Here’s a recap of some big news in the Ad world, as Gary Goldsmith, a well-respected CD and former president of The One Club, is being replaced as Chief Creative Officer of Lowe. Read the article–and then read between the lines and draw your own conclusions.
I’ve got a decent memory, but let me see if I’ve got this right:
–Lowe & Partners merged with Scali McCabe Sloves to form Lowe & Partners/SMS
–Goldsmith/Jeffery merged with Lowe & Partners
–Ammirati and Puris merged with Lintas to form Ammirati Puris Lintas
–Ammirati Puris Lintas merged with Lowe & Partners to form Lowe Lintas
–The whole thing was changed to just Lowe.
–Then IPG bought the whole schmear.
All of which pretty much occurred in the last 10 years or so.
This business never ceases to amaze me.
Another behemoth flounders about
in the midst of an advertising’s sea change, yuk..
The Great Goldsmith loses out in a greed cloud.
Everybody knows the merger’s hack-infusion crapped on any hope for consistently good work coming out of the
megadollars grabfestaramatronstockholderbonanzabust.
I gotta tell ya, the biz is kookey. And you forgot the Bozell/Lowe merge which happened just a few short years ago.
However, though I think Goldsmith is smart and all, maybe he’d had his day. I worked there FOREVER ago, and I don’t seem to remember him doing anything that was so great we should even bat an eyelash that he’s gone. Their creative product went downhill, they lost clients, couldn’t win new biz. If ya wanna be known as a creative agency and your head meastro of creativity isn’t puttin out…well…time to bring in some new blood, right?
The Goldsmith dismissal was chilly. Inevitable, but unnerving. Wright didn’t even bother in the internal memo to do the requisite “we wish him the best.” Sure it’s time for new blood, and of course Tony was going to clean house, everybody knew that, but a tiny bit more dignity was in order. Four top management changes in four years, clearly more to come, no wonder we can’t focus.
I cannot believe some of these comments about Gary Goldsmith being great. I worked for Gary for the six years. It is my opinion that moving Gary out was necessary. Gary is a smart, talented–print guy. It is widely believed by many that he was lost in the
t.v. medium. He was not interested in making Lowe a great
agency, but making Gary great. Yes, he was respected. But, in
my opinion, Gary did not have what it takes to make the television work better, or the agency better.
His talent lies in opening a small boutique print shop,. where he can have his name flash in neon.
There are a lot of emperor’s new clothes.
I think M. Wrangler, like the name probably wears wrangler jeans.
Therefore what taste in judging greatness does this person have? Obviously M. did not see eye to eye with Gary and did not have the balls to confront him while working for him.
Instead, M. takes the “pussy” approach by slamming someone in a blog. Want to meet for coffee toots?
I worked for Gary Goldsmith many many years ago and he was far less of an egocentric narcisist than ANY creative genius I encountered in the advertising industry. He was dedicated to creating interesting and successful creative ads that were smart and held a dry wit which did not insult the intelligence of the public. He was always respectful of the people that worked for him and was especially fair to those who were not greedy and sneaky. i suspect (knowing gary) that M. Wrangler did indeed have some kind of unpleasant disagreement with Mr. Goldsmith which left his jealous ars bitter and full of contempt. Anyone who knows GG knows he is a courteous gentleman with a raging talent which deserves more than a mere dissmissal from a power that only wants to use and destroy people rather than nourish and support. Microsoft has a better rep and a conglomerate like Lowe and the backers are the reason for that rep. I know he rarely lost his temper and if he did it was for good reason. In the end…GG will be better off and re establish himself somewhere else where his creative mind can re-boot. yes, he would be better having his own boutique, because he is a good leader, not because he cares about publicity.
gary goldsmith? Eh.
How can anyone say Gary Goldsmith is Eh. Personally, think he is feh.
Not sure what the deal is with the last two comments, but I have to agree with wrangler in some respects.
Gary is more of a print art director. But one with a formula: stock photo, small type. His television was print: stock film and small tag line.
I heard he never really liked managing people. And seemed to be surrounded by sycophants – like Babs –
who would kiss his butt, but were all limited in talent.
People who worked there would tell me he used the same creative teams over and over again, the sycophants, – like Babs – resulting in work that was really smart, but flat.
A gentlemen, yes. A leader, no. Seems hi heart wasn’t into the job, He never was involved.
No Dummy did hit on his good points. But I think No Dummy worked for him in a small shop and did a lot of print.
As for advertising Gods: Gary Goldsmith, nay. Lee Clow, yea.