Agency.com is pissed. The Omnicom digital shop contends iCrossing raided its staff and its client roster.
A Dallas court will now decide the affair. Agency.com is asking for $19.5 million in damages.
Here’s how the The Wall Street Journal frames the case:
Madison Avenue agencies typically refrain airing such dirty laundry. The suit exemplifies the concern in the ad business about a lack of digital-minded talent. The shortage of this expertise continues to be an issue for many agencies as they seek to retain ad dollars, which are increasingly moving from traditional advertising to digital media.
I’m not sure if that’s the conclusion I’d draw, but it’s one aspect worth noting.
There’s certainly a surplus of mediocre digital talent and a cottage industry of self-appointed new media gurus. I do think that really good digital talent is scarce.