Mr. Lovemarks is going to show Fallon some love. Yes, Fallon, the creative rock of Minneapolis.
According to The Wall Street Journal (paid sub. req.), by giving Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, the additional responsibility of Fallon, Publicis hopes the Minneapolis shop can grow faster after several lackluster years.
Fallon has been stung by executive departures and a slew of account losses, including the exit of BMW, United Airlines and the bulk of the agency’s Citibank business. In 2005, it closed its New York office. In the U.S., Fallon’s creative department has been in flux since 2004, when David Lubars, the shop’s former president and executive creative director of Fallon North America, defected to Omnicom Group’s BBDO.
“We want Fallon to get back on top of the Crispins and the Wiedens,” Mr. Roberts said.
Lest the Fallonites worry, it pays to note that Roberts is a very tuned in guy. He even believes in The Four Agreements.
A sad day for Fallonites and former Fallonites indeed. Fallon never should have fallen into the clutches of Publicis in the first place.