women’s History Month. Actually, the only semi-news came from a WPP spokesperson, confirming that Martinez is working for the holding company in Spain, but contrary to speculation, he’s not the country lead. Maybe Sir Martin Sorrell will be demoted to country lead in Spain, where he’ll oversee Martinez, Duan Evans and Neil French.

JWT and WPP Reach Settlement in Erin Johnson, Gustavo Martinez Sexual Harassment Suit

Case has riveted the ad industry for 2 years

By Patrick Coffee

The sexual harassment lawsuit pitting J. Walter Thompson global chief communications officer Erin Johnson against her employer and its former CEO Gustavo Martinez has come to an end almost exactly two years after it was filed, with the parties agreeing to settle for an undisclosed sum.

Agency leadership announced the decision today after the legal teams agreed to the terms of the settlement.

The J. Walter Thompson company has “reached an amicable settlement agreement with Erin Johnson, chief communications officer of the J. Walter Thompson company, in the Johnson vs. J. Walter Thompson lawsuit,” an agency spokesperson said. “The terms of the agreement are confidential and will not be disclosed. Additionally, Johnson has resigned from the role of chief communications officer.”

Johnson’s resignation is effective immediately. The spokesperson declined to state whether JWT is actively seeking a replacement.

UPDATE: Erin Johnson provided a personal statement on the news.

“The past few years have been challenging to say the least, and I am grateful for the love and encouragement from family, friends and those of you in the industry who spoke up and offered support. Thank you,” she wrote. “Most importantly, I would like to thank Anne Vladeck, Debra Raskin and Jeremiah Iadevaia at Vladeck, Raskin & Clark—a brilliant legal team and force to be reckoned with. I hope that my personal experience will encourage others to speak up and follow their convictions. Moving forward, I wish Tam and the JWT team success.”

An internal memo obtained by Adweek, sent to all JWT staff by CEO Tamara Ingram, read, “Please join me in offering Erin our best wishes in her future endeavors. I know this has been a challenging time for everyone. We now need to look forward and focus our efforts on reimagining the future for J. Walter Thompson and our clients.”

Adweek has reached out to the law firms representing Martinez and J. Walter Thompson but had not received a response at the time this story went live.

Johnson’s case became the talk of the agency world upon its filing in March 2016, but faded from memory before returning to the spotlight in recent months as the #MeToo movement led to an increased focus on sexual harassment allegations against major industry players.

This news also arrives one day after JWT’s parent company, WPP, acknowledged that its board of directors has launched an investigation into allegations of “personal misconduct” on behalf of CEO Martin Sorrell, who “unreservedly” denied the claims.

“Martinez has made it impossible for [Johnson] to do her job,” read the suit filed by the law firm of Vladeck, Raskin & Clark in the Court of the Southern District of New York on March 10, 2016. He allegedly did so by harassing and undermining Johnson while making racist, sexist and anti-semitic comments in the presence of her and other staff members.

After initially standing by the CEO, who was widely seen as a rising star within the holding group, WPP announced Martinez’s resignation a week after news of the suit went public and promoted WPP chief client team officer Ingram to replace him. Johnson’s legal team later released video of Martinez joking about rape at an agency meeting.

The former CEO retreated to his native Spain, where he remained employed by WPP.

Johnson returned to work eight months after news of the suit broke, but her lawyers almost immediately accused the JWT organization of retaliating against her by treating her as “a pariah” and pressuring her to resign.

Over the next year, the case devolved into a back-and-forth over legal minutiae, including claims that WPP had withheld documents and intentionally failed to make Sorrell available for deposition, after the law firm of Davis & Gilbert unsuccessfully attempted to have the suit dismissed. The most recent filing came in mid-March, when Johnson’s firm introduced as evidence documents supporting rumors that Martinez had been appointed WPP’s country lead for all of Spain.

Their filing read, “This letter is submitted today because the Court stated that a decision was imminent. … These documents reflect defendants’ continuing misrepresentations concerning their decision to reward Martinez with a high-level position despite his unlawful discriminatory conduct.”

Martinez’s employment will not be affected by the settlement, according to a holding group spokesperson.

“He is and continues to be working on assignments for WPP in Spain but is not the country lead,” the representative said.

14093: WPP Crash And Burn.

(Believe it or not, this post was written before The Wall Street Journal and other news sources reported Sir Martin Sorrell is being investigated for “possible misuse of assets and allegations of improper behavior.”)

Does the WPP crash indicate greater issues than bad financial management, escalating competitive challenges and shifting revenue problems? That is, how do a corporation’s ethics and integrity affect the bottom line? The biggest White holding company has certainly displayed its ugly sides in recent times.

First and foremost, WPP Overlord Sir Martin Sorrell—who is essentially a glorified accountant running an enterprise historically rooted in creativity and innovation—appears to be much worse than an “odious little jerk,” a label bestowed upon him by the late David Ogilvy. Sorry, but the man embodies the complete set of Seven Deadly Sins, most notably greed. After all, Sorrell’s compensation has been recorded as 780 times more than the average WPP employee’s paycheck. Pride, lust, envy, gluttony and wrath play leading roles in Sorrell’s character, as evidenced by his obsessive and compulsive urge to acquire. And sloth is the final recipe ingredient, appearing via his admission that he doesn’t know the exact number of companies he’s gobbled up through the years; that is, the man has grown mentally lazy.

