Telstra dumps Ogilvy from agency roster
Sources close to Telstra say the telco giant has dumped Ogilvy, Sydney from its above-the-line agency roster after an almost two-decade association, starting in the days of John Singleton Advertising, which eventually morphed into SO&M, and now Ogilvy.
One source told CB that Telstra’s lead agency DDB looks like taking more of the business, along with other roster shops Droga5 and The Monkeys.
However, Ogilvy has confirmed it has been invited to re-pitch for the telco’s CRM contract, which it currently holds, which is now in review. An Ogilvy spokesperson emailed CB: “Ogilvy has not been fired by Telstra. The bulk of Ogilvy’s Telstra’s business is relationship management. Telstra is holding an internal review relating to this piece of business. Ogilvy has been invited to recontest the business, and is very much looking forward to taking part.”
The ousting of Ogilvy comes nine months after the appointment of chief marketing officer Mark Buckman (left) in December last year and almost a year after the appointment of Tom Moult to the executive chairman role at Ogilvy Group.
32 Comments
Very smart move by Telstra. Ogilvy is dead man walking.
I know the answer. Another PR story about Ogilvy’s latest management shuffle and some rhetoric from Moult and Bexter.
Oh thank Christ! Ogilvy’s shit TV ads won’t ruin my shows anymore. Hey KFC take a lesson your the next most crap and annoying.
You reckon they worked out that I actually know nothing about ads?
Telstra, continuously making more friends
I didn’t see that coming…
Telstra, continuously making more friends
Not the only account with a wobbly boot if the rumours become reality.
Why is Mark doing a poo in his PR photo?
Seems like the new broom has accidentally swept the clients out the door, then lifted a corner of the rug and found white ants. More bullet dodging over there than in Afghanistan, more long knives around each corner than in Canberra.
It will be interesting to see how Moult and O’Brien spin this one.
These are TomMoultuos times
Word has it a Melbourne biggie too has plans to exit stage left.
Lucky those who nab it.
Surely senior management will now ask themselves: ‘Maybe it’s the way we behave? Maybe we shouldn’t have let certain people go!’
At the end of the day…..it’s corporate karma at its best.
Please don’t let me go Stewart. Please!! I’ll do anything.
Telstra dumps on Ogilvy’s agency rooster
Having seen how Ogilvy destroyed production companys with Plush, it always brings such me deep inner happiness when I see them in trouble. I’m with 9:53 it’s corporate Karma.
Looks to me like Mr Buckman is a serial reviewer. Being wooed and chased by every agency in town is a turn on for some people. Or will Telstra be exported, too?
You may pitch for the CRM business, that’s the same thing said to Patts when they were fired.
Telstra’s soft dumping ways….
Everyone in this industry is a hater.
@ 12:24. It’s so easy to be a hater when these companies do the wrong thing by their clients, employees and the corporate community. We are not talking about Greenpeace, or World vision here.
You’re a hater too. Sit on a beach and get your toes massaged.
@ Ex Prodco Producer: lousy examples of – I presume – what you consider ‘good corporate citizens!!
Ogilvy is as Ogilvy does and has to wear the repercussions. Nothing surprising there – I dare anyone to name an agency that has a faultless record.
What is surprising, is that people consider – especially with Buckman’s reputation and track record – that ‘it could only be Ogilvy who brought this on themselves’.
Telstra is/was a quagmire of politics and power struggles and I pity anyone whose employment depends on their business. It is not a nice feeling…
Does that mean the Snr Writer job has evaporated – anyone know?? (facts not speculation)
It’s the way they connect
If you’re gonna be sycophantic Boris, spell his name correctly mate
Brian O’Stuart
Mirror Mirror
On the wall
Who’s the worst
Of them all?
O
G
I
L
V
Y
!
I think we can look forward to future Telstra ads being shot in San Francisco.
The work out of the Big O has been on the nose for a good while now. There once was I time that it showed some ambition for Telstra and it even had some half OK brand stuff. That has not been there lately and it has been milked like a beaten cash cow. The worst part about this situation is that good people will go and those too far up the food chain will stay. Who’s next to smell it?
WPP and Telstra – two of the most destructive companies in adland. I thought they deserved each other.
Buckman really doesn’t like STW. I wonder what happened.
It started with the Village People Ted… and really, does anyone think the leadership in O’s DM department will a) retain the CRM and b) lose their jobs over it? Double Nah…