JWT closes Chicago office

It’s like the fall of Troy, once the largest office of the world’s largest advertising agency network is now done! 118 years of history, this is incredible. The fall of Enfatico is like a trivia.

“By December, the agency — which once employed 800 people — was down to 50 employees and four accounts, prompting management to initiate serious discussions about shuttering the office” http://adage.com/agencynews/article?article_id=135781

Writing on his blog, Idiot Flags, independent marketing consultant Stephen Ban comments on the closing of JWT’s Chicago office and the general demise of ad agencies in general. Some of them are inspiring:

“Hiring smart people who could help the client’s business: The upshot of the price war was an end to the ability to attract or retain smart people. The agencies of today have a group of retreads at the top and a group of bouncy 25 year-olds who “like to work with people” working for them. The era of David Ogilvy’s “gentlemen with brains” is long past.

Have a look at Ogilvy & Mather, in our opinion the best of the old line agencies (full disclosure: we worked there for seven years) and what it stood for and examine where they are today. Had they stuck to “We sell. Or else.” as a real philosophy, they’d be the biggest, most successful, and most relevant agency in the world right now. They’d have evolved into a powerhouse of sales generation, measurement and accountability — which is precisely what Chief Marketing Officers require of their partners.

Ogilvy’s website has no traces of the old line Ogilvy beyond their trademark red. No cash register. No commitment to sales. In fact, theirWhat We Do section notes “We work not for ourselves, not for the company, not even for the client. We work for Brands.” 

Agencies work for clients who need profitable sales to survive. Strong brands are necessary but not sufficient. Ogilvy used to stand formaking the cash register ring. Their mandate should be building brands and SELLING PRODUCT. Someone forgot about that part.

The self-indulgent “creative” shitheads at the top have forgotten that advertising is about commerce, not art, and have rendered most of the old line agencies, once giants, shadows of themselves, and likely on the same path as JWT Chicago.

Mismanaged businesses and industries don’t deserve to survive. No tears should be shed for stupidity, intellectual sloppiness, and the fallout thereof.

“We sell. Or else.” was a brilliant reminder of what agencies should stand for. We see now what “Or else.” really means.”

http://idiotflags.blogspot.com/2009/04/we-sell-or-else-and-jwt-learns-hard-way.html

We sell. Or else. That’s so true…..