… a couple of months ago, I was sent an email by some uber-senior strategy bod at McCann’s who resides in New York.
In the email, he said he had met someone who told him we should “have a chat”, so wanted to know when we could talk/meet with the view of discussing some very senior opportunities that might be coming up in the company.
OK, so at this point there’s a couple of things we should mention:
I have documented my many issues with McCann’s in the past, so the likelihood of me [a] working there [b] being happy there and [c] getting a job there are very remote
I don’t know who told him he should “have a chat” with me, but I’m guessing it’s a mate that thought it would be very funny. Or an enemy. Probably one and the same.
Anyway, because I always enjoy meeting new people – even people who work at places I pretty much loathe – I said I’d be happy to chat.
Nothing.
Not a dickie bird.
OK, so maybe he had read some of my anti-McCann posts of the past but surely then he would have contacted me and told me to fuck off.
To be honest, I’d of admired him if he did that – but instead I heard nothing.
I know he’s busy … I know he probably has lots of people to see and talk to … but he reached out to me and so if he can’t even find a way to communicate with someone that – at some point – he was considering for a job at his company, then it’s little surprise McCann are so bad at communicating on behalf of their clients.
With all that in mind, I am sure you won’t find this little episode amusing.
Or childish.
Probably childish.
So a couple of weeks ago, a headhunter called me and said a senior bloke from McCann’s wanted to meet me.
I have no idea what it is with senior blokes and McCann’s but after confirming it wasn’t the same guy who had given me the cold shoulder previously – even though I’d of given him the same answer – I responded with 2 questions:
1. “Can they afford to pay me US$1 million a year tax free?”
“Errrrm, probably not” came the reply.
2. “OK, is he a hypnotist?”
“I have no idea, why?” he responded, with just the right level of nervousness in his voice.
“Because if he can’t pay me a million quid, the only way he can get me to meet him is to hypnotize me”.
To be fair to the headhunter, he did persevere and it was only when I said,
“There’s not a cat in hell’s chance I want to join them”, he finally accepted defeat.
I know I’m being very harsh towards McCann’s and I shouldn’t be because not only have they done some great things in the past, they have some very talented friends who work there [some who I am lucky enough to call friends] … however I am fed up of hearing them say the same old bollocks and make out ‘change is afoot’ when all they end up doing is changing people rather than changing the very attitudes and processes that are holding them back.
Just a few years ago, McCann’s were riding high – at least in terms of clients and cash – now they’re leaking like an Italian cruise ship after the captain got distracted trying to chat up some Russian bird … which further highlights why W+K and BBH are worthy of even more praise than they already get.