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“There weren’t any good reasons to leave Martin, it was just that the Fallon offer was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Westbrook, formerly vice chairman and director of creative services at Martin.
“Bill Westbrook is a terrific talent . . . we’re lucky to get someone who understands what we are about so well,” said Fallon. “Bill was the clear, first choice of both myself and the people he will lead: the creative department,” he added.
Westbrook will remain at Martin for up to two months as he oversees a project that he is working on with Kerry Feuerman, who is creative director of Martin’s Mercedes work.
In the past few weeks there was talk of Westbrook going to SMS/N.Y. to be creative director. But, said Westbrook, it was only talk. “I am close to Marvin Sloves and a number of people there,” he said. “It never was a firm offer–it was discussed, but it never was in competition with Minnesota.”
Meanwhile, Westbrook’s task at Fallon will be eased by his familiarity with the staff. Westbrook said he has judged many shows with Fallon’s staffers, and has several personal friends there, among them: Luke Sullivan, a former Richmond copywriter; and Dean Buckhorn, who worked for Westbrook at Earle Palmer Brown in Bethesda, Md.
One of the issues Westbrook will likely address will be a car account. FM lost its Porsche North America business late last year after a management change at the client. Since then, it has had to turn down BMW because of a conflict with Mercedes business at SMS and The Martin Agency. And more recently, the agency was taken out of the running for Audi of America, reportedly because it did not have a creative director on board following the departure of Pat Burnham last March.
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