Multiples sources confirm that Hill Holliday went through a round of layoffs in its Boston headquarters over the course of the past week. Information first began coming in last Friday.
Sources differ on exactly how many employees were impacted by the staffing cuts, but we can confirm that the total was 30 or more. It’s also unclear which departments were impacted.
The news follows some significant account losses for the IPG network.
In December, Dunkin’ Donuts launched a creative review after nearly two decades with Hill Holliday. The incumbent was invited to participate in the review, but it’s unclear whether Hill Holliday accepted Dunkin’ Donut’s invitation to defend the account as the agency directed inquiries back to the client. Dunkin’ Donuts spent around $150 million on measured media in the U.S. in 2016, according to Kantar Media, so such a loss would be a considerable blow to the Boston-based agency.
Last May, Chili’s also ended its decade-long relationship with Hill Holliday and launched a review which concluded with the chain handing a project-based assignment to O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul. Chili’s spent around $129 million on measured media domestically in 2016, according to Kantar Media.
Hill Holliday is actively involved in several pitches, according to our sources. It was one of five finalists in a creative review launched by BMW last October.