17128: Delayed WTF 65—David Droga Drops Dookie.

MultiCultClassics is often occupied with real work. As a result, a handful of events occur without the expected blog commentary. This limited series—Delayed WTF—seeks to make belated amends for the absence of malice.

 

Advertising Age—along with most trade journals and business publications—reported David Droga stepped down as Accenture Song CEO.

 

Across the board, the related content bathed Droga in fawning and favorable light, positioning him as among the last of the mythical creative mavericks.

 

Really? Did Droga really bring breakthrough innovation to Accenture?

 

Publishers indicated the man orchestrated a “major transformation” at Accenture Interactive, coordinating over 40 acquisitions and groups under the Accenture Song banner. That sounds like the dubious accomplishments of visionary luminaries such as Mark Read, John Wren, Arthur Sadoun, Philippe Krakowsky, Yannick Bolloré, and Mark Penn.

 

One publication remarked Accenture Song “has evolved its focus from the creative elements of marketing to a more CRM and customer-data focus.” Droga countered by declaring, “Most advertising, most marketing, most journalism, most music, most architecture—it’s pedestrian and garbage anyway. And it’s written by something worse—scarier than AI. It’s written by compromise and research.”

 

So, where are the provocative concepts and award-winning campaigns?

 

(Cue crickets chirping)

 

It appears Droga and Accenture presented a David and Goliath scenario—and this time, Goliath slayed David.

 

Accenture Song should be renamed Accenture Dirge.

 

David Droga to step down as CEO of Accenture Song

 

By Brian Bonilla

 

David Droga is set to step down from his role as CEO of Accenture Song, the company announced Wednesday.

 

Ndidi Oteh, who is currently the Accenture Song Americas lead, will become CEO of Accenture Song on Sept. 1. Droga will remain as vice chair for the broader Accenture company.

 

Nick Law, creative chairperson for Accenture Song, will become Song’s creative strategy and experience lead as part of the move. Both Oteh and Law will join Accenture’s Global Management Committee.

 

Droga made one of the biggest moves in advertising when he became CEO of what was then Accenture Interactive in 2021, shortly after selling his creative agency, Droga5, to the consultancy. Since taking the helm, he has led Accenture Interactive through a major transformation by unifying over 40 acquisitions and groups under the name Accenture Song.

 

Since Droga joined the company, Song has grown from $12.5 billion in revenue to $19 billion for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2024.

 

“I honestly could not be more grateful for my career and the opportunities I’ve had,” Droga said in a statement. “The people who believed in me, the talent I’ve worked alongside, the clients we’ve served, the trust, the ambition, the camaraderie, it’s all part of me. After 30-plus years of leaping, I am ready to catch my breath. And being vice chair will allow me to do that, but also to contribute in new ways.”