Young & Rubicam Reevaluates

Conventional wisdom held that an agency that was part of a global network could count on its parent’s size and scope to help retain clients and win business.

Things clearly have changed. The advent of e-commerce and the zany creative approach of recent ad campaigns has often meant tough times for agencies known more for their billings than their reel.

Young & Rubicam’s San Francisco office is one of several agency outposts experiencing such growing pains. The shop, whose client roster incudes Adobe, Chevron and Sony, has often been viewed as stodgy compared to smaller, more nimble agencies.

The problem led to a renewed emphasis on creative work at Y&R, a move which agency staffers say is becoming a must at large networks.

“The mantra around the world at Y&R is: ‘Let’s make the creative product the best we can make it,’ ” said Austin McGhie, president of Y&R S.F.