We Hear...

We Hear: Rapp, Mercedes Still on the Outs

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A little while back, we speculated that Rapp lost the Mercedes direct account though the agency assured us that the biz was being "scaled back a bit." Now, a tipster sent us this little nugget:

"Rapp is full of shit if they say they didnt lose mercedes, so far about 10 layoffs have come, we've had a company 'pep rally' where they have assured us that we're ok, and presented their 10th new 'vision' this year (that normally consists of some new bullshit titles for our inept senior management, new department names, and a series of horrible jokes by our president Jim Lyons). Then we go to a bar, where the company spends what would have been a month's salary for the poor AE they just let go."

Maybe they're still toasting to the Viagra win, but our effort to reach Rapp as well as the Mercedes marketing dept. has been futile. If anyone knows more, feel free to holler at agencyspy at mediabistro dot com.

More: "No Longer the Same Old Rapp"

Final Fantasy XIV Launch Lands at Saatchi LA

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Square Enix is the company that creates the Final Fantasy title — it's one of the longest running video game franchises out there and is known to have taken over the lives of thousands of gamers worldwide. We're hearing that Square Enix handed the Final Fantasy XIV work to Saatchi LA. So far, unconfirmed.

Reports indicate that the agency has already partied over the win — the game is slated for launch sometime in 2010 and depending on when that is you can expect the campaign will probably drop two to three months prior (that's a guess).

Representatives from Saatchi and Square Enix were not immediately available for comment.

More:
"T.A.G Cranks Out The Video Game Ads"

We Hear: RAPP, Mercedes on the Outs?

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While a tipster informed us last week that RAPP lost "one of their biggest accounts" in Mercedes-Benz direct mail, sources are kinda sorta refuting the claim. Instead, we're being told that Mercedez-Benz has been "scaled back a bit for the time being." What that means specifically we're not sure, but we've contacted the marketing folks at the automaker for their side of the story, which we'll surely reveal once we know more.

More: "End of Saturn? Penske Automotive Calls Off Buy Talks"

Blind Item: Which Creative Left "The Darling Agency" for the Production Life?

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When a man or woman leaves the agency life, it's usually for good reason. In this case, the secret lies with the creative we're talking about, who has quit his/her gig at a well known darling of an agency, for life in the production lane. Can you guess who it is?

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More: Blindness

We Hear: BBH London, Digitas Courting UPS

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A tipster tells us that BBH, London has hitched Digitas on its saddle and entered the next round of the global UPS pitch. While BBH London has yet to confirm their agency's status, a spokesman from the brand's US AOR The Martin Agency said their firm's still involved in the review, which was called out at the end of April.

More: "Geico + Walmart; The Martin Agency + R/GA"

Blind Item: Withholding Non-Discretionary Bonuses

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Which holding company is withholding at least one of its smaller California subsidiary's 2008 NON-discretionary bonuses despite said subsidiary having an extremely profitable 2008? We're hearing the bonuses are being withheld from both currently employed and recently terminated employees. The company apparently promised to "pay those bonuses at the usual time this year." is the HC is "managing its cash flow"?

Holy (maybe) Layoffs Batman: Campbell Ewald, Zeta, DDB LA, Deutsch LA, Others

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Maybe it's due to the end of Q2 or maybe the industry was relatively overdue for some bad news; either way we've got a bunch of layoff rumors to share. Here goes (we hear):

— Campbell Ewald has layoffs today in Digital (not sure which office)

— Wongdoody cut 17 in Seattle yesterday

— Zeta Interactive may have let go of 10 people today

— Bernstein-Rein Kansas City is reportedly in the crapper

— Some 15-20 cut at DDB Los Angeles today, all departments; this is the 3rd round in 5 months.

— Wednesday, anywhere from 15-30 staffers may be cut from Deutsch LA

— 50-60 layoffs for McCann coming up (confirmed)

— Critical Mass let about 30 people go last week on Friday

— Detroit B2B shop Smith-Winchester is apparently straight-up closing

MediaCom Loses the LVMH Account?

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Just months after making a play for the $185 million U.S. account of luxury goods/fragrance purveyor LVMH and nabbing the $50+ million U.K. media/buying plan for the brand, MediaCom has now apparently lost it according to a source. Emails to the PR department weren't returned but the agency is reportedly filled with sad staffers today according to our tipster.

PHD's Chrysler Crew Forced to Take Unpaid Leave?

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It hasn't exactly been a smooth six or seven months for Omnicom-owned global media agency PHD, specifically the staffers involved with Chrysler biz. Coincidence?

First, AdAge broke the news back in December that the agency cut 25 employees or 2.5% of its total workforce. Now, an anonymous source tells us that the entire PHD/Chrysler crew is being forced to take at least one week of unpaid leave between now and August 24th.

More info? e-mail kaditham78 at gmail dot com

More: "GM's Ad Budget Intact but Photogs Get Jacked"

We Hear: MARC USA Lowers the Axe

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Our watchful tipsters tell us that MARC has laid off five employees in both its Pittsburgh and Chicago offices. Sources tell us that this is already the third round of layoffs this year for the agency, which has apparently been without a Pittsburgh ECD since January.

When calling MARC for a response, just a mention of the Agency Spy name resulted in a second of silence followed by a quick, yet polite brush off from the PR lady, who was "running late for a meeting." That will surely help squash the rumors.