Sorrell displayed his out-of-touch persona perfectly when discussing the notion of hostile takeovers. “We’ve done what are euphemistically called hostile situations,” said Sorrell. “It is very interesting. Was it Jimmy Goldsmith [the late financier] who said there is no such thing as a hostile takeover? There isn’t really. It is hostile to one person, the chief executive of the target company. It is not hostile to the share owners, it is not hostile to the clients, it is not hostile to the people who work there, so it becomes more personal in that sense.” Um, takeovers are absolutely hostile situations for the workers, who soon find themselves subjected to increased financial restrictions that decrease salaries, redundancies that inspire layoffs and bureaucracies that ignite chaos as senior executives wage ego wars in the hybrid enterprises.

Alas, Sorrell isn’t the only odious little jerk on the global org chart. Gustavo Martinez, Duan Evans and Neil French represent a pattern of disturbing behavior.

Additionally, professional relationships with Cambridge Analytica, Presidents Club Charity Dinner and Harvey Weinstein further taint the company.

And of course, there’s the JWT lawsuit that seemingly symbolizes the sexual harassment epidemic sickening the industry.

The late Jay Chiat asked, “How big can you get before you get bad?” WPP and Sorrell continue to push the question to new dimensions, making one wonder how big the next crash might be.

“There’s A Sense Of Shock”: World’s Largest Ad Agency Suffers Biggest Crash In 19 Years

By Tyler Durden

In a world in which a handful of tech companies which derive the bulk of their revenues from advertising are the market leaders, what happened to WPP Plc — the world’s largest ad agency — this morning is particularly relevant: the company suffered its biggest one day crash since 1999, tumbling as much as 15%, after CEO Martin Sorrell again slashed the company’s profit outlook and predicted another year of no growth, in what Bloomberg dubbed a jarring reminder to investors “that the advertising industry is undergoing its most dramatic upheaval in decades.”

To be sure, WPP’s woes are hardly new, with the company tumbling almost as much back in August when it reported dismal earnings and unveiled “terrible” guidance. This time it was even worse.

WPP unveiled that its long-term earnings growth will be as little as 5% and twice that at best, slashing its previous guidance of as much as 15%. The year got off to a “slow start,” WPP said, continuing a trend from 2017 that saw flat margins and sales. Investors responded by sending shares down by the most in 19 years, resulting in a brief trading halt. In sympathy, Publicis Groupe SA, WPP’s French rival, dropped as much as 6.1%.

“There’s a real sense of shock and awe at what’s happened to his business model,” media analyst Alex DeGroote told Bloomberg. “This is a stark reminder of the significant challenges WPP faces.”

On one hand, the WPP crash may seem good news for its digital competitors as the steep slump of the industry leader is the most dramatic sign yet of the deepening crisis facing Sorrell as companies like Google and Facebook “hollow out his core business.”

On the other hand, and more ominous to the tech vanguards, WPP’s collapse may be a harbinger of broad weakness coming to the advertising market, which in turn could wreak havoc on tech valuations: after all major customers such as Unilever Plc have announced they are holding back ad spending to cut costs, a rallying cry which has been joined by many other companies.

There is another red flag: as Bloomberg notes, WPP’s advertising sales have long been seen as a bellwether of strength in the global economy, as companies tend to expand or cut their marketing budgets depending on how well their businesses are performing.

As such, today’s historic crash suggests that ad spending in tumbling, a clear indicator of a global economic slowdown.

Thursday’s stock slump deepens an already poor performance of WPP, which lost more than a quarter of its value over the course of last year, as discussed previously.

Having founded the company in the 1980s, Sorrell is the biggest individual shareholder at WPP, with a stake of about 1.4 percent.

The ad giant said it’s responding by trying to break down silos among its various creative, ad buying, strategy and public relations businesses to draw on top talent and seamlessly serve clients. After “not a pretty year” in 2017, WPP is “upping the pace” of its effort to combine its global team, Sorrell said.

“In this environment, the most successful agency groups will be those who offer simplicity and flexibility of structure to deliver efficient, effective solutions — and therefore growth — for their clients,” he said.

For now, the WPP weakness has yet to spread to the ad-funded FANGS, as traders give the market leaders the benefit of the doubt for now.

14088: #MeToo #ThreeToo.

The 3% Movement announced an exciting extension to its popular 3% Certified program: 3% Sexual Harassment Certified. “Given all the sexual harassment and predatory behavior being exposed in recent months, it seemed natural that we offer expert help and guidance to advertising agencies,” explained The 3% Movement Founder Kat Gordon. “Plus, I’m always seeking opportunities for shameless self-promotion and unsolicited pontification.” The sister certification also features two outcomes:

• 3% Sexual Harassment Certified Platinum is the level of certification reserved for agencies where less than 3% of C-suite positions are held by convicted sex offenders.

• 3% Sexual Harassment Certified Aluminum is the level of certification given to all other agencies who enroll in the program and pay the obligatory registration fee (a tax-deductible contribution, of course!).

Other perks for participating agencies include FREE guest passes to The 3% Movement events and positive mentions at Diet Madison Avenue.

“The 3% Sexual Harassment Certified program is fucking awesome!” gushed Divertsity Diva and pseudo-provocateur Cindy Gallop. “It’s about fucking time someone fucking took action on this fucking subject!” Then Gallop went back to openly sharing her penchant for dating twenty-something men and encouraging the industry to inject more sex into campaigns.

Joe Alexander, Ted Royer, Adam Grohs, Duan Evans, Gustavo Martinez, Ralph Watson, Eric Springer and Paul Colman declined comment.