McCann's Lovett cool on new creative director speculation
McCann's Lovett cool on new creative director
Following Friday's speculation linking Paul Baker to the creative director post at McCanns, The Drum spoke to McCann Birmingham boss Dean Lovett for an update on his search to replace departing creative chief Gary Setchell.
Setchell is to leave the agency and the industry altogether in April when he returns to full-time education to train as a teacher.
This has led some sources to suggest that former McCann creative director Paul Baker, now of KLM, might return to the role.
Baker cooled speculation on Friday when he said he had no plans to leave KLM and had not spoken to McCanns about the vacancy.
And Lovett told The Drum he was still working closely with Steve Henry, who works with McCann Birmingham part-time, to find Setchell’s successor.
He said the quality of CVs they had received from London and “a couple from the regions” were “average to very good”.
And he did not rule out the possibility of an internal appointment or hiring co-creative directors.
“I just want the best person I can get for this role. I will not settle on anything less," Lovett said.
"There have been so many changes in the creative side of the business recently that this time I will definitely get the best person and I will put a significant budget behind that,” he added.
Once the creative search is complete the McCann Birmingham CEO will turn his attention to finding a managing director to oversee the advertising side of the
business.
That decision follows the recent appointment of Kevin Murphy as managing director of the media division from Mindshare.
McCann Erickson is a member of the Marketing Industry Network.
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Comments
As the post will undoubtedly already be one of the highest paid outside London, is throwing more money at this problem really the answer? Or should they maybe look a little closer to home for the reason why they'll soon be on their fourth CD in two years?
Maybe that's why he is looking for an ECD!!!!!!
14.29 and 13.49, we're the biggest, and therefore you can conclude most successful agency in the region.
You don't become that by not producing work that meets and often surpasses commercial objectives.
McCann is not in the business of producing art for arts sake. Which I think is the point you're trying to make.
Truth well told. That's what we do and what we do well.
beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
Not really, Toyota have sold more than anyone else!
Interestingly the McCann agency in Dublin is considered to be the most creative and awarded in the region. So creativity or lack of it has nothing to do with the McCann brand but more to do with development of creative opportunities. I am sure that the creatives at McCann Birmingham will take exception to the last anonymous comment which suggests that their work isn't creative. It strikes me that it is either a comment from someone who hasn't seen their work or a failed previous McCann CD. If as Lovett quoted he is prepared to back the new ECD then surely this represents the perfect opportunty for someone to turn a financially strong agency into an agency with an equally strong creative reputation. Let's face it in the current economic climate a finacially strong agency with good systems and processes is more likely to survive than one that wins loads of awards.
Lovett "did not rule out the possibility of an internal appointment or hiring co-creative directors."....maybe Setchell and Baker job share all three CD roles at KLM, WAA and McCann's!!
It gets round the problem that there are no other CD’s in the region and Gary could fit it in around his teacher training and school holidays!!
@15.00
McCann Dublin does bear no resemblance to McCann B'ham because you're right in saying that it's good creatively. But it's not the most awarded or lauded in the region. Just a point of order.
No CD's in the region, I am sure that there are a few people that might disagree with you. You are obviously from outside of the region, it's a shame the job didn't work out for you at McCann's.
15.46 obviously bitter about McCann Birmingham, see 15.48, I think we know why.
Having worked at McCanns, I can tell you that there are some extremely talented creatives beavering away there. The problem has always been 'interference' from the wrong people. London McCanns has reinvented itself creatively and considered now to be one of the top places to work in the country.
Perhaps they should be searching for a new ceo not an ecd?
Thanks Gary.
Love it!
To all you anonymous posters:
Love the comments, I guess we have a point to prove. If we are this successful with a poor creative product (your opinion not mine) just imagine how successful we will be when we sort it out.
There's been a fair bit of talk about 'success' here. Depends what you consider to be success. Is it really just size and profitability? Anon 14:41 rolls out all the usual cliches to this end.