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More: "We Hear McCann SF 50-60 Set for July"

Previously

The Consultancy Pitch and Pay-to-Play Advertising

A Thursday Tip Round-up; Razorfish, Saatchi, Droga5, Grey, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Berlin-Cameron, Mindshare, Nitro, GSD&M and BSSP

Texas Sized Layoffs in 2 Dallas Agencies

Crispin Just Sold Their Interns for like, a Million Dollars

Nike to Cut 2,000 Jobs

A Friday Tip Round Up

Where in the World is David Bryant? And Publicis Goes Enfatico (pre-meltdown)

What's Behind the Quizno's/Initiative Break Up?

Doner, the Neverending (Layoff) Story

Don't F*CK with KFC Customers: The Kentucky Grilled Chicken + Oprah Pseudo Fallout

Doner & Mazda, Publicis West & T-Mobile, PHD & Schwab Media; a Tip Round-up

The Ad Agency Reverse Coup d'etat and Subsequent Retaliation

TBWA Nabs Vonage, Enfatico Gaffes, Dell Shops

Could a William Morris/Endeavor Merger Be Good for You?

Correction: The 3 Minute AdAge is (not) No More

Brandweek Shuttering?

Raw and Uncut: Wunderman/PHD Employee Stuff, Dentsu Bisuness and That Donovan Andrews Guy Strikes Again

CDW Wants to Consolidate

We hear: Crispin Hijacks Buell Account From Milwaukee Agency Laughlin Constable

McCann SF Cuts Today

Blind Item! Which Agency CCO...

The Things You've Told Us

The Arnell Process: Create Logo, Fabricate 'Gravity' Story, Sell to Client

Attik SF Layoffs Hit Yesterday

Tuesday Odds and Ends: The Rumormill Edition

We Hear: Microsoft Secrets

SNL Sold Out, Got $3 Mil for Pepsi Placement in MacGruber

H&R Block Actor Slips Up About Their Super Bowl Ad

Wednesday Odds and Ends: The RumorMill Edition

Friday Odds and Ends: The RumorMill Edition

MRM WorldWide Claims Holiday Party Won't Suck

Thursday Odds and Ends: The Rumormill Edition

Conde Nast Puts Web Site Launches on Hold: What's That Mean for Razorfish?

Wednesday Odds and Ends: The RumorMill Edition

Sex-Tape Staffers May Have Been Fired

Tuesday Odds and Ends: The Rumormill Edition

Blind Item: Which London CD is said to Galavant Around Stockholm with his Mistress?

Raw and Uncut: Wendy Lurrie and G2

Home Depot to Announce Account Winner Tomorrow (We Hear)

Tell us Your Secrets, Stories, Tales

Wednesday Odds and Ends: The RumorMill Edition

Douche of the Day

Razorfish Redesigning Details Web Site?

Monday Odds & Ends; The Rumormill Edition

Breaking: Starbucks Giving Away Coffee So You'll Vote

Blind Item: __________

Wednesday Odds and Ends: The Rumormill Edition

Thursday Odds and Ends: The Rumormill Edition

Adweek Media Group Layoffs: The Video

Wachovia Marketing Execs Fly to ANA in Private Jet; Really?

Updated Exclusive: We hear McCann Erickson Detroit Won GM's XM Account

Wednesday Odds and Ends: The Rumormill Edition

AgencySpy Causing Trouble; Following Our Birthright

Prayer in the Agency World

Update on the J&J Consolidation: Who's In and Who's Out

Thursday Odds And Ends: The Rumormill Edition

Overheard In The Ad World

Raw and Uncut

Friday Odds & Ends

Did Colle + McVoy Lose Time Warner Cable Business Class?

Raw and Uncut

Over Heard In The Ad World

A Rant From Our Nicholson Kovak Spy

Studiocom ATL Drops 18

From Friday's Tip Box

From The Thursday Tip Box

From The Wednesday Tip Box

Updated: JWT Detroit Parts with Dominos Field Marketing

AA|RF Cuts 2008 Bonuses, Breeds Confusion/Fear Among Employees

Breaking: SpotRunner Lays off 54-100, Company's Future Uncertain due to Google Competition

Lose Weight in all Those Hard to Reach Areas

Carmichael Lynch Throttled by Possible HD Review?

Harley Davidson Looking for New Agency?

Crispin to Pitch Microsoft Office

Enfatico Austin Replaces Apple Monitors/Keyboards with Dell for Michael's Visit

Mother's Dell Work Soldiers On

Organic Lost Personal Employee Info

Killing Rumors, One Post at a Time

We Hear Diego Scotti of AmEx has Resigned

Is Google Seeking Off-line Ads Through Donovan Data Systems?

AgencySpy Hits Facebook, "Pow, rightinakissa"

Blast Radius Layoffs Have Arrived

Publicis West Loses HP

Blast Radius Layoffs to Come?

Critical Mass Layoffs

DraftFCB Healthcare Pharma to Unite with NYC Unit?

Overheard in the Unemployment Line

Grey's Money in all the Wrong Places?

Kiefer Sutherland: Out of Jail and In the Bank

I'm back b*tches!!!

Kaplan Thaler Lost Wyeth Pharma

Dentsu Scenario Confounds

Dentsu Does Digital, Well, Interactive: No Wukkas

Leica, "Oh Snap!" Part 2

New Business Team Enter Stage Left

Martin McDonald, CCO of RMG Connect, Resigns

Shameless Tori and Dean Video

Fallon On Interactive Hiring Rampage

IBM Taking "Do it Wrong, Quickly" Mantra to Heart?

Ogilvy B2B Shop

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