Oh look, the rumors we’ve all heard FOR MONTHS are true: Publicis Kaplan Thaler is no more.
September 2014 feels like forever ago, but back then our sources made several claims about PKT: that all three of Publicis’ New York offices would be consolidated into the 1675 Broadway location; that there would be “departures” at the executive level; that the resulting shop would revert to the Publicis New York moniker. President/CCO Rob Feakins “stepped down” in November, and all the other claims turned out to be true as well.
This story has essentially been common knowledge in the New York agency world for well over six months, and now it’s official: Goodbye PKT. Meet the new Publicis New York.
We’re not sure why Publicis waited so long to make this announcement or why they offered us no comment on our completely accurate tips for nine months; the PKT URL and email addresses disappeared back in May. But the new name is the last step in a “rebranding” of sorts that comes after the agency unveiled its new Pinterest-like global logo and named Andy Bird of Publicis London as its new chief creative officer.
The answer to the inevitable question regarding Linda Kaplan Thaler: she will “continue in her role as chairman of the New York office,” and Susan Gianinno will also continue in her role as North American chairman of the larger Publicis organization.
Linda Kaplan Thaler’s statement from the release:
“Kaplan Thaler is truly part of the Publicis DNA, and we are proud of the evolution that this name-change represents. I could not imagine a better salute to what we have all created together here in New York than to have our office carry forward the flagship banner under the global brand name and identity.”
It would seem, then, that the name change is just that for now. No word on the current status of the Publicis-wide pay freeze, which was 100 percent true no matter what the agency’s PR department in Paris wants to tell us.