A chance for the staffers of Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising's New York office to shoot arrows at their supervisors' faces became a reality at the agency's first "Camp Saatchi" day on June 24.
The brainchild of the agency's recently installed chief executive of North America, Jennifer Laing, the event was envisioned as more than just your average company picnic. And it was.
More than 400 Saatchi staffers contended with cranky buses and rainstorms during the daylong event. However, the agency's executives and staffers managed to bond during an archery contest in which the targets were the faces of chairman Ed Wax (shown here), chief strategic officer Michael Keeshan, chief financial officer Bill Cochran, Laing and others. The goal of the outing was "team-building and getting to know one another," said a Saatchi representative.
Themed "What a Day," Camp Saatchi began inauspiciously when staffers lined up-in alphabetical order-in front of the office at 375 Hudson St. to board buses for the long trip to Club Getaway in Kent, Conn. Unfortunately, some buses lacked air conditioning. Once everybody arrived, they competed in events such as kayak racing, "silly Olympics," tug-of-war, archery and a scavenger hunt. Four staffers even threw Laing into a lake.
After the games, the agency had a luncheon and open bar where the beer and rain started to pour, causing most attendees to flee. The last bus back to New York, with Laing on board, made a pit stop for more beer. Several employees called in sick or were absent the next day-not surprising as several romantic liaisons reportedly developed at the meeting.
While most of the attendees were enthusiastic about the event, there was, as usual, a few naysayers. "Couldn't we just go to a country club, play tennis and relax?" asked one.
So whose faces got the most arrows? Sources said the visages of Wax and moneyman Cochran were especially popular.
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ONE FOR THE ROAD
Chris Holland, chairman and creative director of Holland Advertising, may have found the perfect vehicle to promote the agency-literally. Holland drives a Toyota Land Cruiser, a gift from a friend in Australia, that draws stares even from the been-there, done-that types of the agency's SoHo, New York, neighborhood. The mammoth vehicle is outfitted with a large snorkel: perfect for the rough surf of coastal Australia and the infamously rugged Soho terrain. The car can stop traffic, at least on the sidewalk. "A couple of people ask every day if it can really go underwater," Holland said. His response? Of course it can; it has been tested on the East Hampton shore. The car, which is larger than the American model, has garnered some celebrity status for itself. The late rapper Biggie Smalls requested the car for a video shoot, which Holland politely declined.
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YOU'RE SO VAIN
Men today are as concerned-and insecure-about their appearances as ever. So how do marketers go about talking to today's guy in the gray flannel suit without making him feel self-conscious about shopping for moisturizer? According to a recent study commissioned by Men's Health magazine, "Men & Appearance: Getting an Edge," marketers must position products for men in a manner that doesn't threaten their masculinity. For example, an effective way to sell a "feminine" product like fragrance is by tying the brand to a sport or outdoor theme. The men surveyed, aged 18-50, also reported a new role for the women in their lives: introducing and advising their guys on purchases rather than actually shopping for them. Also, "fashion" is now a dirty word, according to the study.