Kevin Roberts: the demise of Saatchi & Saatchi’s living Lovemark
The sudden resignation of Saatchi & Saatchi chairman Kevin Roberts over his comments saying the diversity debate "is over" is a stunning outcome for the man who gave the world Lovemarks. Simon Canning looks at how a stellar career came to such an end.
For the better part of 20 years Kevin Roberts strutted the global stage, Saatchi & Saatchi’s living Lovemark, the man who saw the future beyond brands.
The man whose sudden and very public demise on the back of a comment that the diversity debate “is over” sits somewhat ironically against where he began his journey working with and for women in the house of fashion designer Mary Quant.
Somewhere on this journey, the futurist became a dinosaur.
Since 2004, when it was first published, Lovemarks, Roberts’ living business bible that predicted, rightly, that consumers would come to own brands, has become a bible for Saatchi globally. Essential reading for every recruit, it was Roberts’ belief that consumers would come to love the brands that respected them, and that ultimately the future of brands was built on emotional connections that defied the logic of traditional marketing models.
But for Roberts, Lovemarks was more than a marketing handbook, it was a manual for the way big business should behave at a human level.
Filled with tales of his experiences, from Quant to P&G, Lion and finally his elevation to the global CEO role at Saatchi in 1997, it is perhaps the final summation that show’s just how far out of touch Roberts has become.
“Can business make the world a better place?” he asked. “Of course it can,” he wrote.
It seems he forgot that as a known name sitting at the head of a global business, it was his job to do so.
Speaking with me at the launch of the book when I was a writer for The Australian, Roberts was unequivocal about what he wanted the book to achieve.
Having witnessed the horrors of 9/11 first hand, Roberts had a Road to Damascus moment.
“I came very much to the view that the role of business is to make the world a better place for everyone,” he said.
“What business has to do is become inclusive, not exclusive.”
And he went on: “I do not believe it is the optional thing now for companies just to talk about [responsible], they better be socially responsible, they better be cleaner than clean and they better be doing something.”
So what happened between then and now? Roberts went from CEO to global chairman and then was elevated to become a global coach for Publicis. A mentor for all staff at one of the world’s largest marketing and communications companies.
How could he have drifted so far from the simple fundamentals of a vision once sold with such purpose?
Perhaps, like so many of a certain generation, there comes a point where the connection with the world at large is lost.
Rarely challenged on their views, they spout them with impunity. Views proffered not through ego, but ignorance.
Some of these characters, wedded to a Mad Men’s view of the world, will fade away. Others, like Roberts, will crash and burn in spectacular fashion.
Either way, the journey between visionary dinosaur can be a swift one indeed. Just ask Kevin.
I wanted to like lovemarks but couldn’t shake the feeling it was naff
User ID not verified.
Was it misguided of Roberts to make the comments? Obviously. Should he have thought more about the likely consequences? Probably. Is shortening his apparently stellar career because of one controversial observation reasonable? Definitely not.
Basically, he has been punished (strongly influenced by an online lynch mob) for sharing what he considered to be an honest observation, based on his career experience. Honesty and openness is not fostered by cutting down those who express beliefs contrary to those we may individually hold.
Simon Canning’s commentary is blatantly ageist. Should he be fired because of this article? Definitely not.
User ID not verified.
‘like so many of a certain generation, there comes a point where the connection with the world at large is lost.’
Piss off.
‘wedded to a Mad Men’s view of the world’
Mad Men was a fictional TV DRAMA.
The reality is that both sides of this Roberts/Gallop ping-pong are littered with lazy assertions and logical fallacies.
There are serious questions to asked, serious issues to be resolved.
So far, scant amount of the commentary comes anywhere near pointing to a solution.
User ID not verified.
I just knew it would come to this when his book was called ‘Lovemarks’ and not ‘Lovemarkitas’.
‘Nuff said.
User ID not verified.
Over 20 years in advertising…how rich is this guy?
Go get a life Kev, there’s so much amazing stuf out there that’s got nothing to do with manipulating emotions to selling crap
User ID not verified.
All careers come to an end one way or another and it is a pity that Kevin’s career with the Groupe ended this way.
But Simon, it is your article that raises a few interesting questions.
To which age band is your point highlighted by the expression “like so many of a certain generation” targeted?
Is this not an ageist comment, as already noted by Peter M and Eaon?
Is it not as equally discriminatory as Kevin’s remarks relating to women?
Yes it is.
Diversity and inclusiveness must be embraced wholeheartedly by the industry, and that includes (by and of) those of an ‘advanced age’ and the trade press.
Finally, as an aside, I think that in your excitement you forgot a word between ‘visionary’ and ‘dinosaur’…unless you actually meant ‘visionary dinosaur’.
Perhaps you have coined a new term of endearment.
User ID not verified.