I see that Publicis Media Exchange boss Simon Pardon (left), who replaced the also abruptly departed Chris Locke as Publicis’ head media trader, has also left.
At this rate there won’t be many big beasts left in the London media jungle – certainly not at Publicis – but those remaining of a whole generation of media types reared on horse trading between agencies and media owners are most definitely an endangered species.
Are they the victims of a changing media market, made redundant by the machines taking over, or are the big agency groups, who’ve recently seen their media margins cut to shreds, just ditching people before the pension’s due?
Probably a bit of both. But in what looks likely to be a personality-free media industry there’s surely the opportunity for some brash, new media independents to chance their arm. There’s plenty of experience available. Some clients actually prefer to deal with human beings (we’re being generous to some of the media beasts).
