MacFarlane pulls doppelganger
MacFarlane pulls doppelgangerRamsay MacFarlane, MD of Ramsay Design & Creation, has taken a contentious website which aped the style of his former employer offline stating, “I’ve made my point.”
The mirror site was borne out of an acrimonious dispute over unpaid fees with former employer Nation1. This had reached an impasse at the Small Claims Court after it was discovered that the company invoiced for payment, Futurecomm International Ltd, had been declared insolvent.
Having run out of options Macfarlane turned his talents toward creating a spoof site in a “drive for justice” and to make contact with others in a similar boat. It was an approach which found grudging admiration from Nation1 head Andrew Grant who wrote on his blog “It’s not the type of microsite I’d have developed myself, however I was impressed they took time to get our branding right.”
Explaining his decision MacFarlane said: “I’ve been diligent but polite in chasing payment. I’ve had a number of very civilised e-mail and telephone conversations with the individual in question regarding payment, to no avail. I therefore was keen to find out if there were others in the industry who were experiencing difficulty getting paid.
“I believe small and creative consultancies are the future for our Industry and if others in the same situation as me experience the same payment problems as me, this will kill our digital creative community; any future business births will be stillborn.
“Small companies in Scotland can’t be trampled underfoot. To survive, we have to be vocal and persistent,” said MacFarlane.
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Yeah Anon 15:01 that's right you tell him... sorry what?!
Look at how handsome Ramsay is, once you see that picture you have to believe the hype on his site.
Yeah Anon 15:01 that's right you tell him... sorry what?!
Look at how handsome Ramsay is, once you see that picture you have to believe the hype on his site.
Ramsay doesn't sleep, he waits!
TNT was originally developed by Ramsay to cure indigestion.
You should get someone to look at the pencil behind your eyes Ramsay. I'm no doctor but that ain't right!
It's a very tough situation, especially if the said work is the main source of income. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon and I imagine that people will of course be sympathetic to the cause.
More now than ever, our fellow Glasgow agencies are facing financial difficulties. Perhaps this is the result of clients going out of business or philandering directors. Perhaps, regrettably, agencies are just simply refusing to pay freelancers because they can get away with it?! Glasgow is a small place and often news of trouble travels fast, so perhaps it is no surprise to learn about Nation1 and their treatment of freelancers.
Personally, I do not agree with the site and how the dispute was subsequently (man)handled. If similar sites were flung up every time something like this happened, we would be overrun. It's always much easier to be angry and lash out, which seems to be the case here.
It's a ridiculous risk for a young freelancer: publicising a personal disagreement with an established agency by bringing it into the public domain. Wow. It seems to reflect a very angry, very naïve, fairly unprofessional mind. I would like to think that this won't affect your reputation but only time will tell.
However, I do hope the matter has now been resolved.
doppelgangerdoppelganger
Yes, but what about The Drum actually doing some investigative journalism rather than just printing points of view? Anyone can do that!
Has Nation one been involved in receivership / liquidation before?
If so, when? – and why have we never heard about it?
Who are FutureComm International – what’s their relationship with Nation 1?
Is Nation 1 the trading name for another company?
Who were the directors of FutureComm and Nation 1 (you can find out at Companies House)
Answers to this will raise this above personal comment and opinion and create a story based on actual facts.
Ramsay can divide by zero.
"stillborn business births" lol that's dark
i don't care what they say Ramsay I hope your next single is a hit...bloody love boy bands!!!
Hello Anon 16:10!
If you read my post, you will see that I disagreed with Ramsay's reaction to the failed payment(s) and his decision to make the dispute public. I also acknowledged how poorly Nation1 and other agencies have treated freelancers in similar circumstances. I don't support the refusal of agencies to pay for completed work.
Good on you Ramsay - been there and PAID through the nose for the T-shirt - but as in my case, you just watch to see who has the last laugh.
Financial accounts are out for my Nemesis and I'm laughing all the way to my well stocked bank account.
Life is like a Marvel comic strip - the good guys always win in the end
I can sympathise with his situation but realistically this approach will do him no favours other than a moment in the media spotlight. Is he suggesting that he is going to do this every time a client pays late or doesn't pay at all? Good luck finding any clients, you should have done what Nation1 are going to do, get a lawyer.
