8207: StrawberryFrog—Truth In Advertising.

Wanted to add a brief follow-up to the StrawberryFrog fiasco involving the Director of Planning who used her blog to blacklist an ex-employee. Not surprisingly, the damning post has been removed, although the original investigative document can still be viewed at Agency Spy. It’s a safe bet that there will be no additional public announcements on the situation, as behind-the-scenes legal actions and confidential settlements will likely move forward.

The scenario did highlight a few truths in advertising:

Ad agency executives remain remarkably ignorant about basic HR-related procedures, as well as employment laws. This phenomenon is especially evident in big agencies. While StrawberryFrog brags it was founded “to challenge the domination of the legacy agency dinosaurs,” the shop ultimately showed it’s just as stupid and prehistoric as the stereotypical BDAs that George Parker regularly blasts.

Our industry’s hiring practices require serious changes. After all, the alleged “cancer” that LeFevre attempted to eliminate has worked at several prominent agencies. Another blogger admitted to recommending the guy for a different job. Regardless of the truth surrounding the man’s abilities, we continue to operate a buddy system based on cronyism, nepotism and other isms that stifles diversity while rewarding incompetent hacks. And LeFevre might be among the painfully unqualified. Hell, the ex-StrawberryFrogger she condemned will find a fresh gig in the business before an unknown minority lands an account planner role.

What makes the StrawberryFrog fiasco particularly annoying is the blatant hypocrisy and hubris at its core. Here is an agency whining about an employee who apparently did not live up to the persona presented during the interview process. Sure, just about everyone has encountered a coworker whose skills did not match his/her resume or portfolio. But these days, there are far greater instances of employers lying to interviewing candidates. Agencies mislead recruits on everything from assignments to salaries, painting images of corporate Nirvana to conceal their true dysfunctional, disorganized and corrupt enterprises. There’s much more cancer and disease in the corner offices versus the cubicles.