16582: For McCann Worldgroup, 215 = 0.

 

AgencySpy posted on the dissolution of 215 McCann, which appears to be another casualty of IPG pruning.

 

A McCann Worldgroup spokesperson delivered corporate gobbledygook including, “To go to market in the strongest and clearest manner, and to enable investment in the growth drivers of the company, McCann Worldgroup is simplifying its brand structure to focus on its core power brands of McCann, MRM, FutureBrand and Craft. … We are proud of the creative legacy of 215 McCann, grateful for the dedication of our employees who have been impacted and doing all we can to offer support through this transition.”

 

Always amazing how White advertising agencies talk the talk on the power of branding to clients, yet fail to walk the walk, inventing and discarding agency brands with little regard to the human impact.

 

Most obscene is the formulaic statement about being “grateful for the dedication of our employees who have been impacted and doing all we can to offer support through this transition.” In HR terms, “doing all we can to offer support” is an empty gesture that translates to doing the least that can be done. Hell, in these times of working remotely, terminated employees won’t even receive the iconic white moving boxes to pack belongings.

 

When life gives you pruning, expect bullshit smoothies.

 

McCann Dissolves 215 McCann and Lays Off Staff in San Francisco

 

By Kyle O’Brien

 

McCann has made a move to consolidate its brands, and in doing so has shut down 215 McCann, the agency behind some of Microsoft’s top Xbox work. The move has resulted in some layoffs at the agency.

 

The current and future Xbox work will now be handled by the Microsoft team out of New York as part of a centralized team.

 

A McCann Worldgroup spokesperson stated: “To go to market in the strongest and clearest manner, and to enable investment in the growth drivers of the company, McCann Worldgroup is simplifying its brand structure to focus on its core power brands of McCann, MRM, FutureBrand and Craft. This means that some of the boutique brands that have been part of the broader group will integrate into the four larger brands of McCann Worldgroup.

 

Effective March 15, 215 McCann’s current client work and future projects have been pulled into McCann New York as part of the broader Microsoft team, and we will no longer operate 215 McCann as a standalone agency brand.  We are proud of the creative legacy of 215 McCann, grateful for the dedication of our employees who have been impacted and doing all we can to offer support through this transition.”

 

According to McCann, there has not been a physical office in San Francisco for some time, as the agency went remote during the pandemic. As such, 215 McCann will no longer exist in San Francisco nor anywhere else.

 

As a result of the dissolution of the 215 McCann brand, the brand confirmed that there were some San Francisco layoffs. As noted in the statement, the company is helping those who have been impacted and that entails exploring opportunities within IPG and within the broader network, as well as in the McCann networks.

 

McCann continues to partner with Momentum Worldwide, Weber Shandwick and UM, as they are part of the extended network ecosystem.