The Advertising CEO Experiment …
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May 25, 2007, 8:10 am
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vs 
If you work in adland, could you please conduct the following experiment for me.
Simply go upto your CEO and ask them this simple question …
Based on achievement, who do you respect / regard more as a role model for how to grow your business – Rupert Murdoch or Dan Wieden?
Make sure you look into their eyes to be sure they’re saying who they really mean.
Once you have your answer, just post it on this blog – and given the sensitivity, you can of course keep your agency / CEO / names anonymous.
If all this is too difficult / risky … can you then please let me know what you think their answer would be … and again, feel free to keep things anonymous. Ta.
32 Comments so far
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Out of those 2, definitely Bill.
You should do Rupert Murdoch versus Robert Saville next.
Comment by Pete May 25, 2007 @ 3:11 pmBernbach.
Hands down.
I respect Buffett a lot though.
Comment by Will May 25, 2007 @ 3:14 pmYou just couldn’t take all my suggestion could you Rob? 🙂 Alex would choose Dan by a country mile and so would I.
Comment by Pete May 25, 2007 @ 3:40 pmWhat are you doing up at this time????
And I LOVED your comment on the Brainstorm thing, thanks my son. Hope all is well and speak soon.
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 3:56 pmMine isnt an advertising boss… so he’d definitely say Murdoch. *shudder*
Comment by Rob Mortimer May 25, 2007 @ 4:29 pmI’m in London where everything costs 10 times more than I remember it ever costing.
Comment by Pete May 25, 2007 @ 4:30 pmIs Bazza around? If he is, get him to give me a call, I’m only here for the day but he can buy me a bacon buttie and a cup of tea. 🙂
Ahhhhhh, that explains it then.
You’re in luck, Baz is there at the moment so I’ve just SMS’d him to call you but if I see ‘lobster butties’ and ‘whisky tea’ on his expenses, he’s in trouble.
And don’t tell me about the cost of London mate – I still pay bloody taxes there, haha! Have fun.
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 4:34 pmI was in the same building as Baz for TWO days and I didnt see him…good luck!
Comment by Rob Mortimer May 25, 2007 @ 4:36 pmThat’s the problem of being known by one name but actually being called another. And I hope Pete recognises him, Baz is his brother-in-law!
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 4:50 pmHahaha! Fair enough!
Comment by Rob Mortimer May 25, 2007 @ 4:50 pmI bet he would say Dan. Or at least I hope it. Wait, I am sure my CCO would say Dan. I am not sure about my CEO, but assuming that he doesn’t like to work with assholes he wouldn’t chose Murdoch, as well. So both would chose Dan, I think.
Comment by Seb May 25, 2007 @ 4:51 pmSeb … it’s not about who they would or wouldn’t want to WORK with … it’s about who they respect / regard more as a role model for building their business!
Do you still think that would still be the same answer!?
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 4:54 pmYou can choose your friends but not your family 🙂
Comment by Pete May 25, 2007 @ 4:57 pmMy CEO places no value on creativity, his heroes are Murdoch, Trump and any other tycoon who has no problem with treading on people to get where they want to go. He only values his staff by the money they bring in or the volume they laugh at his crass and vulgar jokes. I hate him and can’t wait to leave.
Comment by Anon May 25, 2007 @ 5:28 pmYou know what, I really don’t know what to say to this – well I do, but it’s not going to help you that much. Whatever, I do hope you find a home that makes you feel appreciated, valued and challenged.
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 5:36 pmThat’s what my words are supposed to say. My CEO definitely cares a lot about money (that’s his job, isn’t it?) but he wouldn’t do everything for it. Our agency is known as the one with the nicest and most friendly people and that is true. No assholes. They bosses here care a lot about their people and do a lot for them. So I guess his answer would be Dan.
Comment by Seb May 25, 2007 @ 5:44 pmHurrah for Seb and his bosses.
Anyone else willing to ‘spill their guts’?
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 5:48 pmI think most people here would say, given the choice between huge profits, or good profits and respect; most would choose the latter.
Comment by Rob Mortimer May 25, 2007 @ 5:49 pmAnd I guess Mr Murdoch wouldn’t pop in the office of one of his employees with a chilled beer to just have a talk about football. And it’s not because we’re only 15 people. We’re 150 now. And they not even know your name but the name of your girlfriend as well, when you meet one of them at a party. Even if they have only seen her once three years ago. So definitely Dan.
Comment by Seb May 25, 2007 @ 5:49 pmAnd obviously we side on the Dan side too – and if any of our team say otherwise, they may see us metamorphisis into the Murdoch persona.
You have been warned, ha!
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 5:49 pmAs much as I’d like to say my bosses respect the way the mad australian OAP conducts his business, I just can’t. It’s definitely a Dan philosophy at our place.
Now about that pay rise……
Comment by Billy Whizz May 25, 2007 @ 5:54 pmRory Sutherland quoted Murdoch on Richards blog, which I thought was a perfect example of the difference:
“Teamwork is a group of 12 people all doing exactly what I tell them”
Comment by Rob Mortimer May 25, 2007 @ 5:54 pmIsn’t that Rob’s and Andy’s philosophy at cynic as well?
Comment by Seb May 25, 2007 @ 5:57 pm😉
Comment by Seb May 25, 2007 @ 5:58 pmWell Brian Clough is one of my heroes!
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 6:02 pmBut Clough didnt own Fox News or the Sun… so thats ok.
Comment by Rob Mortimer May 25, 2007 @ 6:06 pmBy the way: where is Andy? When he’ll be back?
Comment by Seb May 25, 2007 @ 6:21 pmHe’s in Tahiti on ‘medical leave’.
I think he is back next week – George, am I right?
Comment by Rob May 25, 2007 @ 6:23 pm*ahem*.. rupert murdoch is not an australian.
we have some arseholes pledging allegiance to our country, but he has fortunately abdicated his.
tell bazza to come to the surrealist ball at the v&a in london tonight (and you too pete! – if you’re still in london) there are a couple of us bloggery types going!
Comment by lauren May 25, 2007 @ 9:47 pmGiven I am writing this at some unGodly hour your time – I would imagine it’s too late to invite/order Pete and Bazza anywhere, let alone to your shindig. Whoops. Next time – though by the sounds of it, Pete won’t be back [or able to afford being back] in London for 50 years, ha.
Comment by Rob May 26, 2007 @ 9:34 amMy CEO would prob go with Murdoch! I didn’t ask him though, as he would have no idea who I am, or what I do, even though he directly approves or trashes almost every piece of work I do (including his speeches).
Comment by some random person May 28, 2007 @ 2:08 pmI used to work for one of the WPP companies and can categorically state that my old boss would of glaldly had Murdochs children. He would continually praise the shit ads we were forced to do for our boring clients while cutting back on any investment for the creative department. He wouldn’t know a good ad if it smashed him in the face and yet he is held in high esteem by the WPP board. I would rather work in Tie Rack than for him again.
Comment by Mr X May 28, 2007 @ 2:56 pm