As someone who is now lucky enough to be in a position where I commission freelancers Ramsay's actions don't bother me and would not influence my decision to hire him. All I'm interested in is the strength of his wprk/ability to deliver and if he's a semi decent chap - but then again we actually pay our freelancers.
I've freelanced myself so know what it's like and I've also heard plenty about mr grants reputation so can understand his frustration.
well done for standing up for yourself mate!
Ramsay MacFarlane can speak braille.
Good on you Ramsay - been there and PAID through the nose for the T-shirt - but as in my case, you just watch to see who has the last laugh.
Financial accounts are out for my Nemesis and I'm laughing all the way to my well stocked bank account.
Life is like a Marvel comic strip - the good guys always win in the end
Wouldn't stop me hiring Ramsay either...unless of course I wasn't going to pay the bill.
For 'Grudging respect' read 'best possible spin'
For all the people that took the extra time to tick 'post anonymously' and disagree with Ramsey's handling of the matter, what exactly would they suggest the right thing would be to do?
The last time I looked up 'revenge' in the dictionary it did not say 'see satire'
Mind you, I did have a good laugh at AG's stated intention to sue Ramsey.
Ramsey's response is clearly very mild, understated, humerous, and the result of a lengthy attempt to sort out the dispute.
AG does owe me money from when he *employed* me. His responses to my efforts to resolve the matter were very far from civilised and displayed an appalling ignorance of the law.
If you *seriously* upset a freelancer programmer enough for them to take revenge, you won't be putting out PR statements as damage limitation...
Don't think 'we hate arnold clarke' think 'google and twitter blame china/iraq/east european hackers as their sites repeatedly crash'
Mr Grant - looks like it's time for you to call in Jack Irvine if he's not too busy with the Stephen Purcell affair....
Shailesh Vara, Shadow Deputy Commons Leader: Consultant to Futurecomm International Ltd, digital communications company trading as Nation1. ...
all very interesting...
What does Ramsay have to say to the staff of Nation1 whose unemployment he may have helped expedite?
I really don't understand why Victor Breirley has so much to say on the subject. You are the former MD of Nation 1. Is the irony not clear to you?
It's really very simple.Anyone who's been in the freelance business for the last six years or so know all about AG, Nation 1 and their non paying ways. Freelancers talk amongst themselves, they compare notes, we all know pretty quick who's wide and who's decent. Just most of us keep our heads below the parapets. All Ramsay has done is drawn long overdue public attention to a particular bunch of shysters - and good on him, it means anyone new to the freelance game won;'t get stung. He's done everyone a service. Including, I suspect, nation 1's clients - I assume they pay, they should know nobody else gets paid.
"former"
As in sixth?
I've just concluded a meeting, getting a new roof on my flat. I'm delighted to have spoken about something else for three hours. I'm meeting Alex Salmond tomorrow. If he signs my autograph book.
Alex Salmond had hoped to be meeting Ramsay today, but Ramsay is washing his hair.
Anon 08:27. I bet you're Grant, and posted all the other unfunny comments in here... Bitter.. hmmm?
VB - Former yes, but surely all your good work and development of long term strategic direction and loyal clients hasn't unravelled in just over a year.
No idea who the guy is. Impressed by his actions. But his website makes him look like a right pillock. What's with all the light coming out of his head? Is he "feeling the magic"?
Or has he had image management classes from VB? Seems like they could both do with a lesson in humility.
maybe he's just feeling a bit light-headed after all this attention
Ramsay ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.
It was the Powerleague job the Ramsay was freelancing for!
You're the voice, try and understand it
Make a noise and make it clear
Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o!
We're not gonna sit in silence
We're not gonna live with fear
Oh-o-o-o, whoa-o-o-o!
Gimme an R, Gimme an A, Gimme an M, Gimme an S, Gimme an A, Gimme a Y
Goooooooooooooooooooooooooo Ramsay,
Tip top
Dear Ramsay,
I brought some milk that when I opened it was off...I'm raging !!!
What should I do?
Thanks
Pissed off milk drinker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icAwcByaNtY#t=01m11s
You won't get Ramsay on no plane!
