At this rate Uncommon Creative Studio, now part of Havas, will have to install a traffic light system in the office. Scott Dungate, London’s first CCO, is leaving after a just a year, among the latest in a stream of departures.
Dungate (left), who made his name at Wieden+Kennedy, told Campaign: “Working at Uncommon has been like learning a new kind of martial art. I’m thankful for my time here, alongside the many talented and hard-working people within their walls. I’m excited to explore new horizons – directing, teaching, collaborating with brands, and taking on freelance opportunities as an independent creative director in London, and beyond.” Which doesn’t sound like a bed of roses. Uncommon co-founder and creative whizz Nils Leonard has recently returned to London from the US.
Uncommon has never been a common kind of agency and, in Havas, still seems to be winning business and, in the US anyway, has produced some outstanding work recently. Havas too has changed since the deal (on a longish earn-out) was struck, now separate from Vivendi and needing to go it alone as a quoted agency – and a pretty small one on an agency map about to be transformed by the merger of Omnicom and IPG plus whatever happens to WPP (under new management) and Dentsu’s international business (with which it’s been linked.) Havas is now valued at just €1.47bn and shareholder pressure makes waves in all departments.
Uncommon began at around the same time as New Commercial Arts, now part of WPP’s Ogilvy Group. Uncommon has made more headlines (it’s been MAA’s Agency of the Year twice) but NCA looks arguably more solid, with no high level departures as far as we can see and seemingly enjoying the confidence of the Ogilvy hierarchy and WPP. Former Ogilvy boss Devika Bulchandani, who struck the deal with NCA’s James Murphy and David Golding, is now COO of all of WPP under new boss Cindy Rose.
