StrawberryFrog

There may not have been layoffs as we initially reported last Friday at StrawberryFrog’s New York office, but that doesn’t mean there’s any less drama. Sources familiar with the matter tell us that in lieu of cuts, founder/chief Scott Goodson has asked senior management at the agency to take what we hear is a 20 percent pay cut. Whether this is retroactive is still unclear, but we’ll find out soon enough. To be honest, we feel it’s beating a dead horse at this point. Let’s take a break from the Froggers unless something major happens, shall we?

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Well, it appears there were a few conflicting reports coming our way last Friday regarding the state of StrawberryFrog New York, with sources saying there were a handful of staffers cut and the agency itself saying otherwise. So, for the time being, as layoff tips have yet to be confirmed on or off the record, we’ve placed the item on the backburner (though we’re still hearing plenty about how the entire NY office is now working on one floor).

Anyhow, while we wait for some more concrete info on cuts if there is any, the Frogpond in Amsterdam tells us that it’s welcomed a new ECD in Rohan Young, who joins StrawberryFrog from BBDO Paris (CLM BBDO, to be precise), where he’s spent the last few years as creative director. At SF Amsterdam, Young will serve as creative team leader alongside David Warner while also serving as ECD on Emirates Airlines, which is run by Kevin McKeon out of the Frog’s New York office. During his time at BBDO Paris, Young worked on P&G for the EMEA region.

It has been a long while (ok, a week) since we last reported about cuts at StrawberryFrog, but now, sources familiar with the matter tell us that the New York office has let go of approximately a half-dozen staffers and that Andrezza Valentin, creative director on Pampers for a solid seven months, has resigned. Prior to joining the Frogpond, Valentin spent a year as a creative director/art director at B-Reel.

Granted, it has been about a month or so since we last covered StrawberryFrog-related matters, but now a few sources are telling us that there were another round of layoffs at the New York office. We’ve been told that a handful of folks were cut but we’re still trying to ascertain which departments were affected. One spy weighs in: “…At least 4 + people Including several of the few people left who have worked there longer than six months. After the layoff they brought remaining staff into a room and promised that they were ‘the A-level talent. there will be no more layoffs.’ (which was the same thing they said when they did their first round of layoffs six months ago).”

We’re looking into the matter and will try to get you more specific info/names if possible.

Sources familiar with the matter tell us that StrawberryFrog’s New York office has lost two more notable staffers, namely Richie Grantham and Katie Lewis-Hepp. Grantham, aka “Richie G,” just joined the Froggers in January as group planning/strategy director, which was a newly created position at the time. Prior to that, he served as chief innovation officer at Sarkissian Mason, during which time he spoke to us about digital ideation and intellectual property.

Lewis-Hepp, meanwhile, spent a bit more time at StrawberryFrog, joining the agency four years ago from Fallon as interactive producer. She eventually moved up to lead, digital production in 2009.

Update: Grantham has confirmed that this is his last week at StrawberryFrog, and from the looks of his response, he’s leaving on good terms. He tells us, “In the short amount of time I have been here, I have had the privilege of working with some of the best talent in the industry. And I will miss them.”

The saga continues at the Frogpond it appears. Barely a week after account director Jacob Baldridge made his exit, we’ve been told by reliable sources that Suzana Apelbaum, who served as a digital executive creative director at StrawberryFrog, resigned from the agency yesterday. Apelbaum had been with SF for 15 months.

The creative kickstarted her career in Brazil, starting as a copywriter in Rio de Janeiro and then serving as creative director at shops like AgenciaClick, JWT and Africa Propaganda. She eventually moved on to become partner/CCO at Hello Interactive and then Rede, though it looks like she only spent seven months at the last shop.

On the plus side at StrawberryFrog we suppose, it looks like the agency might have found a replacement for Sophie Kelly, who left in April. Our sources tell us that Melinda Eskell, who has been serving as managing director of the agency’s Amsterdam ops since last October, is now also MD of New York.

We apologize ahead of time for two StrawberryFrog-related posts in one day, but anyhow, we’ve received confirmation that Sherri Chambers, who most recently served as business director at the agency, is calling it quits. We have it on good authority that Chambers is headed to the West Coast to work at 72andSunny. We’re still waiting on the Cali-based agency to give us word on what her new position/start date is. Anyhow, Chambers spent nearly seven years in the Frogpond, serving as account director on Beam Global Spirits, Frito-Lay, Heineken global and Hyatt.

Chambers is not stranger to the agency world, having worked on the account side at the likes of Goodby, TBWA\Chiat\Day, KBS+P and the now-defunct Cliff Freeman & Partners.

It seems like it’s been a while since we heard from the Frogpond, but we have received confirmation that Jake Baldridge has left the agency. Sources familiar with the matter tell us that Baldridge, who was an account director for various clients including New Balance, Mahindra, Heineken (in 2010), Sabra and MDVIP, worked at Frog for well over three years. Our sources tell us that he’s heading to Durham, NC to join a strategy firm called the Paragraph Project.

We’ve been told by those familiar with the matter that Michael Densmore, who’s spent a solid nine months at Droga5 as group account director, is mulling an offer to take on the managing director role at StrawberryFrog. Densmore, though, has plenty of agency cred, having spent five years at Modernista as partner/director of account services, new business, nearly three years at W+K as management supervisor and two years at JWT serving as global business director and leading the JetBlue account.

If Densmore takes the job, he would replace longtime Frogger Sophie Kelly, who left under the best of terms last month.

We know we’re probably harping on the matter, but hey, this story keeps coming undone like a sweater and it feels like we’re watching a cliffhanger of some melodrama. The latest tidbit comes from our sources, who sent us this little note from the CFO at StrawberryFrog:

“Scott and his lawyers have authorized that you can call back the reporter at Adweek …Janon Fisher [redacted]. And tell him the statement about you being fired by StrawberryFrog is not true. And you can tell him “that my leaving was by mutual agreement, completely amicable and that we have no outstanding issues between us”. And he can call me to corroborate it. He has my name and contact details.”

As for Jeff Schur, who was essentially replaced by Frances Rhodes at SF, he clarifies what his duties entailed at the Frogpond: “I was brought in as a part-time consultant, initially for a period of 4 weeks in mid-October last year to help them figure out operational efficiencies. This initial consulting assignment was extended several times until March
2011 when my part-time assignment was completed.”

We’ve also been told by sources familiar with the matter that Chip Walker, formerly head of planning and partner at StrawberryFrog, was bought out. Now, he’s director of brand planning/innovation at Y&R. Additionally, our sources add that the agency is in the last rounds to hire a new managing director, who may come from Europe. Stay tuned..and now cue the Melrose Place music.