When Ramsey goes into the sea he doesn't get wet. The sea gets Ramsey.
Let me set the record straight, something i should have done at the start
I got this email yesterday:
"I now have a court order for the amount I am due. I waited to speak to you the other morning but you left while i was standing there.
I will be publicising this court order very shortly. If you would prefer the court order not to go public, i suggest you pay me what i am due - quickly. I trust with your new international clients that you will be able to pay me now.
There is another court order from another source ready to join my own in the public domain, and im sure more will follow.
I will allow 48 hours for you to respond. Yet again i am giving you the kind, easy first option to pay me and settle the matter - the way it should have been over a year ago.
Ramsay MacFarlane
DESIGN & CREATION"
Last time I avoided the facts. So let's start there this time. Ramsay Macfarlane was employed by Nation1 in December 2009 to help us complete the Powerleague website. Ramsay was recruited by Victor Brierley, my Managing Director in Glasgow at the time, who is also Ramsay's uncle.
At the end of Ramsay's month at Nation1 Victor informed me we had to agree what to pay him. With total astonishment I demanded to know why this hadn't been agreed BEFORE he started to work for us. There was no adequate response. Ramsay then demanded £4,500. I refused to pay this to a 23 year old guy with two years experience (its about the same take home pay as a 70k salary). I offered £1,750, which was duly paid to Ramsay.
Ramsay then took Nation1 to court for the full amount, where even the judge said he was unlikely to win and should consider accepting my offer of an additional £500. He didn't.
Eight months later, he called me up to threaten me with the 'pay now, or regret it' chat. And we all know what happened next.
During this time I had accepted an investor in the business and in order to ensure the most tax efficient method of investing my accountants proposed to shut down Futurecomm International Ltd and set up Nation1 Group Ltd where the new investment would be placed (the new company would have no value and no assets, thus avoiding CGI). Nation1 Group UK Ltd then set up and owns Nation1 Glasgow Ltd and Nation1 London Ltd. Providing me with a structure to attract top talent and offer options in local offices.
I never bothered to incur the further costs of a lawyer to defend Ramsay's court action, given the plans to shut down Futurecomm (which is not yet liquidated fully).
Shortly after the Ramsay incident I terminated Victor Brierley’s contract.
Trading conditions over the last 18 months have been harsh for our industry in Scotland and I have been grateful to everyone that has supported me: from my competitors who have said I dealt with the Ramsay issue well, to clients that have stood by me and above all the loyal staff that work at Nation1.
I don't think the employee in question realizss what he is doing to his own reputation as well as mine, however the fact he has enough time on his hands to continue with his attacks, threats and blackmail suggest to me he's got spare time on his hands.
I have learnt a lot during this experience and I recognise that ultimately people are the most important asset. This could all have been avoided if my MD at the time had done what he was employed to do, instead of leaving me to now carry the can.
I'm not flawless, I've made mistakes and I have regrets but I continue to learn and accept when I'm wrong.
Have I dealt with this the right way? Who knows? Will Ramsay grow up and go away, I doubt it. Will Nation1 survive and grow, there is no doubt.
Mr McFarlane is not the only one who has been left unpaid and out of pocket by Andrew Grant and Nation 1. I am a director of a catering facility at a conference venue in the North of Scotland. An employee of Nation 1 booked catering facilities for an event they were holding featuring a well known business personality. The event was a bit of a flop if I remember correctly. He then point blank refused to pay his bill, claiming he had not had catering, and that the employee concerned had left his company. A shark, who will no doubt crop up under various names - best avoided.
so does this mean that Nation 1 is insolvent as well
So he has been paid then?
Well done Ramsay. I hope all the wee firms appreciate you sticking your neck out! I'm proud of your actions. Hopefully if our Industry all looks after each other, we'll be bigger, better and stronger!
I don't work in the Scottish ad industry but I like the sound of this fella because it sounds as though he was royally shafted. Rage against the machine and all that.
here here!
well done ramsay - and thanks for the the entertainment
Did you know that some say when Ramsay is discussing a project, they can virtually see the pencil sketching behind his eyes!
http://www.ramsaymacfarlane.com/about/
Wow.
good man Ramsay!
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