ROHRBACK OUT IN Y&R SHAKEUP FOLLOWING HONDA LOSS TO SUGAR
Y&R has retrenched four staffers including Brands CD Jeneal Rohrback after the loss of the sizeable Honda business to boutique agency Sugar.
Y&R's recently appointed deputy CD Steve McCabe has taken over from Rohrback.
From Monday, he will be teamed with senior art director, Wendy Lawn, who Rohrback has only just snared from DDB Auckland.
Rohrback told NZ Creative Circle: "Y&R needed to make some big savings and that meant getting rid of some valuable people - like me. It's a shame that they couldn't weather the loss a little longer as we were on a winning streak. Everything was good; our other clients were very happy and the creative profile was improving. So in my view, the decision is short sighted. But, alas the almighty dollar rules".
posted by CB at 6/30/2006 11:15:00 am
26 Comments:
Do Sugar know what they're letting themselves in for?
1:03 pm NZST
Did Honda?
12:06 pm NZST
It's been proven good ads can be done for Honda with Y&R. It just takes some suit with big enough nuts, not some yes man to do the job.
3:22 pm NZST
Fuck Honda. Four agencies in two years speaks volumes.
Jeneal, on the other hand, is a principled woman in a very unprincipled business. I wish her well, whatever she does and wherever she goes.
12:34 am NZST
The only decent Honda ads I saw were from Generator, the V6 stuff that won Newspaper Ad of the Year, I'm not sure what Y&R proved in the six months they had Honda.
9:26 am NZST
Meanwhile, Jeneal's been through four agencies in two and a half years.
1:49 pm NZST
Let the assassination begin.
8:54 am NZST
Jeneal'll be back on her feet in no time. Probably the only decent senior creative/ CD female in NZ at the mo.... and she has a tan...
11:02 am NZST
More scummy behaviour by Y & R.
That agency doesn't deserve good clients or good people.
2:57 pm NZST
Isn't it 3 agencies in 4 years for Honda - Lowe, Y&R and Sugar?
4:26 pm NZST
That agency doesn't have good clients or good people.
11:03 am NZST
Don't forget Generator
3:54 pm NZST
Would you adschool kids please get back to work. Y&R is a nice place to work and I'm not just saying that. Give it two years and it'll be one of the big four, revenue-wise and creative-wise in NZ.
2:03 pm NZST
Nice compliment 11.02 AM but please! Jen's probably the best CD around MALE or FEMALE! She's definitely the most nicest and giving of the lot... well she and Oli Maissey.
Most every other CD is a self centred prick - no wonder they do well for themselves and keep their jobs.
2:08 pm NZST
2.03
Is that you, Jeneal?
3:24 pm NZST
2.08
Is that you, Jeneal?
7:24 pm NZST
2:03pm - no this isn't Jeneal, it's someone who works at Y&R and really thinks that it's going to be good. Yes, they've picked up a lot of retail brands recently but give them a wee bit of time to consolidate and watch them pick off and do good work on the brand side too. It's time people stopped picking on Y&R and started picking on a shithouse agency that's going nowhere like Lowe. Once everything comes into position I can easily see Y&R hiring a couple of midweight teams and from there they'll start to kick arse.
BTW, 2:08 - learn how to spell Oli's surname for christsakes!!
8:15 pm NZST
Come on New Zealand, you are way behind the times! Women are here to stay and you need to step up to the plate and capitlize on their knowledge and skills. How many women creative directors are there in international advertising? Not many and if you are an agency that has the good fortune to have one of these talented people…keep her! Here in the USA women account for about 90% of the innovation champions in corporate America. No surprise that they have talent and magic. I bet the same is true in New Zealand too. I would also guess that it is harder to attract and select a talented CD than it is to get a new piece of business, and who wants Honda? Seems to me Y&R has things turned around backwards. What a mindset.
4:11 pm NZST
Is that you Vaughn? What a nasty business. Looks like this is a lovely discussion highlighting the internal shambles at Y&R. Seems clear to me that Jeneal's dismissal was a 'political' one - Honda is just a 'Red Herring' in all this. After all they hired Jeneal long before they merged with Generator.
One big question I have for all of you Y&R freaks with too much time on your hands is.. What profile did Y&R have before Jeneal came on board? It was just an insignificant frigging dinosaur, and will soon go back to it's shitty place in the scheme of things!
9:16 am NZST
No this is not Vaughn. But, Bravo for your astute perception of the situation! Hits the nail on the head. I guess there has to be a scapegoat for every instance gone wrong. Now here is a unique thought, creatives, especially CDs, are the core of advertising, but who gets the shaft when the Suits and MDs don’t do their jobs? Shame, shame.
4:13 am NZST
I think you'll find Ramage is a smart little cookie and he'll in the fullness of time appoint a group head that'll be the new CD who'll steer Y&R in a good direction and this whole fracas will be forgotten in 12 months time.
9:51 am NZST
Jesus Christ guys...get a life. What's happened has happened. Focus on what's happening now, not the past. All you silly farts are living in the past!!
4:50 pm NZST
Well, you do have a point. Final word, let’s take another look at the lessons to be learned in retrospect. It seems that our industry continues to make the same mistakes when it comes to managing our people, especially creatives. We are big business and should perform like big business if we are to make the big bucks! People are our most valuable asset and don’t think they are not. Food for thought
4:34 am NZST
Y&R is a consistent embodiment of the advertising industry at its worst.
5:47 pm NZST
Love it. While you lot are arguing over who's good and who isn't, I'm sitting in my corner coming up with cool ads. Awesome. I knew this website was good for something.
1:18 pm NZST
Well, here we go again. Is there some insider stuff going on at Y&R? Some have suggested that Y&R will “pull itself up by the boot straps” and produce great ads with a new creative team and a new creative lead. I guess we really mean a new CD. Was this in the works before Jeneal got shafted? Not really the ethical thing to do or good faith employment relations.
1:33 am NZST
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