Letters

Y&R was a great agency; let's hope it can survive Three thoughts came to mind while reading "The Fall of a Madison Avenue Icon" [Adweek, July 25]: 1. Young & Rubicam was one of the greatest advertising agencies ever. I worked for Y&R for five years—was hired at Y&R Detroit, then moved to Y&R New York shortly thereafter. Y&R gave me (and many others like me) an absolutely solid strategic foundation as to why and how successful advertising is created, and taught me the value of great client service. 2. John McGarry was my direct supervisor for two years. I have never worked with a more intelligent, knowledgeable and humanistic advertising professional over my 30-year career. 3. Agency professionals are trained to serve, while clients like to be served. Ann Fudge was trained as a client and is now being asked to do something that is very difficult for her to do. Good client service is innate within an agency professional's genes, and it takes a very unique individual to do it well. I certainly hope that Y&R survives. The advertising business has already lost many of its finest agencies, and I'd hate to see the Y&R name fade into obscurity, too. Leonard J. ZimmermanPresidentZimmerman Business ConsultingNew YorkEthics 'never comes up'? That's hard to believe I read Jim Edwards' article ["The Seifert Code," A&C, July 18] with great interest both from the perspective of a communications professional and a student of philosophy. I was very disturbed to hear that ethics "just never comes up" in advertising. I also find it hard to believe. As one of the five branches of philosophy (logic, metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics and ethics), ethics plays an important role in the creative decision- making process. In fact, I believe one would be hard-pressed to avoid the subject during the brainstorming and creative development process. How many times have you thought of a great idea and then said to yourself, "No, that won't fly because x, y or z"? In our business, poor taste = bad ethics. Of course, one may choose to practice unethical behavior (and have bad taste to go with it). But it is disingenuous and naive to believe that talented, well-read, open-minded, creative individuals aren't aware of the moral and ethical choices available to them. Bravo to the prosecutors for giving Seifert and Early their just desserts. With regard to the publication of the Seifert Code, I defer to Socrates, who says, "And what is good, Phaedrus, and what is not good—Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?" Charlie Shames Creative shepherd The DuPuis Group Los Angeles Tim Arnold's pieces remind us why we're in advertising Tim Arnold's articles [most recently "Rite of Passage," A&C, July 11] are a refreshing reminder to all of us of why we got into this business. This tough business that can turn on a dime, or the whim of a client. That can demand all our energies, eat up all our breathing hours, require a constant hustle just to stay in place—and then can thank us by summarily spitting us out onto the street. Why it is that so many of us continue to pick ourselves up and come right back for more? For the fun, said Richard Kirshenbaum. I couldn't agree more. It's not easy, but it can be great fun. When it all clicks, when it all comes together, when someone, some team, some company hits a real home run—no matter how big or small the arena, the venue, the purpose—it's magic. There's no other word. Except perhaps love. Tim reminds me that we are in this business, and that we stay in this business, because of that love every time I read his warm and wonderful, funny, and yes, loving, stories. Ann Billock Principal A-Team Advisors New York E-mail letters to Tim Nudd at tnudd@ adweek.com; fax (646) 654-5365; or mail them to Adweek, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. Please include your name, title, company and location. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Op-ed pitches or completed pieces can be sent to the same e-mail, fax and postal address.

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