As we near the end of another long, somehow both slow and exhausting week in the world of advertising, it’s time for another entry in the Blind Items series.
Today we have two dudes whose alleged behavior does not always endear them to coworkers.
- One creative leader at an agency you know is a very visual guy. He is, in fact, a little obsessive about the way things look, and we might even give him an armchair diagnosis of OCD. Why? The agency in question recently received a certain honorable designation from a certain publication, and there was much rejoicing (yay), but this person was a little less excited than other staffers. In addition to being in charge of all the campaigns his employer produces for clients, he is also the self-designated “Head of Vibe” for its largest office. And he didn’t like the vibe of this magazine, because the color scheme on its cover clashed with his chosen tastes in interior decor. So he refused to let anyone display the issue in the office. The agency’s PR team was understandably irritated, but it’s all good, because he was busy prepping some SICK Instagram posts and watching the likes roll in, bro.
- A second guy with “chief” in his title at another big agency has made some enemies in the worst possible places. The agency holding company’s diversity director recently accused him of making unspecified, racially insensitive comments, and a subsequent internal investigation revealed that several other employees also took issue with homophobic jokes he’s made in the past. Apparently, this person has been so insulated by his executive roles and his 30-plus years in the industry that he still doesn’t realize the year is 2017. According to our source, these claims were serious enough to warrant an external legal counsel, and a quick investigation led the agency to hire an outside firm for representation in the matter. This will almost certainly not end well, but the agency would understandably rather settle than have its dirty laundry aired in public.
Advertisement