Phillipson leaves Propaganda after pitching dispute
Phillipson leaves Propaganda after pitchingPropaganda director Mike Phillipson has left the agency with immediate effect following a disagreement over pitching, The Drum has learned.
The Leeds agency has operated an outspoken policy of not pitching for new business in recent years after claiming the pitch process is flawed. In a statement given to The Drum today the agency said Phillipson had left the business after he “committed the agency to a pitch without its knowledge”.
Julian Kidger, joint managing director of Propaganda, said: “We made the decision some years back as a business not to pitch and understood at the time that to remain true to this it was always going to be a challenge as so much of this industry's culture and upbringing has been pitch related.
“Mike's actions went against the clear directions of the board here and more so could have exposed the agency to a costly and embarrassing PR situation had we not discovered events at the stage we did.”
Phillipson declined to comment on his departure when asked about it by The Drum.
Kidger, meanwhile, claimed Propaganda's decision not to pitch to clients has been good for business.
He said: “Our new business and retention levels are at a 16 year high and by default our clients actively reject the pitch model too.
"These are senior people that buy Propaganda for its difference and principally on its track record of demonstrable business and brand transformations for its clients, not one of them would consider lining up a creative beauty parade and buying a relationship on the strength of single pitch idea.”
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Comments
Sounds plausible
This latest foot-in-mouth decision by Propaganda is quite unbelievable. Gotta feel sorry for Phillipson (who ive never met).
Smells like utter propaganda. Surely 'committing the agency to a pitch without its knowledge' is not a sackable offence under UK employment laws?
Pitching? As in, like, looking for new business? Surely super salary trousering Mike should have known better in these threadbare times. Can't imagine why else he'd get the old heave-ho, eh?
"That big red button there, Mike? That's the "Pitch" button, ok. DO NOT press it. Ever. Whatever happens, whoever asks NEVER EVER press the Pitch button."
"What? This red button here..?"
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooohh!"
Karma.
Didn't BBH boast similiar principles until Mr Hegarty decided he couldn't be arsed with them?
BBH never pitched creative. They just gave a great strategy, put on their showreel to view and said. " How about those apples? "
Doubt Propaganda's showreel would have quite the same impact - all crap pasties and 2nd hand peugeots...
It doesn't say anybody was sacked though. It says 'left the agency following a disagreement about pitching'.
I smell a story packed with propaganda
Never met him, but in that picture he looks very shifty. He looks as if he wants to whisper company secrets to you, over a extra frothy Lattecapuspressochino..
At what "stage" did they discover they were pitching anyway? When the MD looked at the presentation and decided not to put his name to it?
I wonder how many clients he's taking with him.
17:15 - there was a story online here about Propaganda losing a pitch a few week's back. The story was then modified, removing mention of Propaganda, after they complained (even though they did pitch, i hear)
This just shows the sad state of the advertising business. Pitching these days is a joke but only if you pitch for joke clients.
@ 17:55, This (propaganda-esque) story surprised me too as we definitely pitched against them (and won!!) last summer... There surely must be exceptions, adendums, clauses and subclauses to this 'rule' - poor old Mike must have been confused. Also, to find a story from Propaganda that doesn't refer to GHD, I think surprises me even more!
Why does the drum insist on allowing anonymous keyboard warriors a platform for their snidey comments...?
In band terms this may be a split due to creative differences.
David Goldie - sadly, our industry wreaks of bullshit like this. Anonymous posting is just a way of letting some fresh air in. Enjoy it. It's good for you.
What's wrong with with being anon? Why shouldn't we have an opinion? We are the people. The masses. The ones who develop your strap lines and polish your turds. The ones who mount boards until midnight because the man in the tower changed the brief. We don't put names to our comments because we know how insular this industry is and how sensitive the ones with names are. So David, stop moaning from your corner office. Some people can't afford to voice their opinion.
Love you. x
Yeah David, the anon bit has been done to death. It's dull, dull, dull.
How on earth can you get sacked for getting your company on to a pitch list. It's what ad' agencies do..but there again, this is Propaganda.
ANON 12:43
Loving your work!
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