It's not unusual for an ad agency to end up on the other side of the camera. In Feb of last year BBC2 aired Inside Saatchi & Saatchi London, showing how they made an advertising campaign. The year before there was the 70s themed advertising reality show as well.
This week, Stefano Hatfield's "On Advertising" column brings up about rumors of Frank Lowe's new start-up being approached by a reality TV crew to follow their first steps into the ad world.
Hatfield isn't keen on the idea.
Could Sir Frank Lowe's new start-up be about to make its first mistake? All the good work and PR generated by top names such as Paul Hammersley, Mark Cadman and Ed Morris's arrivals could be at risk. A reality-TV crew (didn't they used to be called plain old "fly on the wall" documentary makers?) has approached the gang about following their first baby steps into the big bad world of advertising. The dithering of several senior British advertising names over whether to join the start-up would doubtless make compelling viewing, but anyone believing that a TV producer sizes up an ad agency with the intention of portraying it as anything other than a group of egotistical, pretentious, overpaid luvvies is dreaming. I remember watching Robin Wight being filmed in a beautiful mews house tying his bow-tie in the morning before jumping into his chauffeur-driven BMW and whizzing off to tell the bemused Rover board they should change the Rover name. Even worse, I can recall the St Luke's documentary. All of it. Oh dear. Just say no, Paul.
Other related articles:
Lowe Worldwide loses Tesco to Frank Lowe startup
Interpublic sues Frank Lowe
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He's so right. Advertising folk don't need more hate.
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PermalinkI don't think it would be a good move for Frank Lowe to do the reality TV thing. Those shows tend to shred any ounce of self-respect its featured characters have and besides, he's already building a bad rap for himself having taken a multimillion-dollar account right under his former employer's nose.
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PermalinkIf he ventured down this media-frenzied path it would totally skyrocket his career and his new agency--not that he needs the publicity or anything...he's already causing a big stir with his latest move...
Check this out http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/20/business/lowe.php
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