Friday, December 12, 2014

12303: Vonage Not Crazy About JWT.

Adweek reported Vonage dropped JWT after only two years. JWT Global Business Director Ruston Spurlock claimed in a staff memo, “Following the recent departure of Vonage’s CEO, Marc Lefar, the company was asked to dramatically cut costs. As a result, in 2015, Vonage will be shifting to an agency that is more suited for their tactical needs.” Right. The decision to disconnect had nothing to do with the offensive and awful work shat out by the White advertising agency. Sorry, but continuing a relationship JWT would have been a Crazy Generous™ act on the part of Vonage.

Told to ‘Dramatically Cut Costs,’ Vonage Drops Its Lead Creative Agency, JWT

Service could switch to project-based assignments

By Noreen O’Leary

Vonage and lead creative agency JWT are parting ways, two years after the WPP agency won the business from TBWA\Chiat\Day.

The VoIP telephone service spent $123 million in 2013 and $44 million through June of this year, according to Kantar Media.

JWT declined to comment, referring calls to Vonage, where execs could not be reached.

However, in an internal agency memo, JWT’s Ruston Spurlock, global business director on the account, told staffers: “Following the recent departure of Vonage’s CEO, Marc Lefar, the company was asked to dramatically cut costs. As a result, in 2015, Vonage will be shifting to an agency that is more suited for their tactical needs.”

JWT’s relationship with Vonage, initiated in early 2013, will end in February, according to Spurlock’s email.

It’s not clear if the marketer will launch an agency review again or handle assignments on a project basis. Other shops are already working on the business, sources said. Recently, FCB Garfinkel produced a Vonage TV spot called “The Didn’t Hit.”

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