Goodby’s slash 100+ staff in wake of loss of massive Sprint and Hewlett-Packard accounts
Goodby Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco – the agency currently defending the Commonwealth Bank account – has been forced to let go significant staff numbers – more than 100 according to sources – in the wake of losing Sprint and parting ways with Hewlett-Packard.
In an email message, agency co-chairman Jeff Goodby (pictutred by CB in Cannes) said: “We don’t divulge the number of people or the percentage of our staff affected, but it’s commensurate with the numbers you’d have for accounts this size.
“It pains us immensely to do this stuff, but we have a responsibility to the people here to maintain a healthy, vigorous company going forward. We will have that, and are confident about the work we are doing right now on all fronts.
“It is an emotional day. These people are not just co-workers but friends. As always in these situations, we will help them find other positions with an open heart and no doubt welcome many of them back someday.
Thanks for respecting their privacy about all this in the meantime.”
7 Comments
Ouch. The thing with those legendary great shops that produce consistently awesome work is that you always hear the good PR news of how awesome they are. But when push comes to shovel, they’re not as invincible as we all believe them to be. They can also bleed.
“If it bleeds we can kill it.”
“Get to da choppa!”
Any Aussies?
When it comes down to it an employee is merely a $ figure. And $ figures are expendable. I am familiar with the Kool-aid the agency serves. Keg parties, ra ra meetings and self congratulatory backslapping that is transparent and, at times, nauseating.
Be real folks. Most of your employees are merely pawns and yes an expendable $ figure.
Jeff and Rich are good guys, passionate about the work they do. Unfortunately, the place is polluted w hanger on’s and a bundle of finger pointing, talentless hacks.
If I was on the market, I’d hire the suits. Goodby’s make what 99% of other agencies present.
haha arnie. best laugh of the day