Former Ogilvy London CEO Charlie Rudd, now ensconced as head of conjoined Publicis agencies Leo Burnett and Fallon, has made his first major move, hiring strategist Olly Markeson from Richard Branson’s in-house operation and creative director Jodo Paulo Testa from F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi in Brazil for Fallon (both below with creative director Ronaldo Tavares.).
Rudd says: “Both Olly and JP have the ideal blend of strategic and creative rigour and we are very lucky that these two impressive individuals have chosen to join us. I know they will help make our work even better.”
Markeson, who’ll be planning director, says: “It is a unique privilege to help unlock the extraordinary potency of both Fallon and the Skoda brand.”
Skoda is far and away Fallon’s most important account and has recently been bemusing some of us with a series of music videos with a car attached. Which seems odd as the VW-owned marque has a strong model line-up, markedly cheaper than the offerings from its parent.
Rudd, who was also a senior suit at BBH, fell victim to a re-organisation at Ogilvy UK where he found himself as client officer officer instead of his original CEO role. Publicis country manager Annette King (who’d hired him at Ogilvy) promptly signed him up for Leo Burnett/Fallon.
It remains a mystery why Publicis perseveres with once high-flying Fallon, especially given its group-wide ‘Power of One’ mantra. It probably has something to do with Skoda.
