Y&R global CEO David Sable hits back at B&T story claiming he was ‘ashamed’ of The Palace
Y&R global CEO David Sable, who replaced Australia’s Hamish McLennan earlier this year, has hit back at a story on the B&T website yesterday, which said he was ‘ashamed’ of The Campaign Palace.
In the B&T story Sable – who is in Australia on a flying visit – is quoted as saying: “Shame on them that they lost business. Shame on us that we allowed it to slip and we are just not going to allow it anymore.”
The Palace is currently going through a difficult period, having recently parted ways with Sydney managing director Michele Teague. The agency’s long-time Bonds business is currently going to pitch, at the same time as being sued by former chairman and ECD Paul Fishlock. Earlier this year the agency lost the Domino’s account to BMF.
In the following message to Campaign Palace staff, Sable said the comments were take out of context:
I have always been a big believer in being open and honest and transparent with reporters. I see no benefit in being cagey, evasive or, even worse, misleading.
Which is why I am so profoundly disturbed about the misleading headline and lead in today’s story in B&T.
In talking to the reporter, I spent a lot of time talking about my pride in Campaign Palace as a great creative agency, my complete belief in the agency’s great team and my commitment to its future, which we will back with all the time, investment and support it needs. In fact, I had some terrific things to say about George Patterson Y&R and Ideaworks, which also didn’t find their way in print.
B&T chose to grab its readers with the single, incendiary word — “shame” — which they wrongly isolated from the rightly quoted phrase, “shame on us”, which I used to acknowledge our collective accountability in letting down Campaign Palace in the past — and, let me be very clear — not to criticise or condemn Campaign Palace or the work you have done, past or present.
If it were just me getting slammed in the press, I’d probably shrug it off and move on. But I am angry that the article has cast a shadow on an amazing brand.
So I want you to hear my impressions of my few days in Sydney from me, unfiltered, unedited. Here’s what I saw at all our agencies… fantastic, creative, dedicated, passionate people who are exceptionally committed to their clients, who have a great sense of team and common purpose. People who are all fanning the flame.
Russel [Howcroft, Y&R Brands ANZ chief executive] and I spent great quality time with all the Y&R Group leaders, all of whom were impressive, focused and excited about the future. The time I spent at Campaign Palace with Mark Mackay, Reed Collins and Keith Newton — who are all doing a terrific job — was particularly gratifying as we lay the foundation for the next important phase of The Palace.
All across the board, I see energy and enthusiasm and I come away with such exuberant pride in what you do and respect for all your hard work and agency brands, that I won’t let that distortion stand. Pity that nuance is a lost art. And that access and transparency were repaid with easy sensationalism.
Keep up the good work. And fan the flame.