You’ve heard about clients from hell. Now consider this: Russia as a client.
According to The New York Times half-dozen or so Western ad agencies work closely with the inner circle of Russia’s government. Russia uses Ketchum for PR and Weber Shandwick for sports marketing. It hires LA-based Adore Creative to make films.
Adore’s president and chief creative director, Rupert Wainwright, is part of the team that helped Russia score several big victories on the world stage: in the last three years it has won the right to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, the 2013 World University Games, and most recently the 2018 World Cup soccer tournament. Mr. Wainwright’s company made films for all three campaigns.
Mr. Wainwright could not have been more surprised when Russia hired him early in 2007. A native of England, he made a name filming music videos for rap musicians in the 1980s, including the video for “Straight Outta Compton” by the group NWA.
