We haven’t been told if this is directly related to the loss of Heineken USA PR duties to Edelman (wouldn’t be surprising, though), but we’ve received confirmation that last week, MSLGroup let go of several staffers in its New York office. According to the folks at the Publicis Groupe agency, after a strategic review of how to best meet the evolving needs of its clients and the marketplace, MSL New York has made staffing reductions involving 15 people. The agency adds that the reductions are a part of a “strategic business realignment” that MSLGroup North America has undertaken.
In a statement, Joel Curran, managing director of MSL NY, says, “We truly thank those leaving for their service to our agency, and wish them the absolute best as they pursue career transitions. The decisions while difficult were necessary to ensure the agency is nimble and evolves with the changing needs of our business.”
Update: From what sources tell us, the decision to cut staff was actually made before the Heineken news broke and an agency spokesperson adds, “We don’t expect a significant impact because of [losing] the Heineken business.”