Thirty-eight year GSD&M veteran and CEO Roy Spence is leading the $750 million Home Depot pitch. His experience with Wal-Mart and the fact that he’s basically been the shop’s ECD for the better half of the last few decades makes him a prime candidate to lead the troops. But where does that leave Crispin alum Mark Taylor, who joined GSD&M seven months ago?
The win would mean a lot of things for the Austin based agency, which like any other ad-shop faces an impossible economic climate. From what we can tell they’re pulling out all the stops to bring the package home.
But did that mean pulling Taylor out of the lead role? According to sources close to the agency, Taylor was initially leading the charge. They tell us Spence pulled Taylor out of the driver’s seat, preferring his own style over the CP+B alum’s. John McGrath, a representative for the agency, denies that assertion, and during a phone call said Spence has been heading it up from the get-go, noting that Taylor has been working on the pitch.
But why bring on a big-shot ECD if you’re not going to put him in charge? After all, Taylor is responsible for bringing back the Burger King.
Continued after the jump.
More: “GSD&M’s Curiosities Stacking Up”
This is a a question we can’t answer, though we spent plenty of time trying. We have a litany unsubstantiated rumors, more than enough to craft a story with; but it’s the kind of thing we’d rather let you fill in the blanks on since we have been unable to speak with Taylor and Spence candidly (or at all).
Taylor has been active in the last seven months — working on Compass Bank, Popeyes and Marshall’s (and other non-new biz stuff, says McGrath) — each of which is now on the GSD&M roster.
But with those three shiny new clients, shouldn’t Spence have let his big dog loose on the biggest get of them all, Home Depot? Isn’t that why he hired the guy? Sure, he’s only three for four, but in today’s economy, 75 percent isn’t bad.