Lewis Lazare considers the changes underway at Euro RSCG Chicago.
According to several sources familiar with developments, Euro RSCG has decided, in essence, to fold what had been a strictly delineated consumer ad unit into a new entity that blends the digital, direct, data and advertising units at the shop into a more seamless shop headed by newly anointed president Mark Blankenship. For the last two years, Blankenship has presided over Euro RSCG 4D, a robust and profitable direct marketing unit inside Euro’s Chicago office.
The resulting entity would be Euro RSCG’s new version of an integrated ad agency, capable of providing the marketing communication a client requests, excepting, perhaps, public relations.
Euro RSCG/Chicago creatives, sources said, might be required to work on creative for a direct marketing assignment, as well as more general consumer ad work. “Clients everywhere are looking for a higher level of branding and creativity,” said Ron Bess, regional director of Euro RSCG’s North American operations.
Whether Postaer would choose to remain for long in what looks to be a dramatically restructured Euro RSCG office remains to be seen. Late Wednesday, Postaer insisted the new structure is what he envisioned all along. “We want to be a tight arsenal of marketing services,” Postaer said.
Sounds to me like Lazare is having a hard time buying that people who make TV commercials and print ads for a living would deign to do a lowly direct mail piece or consumer promotion.
I come from the marketing services world, although I have done time in traditional and b2b shops. So, it’s not hard for me to believe that an agency like Euro RSCG would one day wake up to the fact that so-called “below-the-line activity” is where all the action is. This is not news. It’s been true for some time.