For me, it's the old Lidl/Waitrose debate. Both are successful models for business. Both give people what they want and both turn a profit. But the Waitrose worker holds his or her head just that little bit higher on the way to work.
One more thing - fair play to Dean for having the guts (and the inclination) to come on here.
I accept that our creative reputation needs enhancing, but the quality of our work is of a very high standard and our creative teams are some of the best in the industry. That's not just my opinion, but also the views of my senior management who have worked at other regional agencies, our clients who buy our work and the view of Steve Henry, who let's face it has achieved more in his career than any of the people who have commented on this story and are hiding behind their anonymity.
They can say what they like about me, cool or not cool, at least I have got the balls to put my name to my comments.
There's no doubt that the creatives at McCanns are capable of putting out honey roast whole chickens with a sprinkling of thyme. It's just that the culture there demands that they fill the shelves with Ye Olde Oak corned beef hash instead.
Take the senior management out of the McCanns franchise and how 'successful' would they be in an independent? Procurement make it impossible for smaller agencies to get near most clients. The best move for Dean right now would be to announce that he is going to hire a Creative Director from a digital agency.
McCann's should ask for a "Most Commented on Agency' award to be instated at the Cream Awards.... Dead Cert...
You get the idea there is an awful lot of resentment judging by some of the comments. McCanns are a successful business and have been for many years. They are just a different type of agency model to many in our region. Take them out of Birmingham and the creative reputation of the area would be severely damaged, so I hope they find a top creative guy to continue to improve what they are doing.
Whatever you think about Dean and how he runs the business, you can't knock the fact that he has grown the Bham businesss into a regional powerhouse. And much of their success is down to his drive and determination. Sure he runs it commercially, but that keeps people in jobs - no point being a creative hot house but make no money and then go bust!!!
For a CEO, he doesn't just sit back and take the money, he actually brings in big pieces of business too. Sure it isn't perfect, but then again where is!!
Now can Paul Baker please re-join to start the merry-go-round again :)
"No point being a creative hot house but make no money and then go bust!!!"
Which creative hothouses-gone-bust are you referring to, Anon 11:15?
I'd just like to refute the comment that McCann's in Dublin is the most creative agency in the region. I worked in Dublin for 13 years and it is certainly ONE of the most creative agencies in Ireland but it isn't top. DDB and McConnells have won more awards than McCann's. (I used to be president of ICAD which is the main awards body in Ireland.) McCann's were the first Irish agency to pick up a yellow pencil at D&AD and they continue to be at the forefront of the creative scene in Ireland.
I can also testify to McCanns having some of the most creative and dedicated people around. It's still one of the few great agencies to work for. A classic work hard, play hard attitude. It'll be a great job for someone.
Congratulations to Dean on receiving so much publicity for what some people could see as a negative story about McCann's inability to retain senior staff (Creative, Advertising and Media)
To lose one might be seen to be unfortunate, to lose two ...........?
Don't forget Pete Lutos. That makes three...
And Tony Hertz and Mark Addicott...
Zzzzzzzzz
Lots said about creatives leaving and implying it is about Dean or the agency style. I did not leave because of either. Simply WAA phoned me up on a bad day and promised me all sorts of stuff and I like a bloody fool believed them. As for McCanns - producing great work in a highly commercial world and making money is tough. But that is what all agencies and all anonymous posters out there should be aiming to achieve, not just one of these elements. And who can deny that McCanns under Deans leadership managed to deliver both and in spades. For the record Dean is probably the best CEO I have ever worked with and I know there will be a spate of emails that say I am a lesser creative because I have said so - whatever! Of course there are days when you don’t get your own way as a creative and that frustrates but don’t we all need protecting from ourselves on occasion? Finally people knock McCanns creative reputation - in my last year at McCanns the quality people there won over 17 awards and god knows how many creative pitches against the regions finest. Start realising that a large network agency in the region is good for all the smaller funkier shops. It gives clients a choice, between work that is strategically insightful, highly effective as well as pretty creative or work that is superficial and full of knob jokes and puns. I
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