MAY 2, 1991

Full News Archive

• Headline: Saatchi New Zealand Wins Grand Andy Award. Impact: The award to Saatchi & Saatchi sparked a chain reaction in advertising that led to an influx of overly dramatic commercials, featuring unexpected plot twists and melodramatic actors, culminating in the rise of reality TV, where the only thing more exaggerated than the drama is the product placement.. Fact: Did you know that the 'Grand Andy' trophy is just a fancy paperweight meant to hold down all the unsolicited pitches agencies receive?.
• Headline: Omnicom Sees Net Income Decline. Impact: Omnicom's net income decline caused executives to panic and inadvertently create a new trend of 'creative budgeting,' leading to countless startups with names like 'Budget Creative' that had no idea what they were doing but somehow thrived on Instagram.. Fact: Fun fact: 2.7% is just enough of a decline to ruin a perfectly good lunch for a financial officer..
• Headline: Lintas Worldwide Executive Position Announcement. Impact: William A. Overlock's promotion put him in a position to make questionable decisions that would reverberate through the financial world, leading to the eventual rise of spreadsheets that no one understood, but everyone pretended to love.. Fact: Did you know that 'executive vice president-chief financial officer' is just corporate speak for 'the person who will take the blame when things go south'?.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; Miscellany. Impact: Carmichael Lynch's acquisition of Harris & West Advertising led to a domino effect of mergers that eventually culminated in a world where every ad agency was just a division of one mega-agency that only sold out to corporations no one liked.. Fact: Did you know that $11 million in billings is just enough to buy a yacht or fund a midlife crisis? Pick your poison!.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; Accounts. Impact: The shift of accounts to Saatchi & Saatchi ignited a fierce competition among ad agencies that led to the absurdity of wine commercials featuring overly sophisticated penguins and orchestras playing in the backgrounds of vineyards.. Fact: Did you know that in the advertising world, 'billings not disclosed' translates to 'we're too embarrassed to admit how much we charge?'.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; Top B.S.B. Shuffle Continues As New U.S. Head Is Named. Impact: The resignation of Charles W. Reynolds Jr. created a power vacuum that led to an influx of mediocre leadership in advertising. This paved the way for an entire generation of 'yes men' who would nod enthusiastically at every terrible idea.. Fact: Fun fact: The phrase 'executive committee of three' is code for 'let's make a decision that satisfies no one.'.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING -- ADDENDA; Lord, Dentsu President Quits in Los Angeles. Impact: The Lipton advertising shift set off a frenzy of brand loyalty that caused consumers to become overly passionate about tea, resulting in a phenomenon known as 'Tea Wars,' where people would literally fight over their favorite brands.. Fact: Did you know that $7 million can buy you a lot of tea bags? Or just a really fancy tea kettle that you won't use?.
• Headline: THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Y.&R.; Loses Lipton Ads To Ogilvy. Impact: The trend of distressing furniture, initiated by this article, led to a nationwide epidemic of people pretending they were artisans, resulting in countless homes filled with furniture that looked like it had survived a zombie apocalypse.. Fact: Fun fact: Distressing furniture is basically the adult version of finger painting—only messier and with more splinters..
• Headline: How to Fill Dents in Wooden Furniture.