We're so lonely

Recently my friend, fellow blogger and man of similar Hebraic Seasonings, George Tannenbaum, gave a lengthy treatise on the fatal blow dealt to the ad industry by the bean counters. Greedy bastards who buy up companies -- ad agencies or otherwise -- and then reduce costs and sell off bits and pieces to stuff their wallets. Or, more accurately, give additional bloat to their offshore accounts in the Caymans.

Frankly, I never understood how any of that works. 

How are the pieces worth more than the sum? It's the kind of accounting trickery that should come natural to me, as the son, brother and nephew of certified practitioners of the art. 

It still leaves me clueless.

I never knew why anyone would actually buy an ad agency. Particularly in light of the tenuous revenue streams, which these days is less of a stream and more of a drying out puddle.

Apart from the chairs, coffee machines and the Long Tables of Mediocrity™, what is one actually buying?  

This is especially relevant in light of the fact that clients can, and often do, change agencies on a whim. Or because some petulant, hot-headed copywriter called a client a screaming dipshit with the intelligence of an after dinner mint. 

I don't know that from experience, it's just something I heard. Although I have come to learn that my old boss Lee Clow often referred to me as being excessively 'petulant.' A charge that in hindsight makes so much sense. And explains my current need to shop at Walmart (see yesterday's post.)

Also, in hindsight I should have paid at least as much attention to selling good ideas as I did with coming up with them. The selling is the hard part.

But back to George's blog. And the stunning revelation that Marty Sorrell got in hot water, often, it appears, for expensing his dilly dallying with women of the night. 

Really Sir Martin?

One would think women would be flocking to be near a man of such high regard in the Wire Paper and Plastics arena.

In any case, it reminded of one of the funniest commercials/self promos I have ever seen. And by reaching out to Jonathon Schoenberg (also assumingly a man of Hebraic Seasonings) I was able to obtain a copy, which I now submit for your amusement...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8elyqvexxJs