Remember we talked about DDB's new internal mantra, "One Degree More?" Paul Tilley, EVP Managing Director, Chicago, is sold on it:

"Everyone,

As discussed at the Agency meeting last month, we're focused on growing and winning by giving One Degree More. You'll start to see this brought to life in a variety of ways.

The first, a speaker series, kicks off next Wednesday with a presentation and discussion by renowned photographer David Turnley. David won the Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for his images of the political uprisings in China and Eastern Europe. He is a remarkable and inspirational speaker, and we can learn from his stories. Special thanks to Diane Jackson for helping bring him to DDB!

Please join us for David's talk at 12 noon on Wednesday, February 13 in 40N. Lunch will be served, so if you plan to attend, please RSVP via email to Camila Trevino by Tuesday, February 12.

I hope that David, and future speakers from all walks of life who have been successful by giving a little extra, will be an inspiration to us all.

See you there!"

Turnely = genius. However, the whole premise of this email and that horribly infantilizing mantra makes us want to throw up. Tilley is going to bring in a bunch of people who went the extra mile and shove them in front of a bunch of other people who also went the extra mile to give DDB a pretty great year. But hey, just one degree more, okay guys? Oh and by the way - lots of agencies (Grey, W+K, Naked, etc.) offer such events without strings attached.

Back in an email to DDB staffers in October, Tilley also said,

"Some of you are doing truly great work — work that makes DDB/Chicago one of the top 10 most awarded creative agencies in the world. But too many of you are only doing good work. And some of you are doing work that simply isn’t good enough."

This guy needs to go back to management 101. He writes the most demoralizing emails. Yet, at one point, Paul thought he could make it as a game show host. Doesn't one need to be charming for that?