We know that adland loves a title or 50, particularly in the creative department. But it’s always been a mystery how you can have two ‘executive creative directors’ unless you split the agency in two.
RCKR/Y&R was one such but it won’t be any more as one ECD Mick Mahoney (the other is presumably agency co-founder Mark Roalfe) is leaving. Mahoney (left), who is staying until Steptember (which sounds a bit like ‘gardening leave’), says: “I’ve had a great time at the agency and am really proud of the work we’ve produced but I’m looking at new opportunities. At some point in everyone’s career, it’s worth stopping and rebooting, and, fortunately, I have the luxury of being able to do that.”
Which sounds even more like gardening leave.
Agency CEO Ben Kay says: “Mick’s done a great job of bringing in new talent and creating strong work. Moving forward we collectively believe that the future for the agency lies in empowered creative directors working into Mark rather than two ECDs.”
Which sounds a bit like ‘creative directors’ working on specific accounts.
Mahoney worked mainly on Premier Inns, Royal British Legion and Vodafone. But Vodafone recently decamped to fellow WPP agency Grey and that just might have something to do with Mahoney’s departure. WPP agencies run lean.
Y&R also lost Virgin Atlantic to adam&eveDDB late last year. Although a great hoo-ha was made about the agency’s appointment as lead agency for the BBC recently, that’s more a labour for love than money.
