President of GSD&M becomes CEO

President of GSD&M ad agency adds ‘CEO’ to title

1. GSD&M President Steewart is now CEO
2. Spence will remain chairman and will focus on new biz (and promoting his book “It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business Is Driven by Purpose”)

GSD&M :-(

“75 gone from GSD&M. All middle management, all media. Senior management begged to stay by saying they would work part-time.”

Source = Anonymous Tip Form

GSD&M ECD and Pay Cuts

The anonymous tip stream: (what?…I was on vacation.)

5-8-09 3:24 pm

“rumor is there is trouble at idea city. taylor is supposedly out.”

5-8-09 10:44 pm

“ECD Mark Taylor was finally fired today after an excruciating tenure at Idea City. 10 other people are out the door with him — mostly low lever staffers across all disciplines. And salary reductions have been announced. Officers of the company have already had to take two of those, but this one is for everyone.”

5-11-09 11:41 am

“Check out agencyspy, GSD&M fired their ECD and is talking paycuts for everyone.”

From Agency Spy:

GSD&M Fires Mark Taylor, 11 Other, Staff Pay Reductions Follow

More GSD&M Info For Your Water Cooler Talks

GSD&M Email Regarding Analytics Department Closing

“Team,

I want to let you know about a change we’re making in how we go to market with our analytical tools and capabilities.

As an agency, we’ve been on the leading edge of our industry’s adoption of a more analytic approach to targeting, media/channel planning, messaging and accountability to business results. Through INVOLVE and other tools, we’ve achieved great results with clients including Legacy, Air Force, MasterCard and others. We continue to believe in these tools and expect that the market will continue to value the results they provide. And while we’ve been successful with our in-house analytical capabilities, we now believe that we’ll achieve more financial success in this area by having the option to provide clients these services through partnerships.

At the beginning of the year, Maury Giles will spin off to create his own enterprise which will be called Pursuit. Jim Wilkerson will also leave the agency and plans to join Maury. They will provide analytical tools and services to clients beyond just the Idea City roster. And we will continue to deliver these tools for our own clients, either through our own capabilities or through partnerships. Pursuit will become our preferred vendor for future INVOLVE studies. We’re still working through all of the licensing, profit-sharing and non-compete issues, but we can all look forward to a great partnership with Pursuit going forward.

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in our analytical capabilities over the past couple of years and both Maury and Jim have been vital parts of those efforts. Please join me in wishing them great success in their new enterprise.

Duff”

Source: Anonymous Tipster

GSD&M to push cheap food and discount priced clothing

GSD&M has actually won some business! Yeah for Greed, Sex, Drugs, and (a little bit of) Money! The Austin-based ad agency (who, in my opinion, should have updated more then the signage on the front of their building) has won the Popeye’s (Fried Chicken) and Marshall’s (Discount Clothing) accounts. Nothing says high-class creativity like fried chicken and deep discounts.

Here are some articles:
GSD&M Idea City wins new business
Roy Spence says new clients good fit for GSD&M (News Flash Roy…any new client is a good fit.)
GSD&M lands Popeye’s, Marshall’s accounts
GSD&M Snares Pair: Marshalls, Popeyes
Idea City Wins Marshalls, Popeyes Accounts

GSD&M Loves that Chicken ?

Agency Spy is reporting that GSD&M (funny that no one calls them Idea City like they want us to) is working up something in pursuit of the Popeye’s Chicken account.

GSD&M Is Up To No Good

GSD&M Actually Wins L.L. Bean Account

Well, it was last June that GSD&M won the John Deere account, so now, ten months later I am happy to post that they have actually landed a new client:

GSD&M Idea City wins L.L. Bean Account

The South Florida Biz Journal is reporting that GSD&M only won the creative portion of the account – GSD&M suits up for L.L. Bean

Either way, I hope the bars on west 6th street are well stocked for the inevitable celebrating that GSD&Mers will partake in this evening.

The Price is Wrong for GSD&M

GSD&M and Southwest Airlines are being sued by the owners of “The Price is Right” TV game show. At question is a Southwest Airlines campaign that involves a man waiting for a flight and is offered a spin at the prize wheel. The group that owns the TV game show will have to prove that the ad may confuse consumers and might also show that the music used in the commercial is too similar to the actual show theme song.

You be the judge: Watch the commercial

GSD&M Loses one to Wieden & Kennedy

Not a client, but an employee.

Wieden & Kennedy appoints Lee Newman as MD

Kids and GSD&M

The GSD&M booth at the UT career fair was rather busy today. I guess the kids are cool with taking part in future layoffs.