Atomic 212 CEO Jason Dooris exits agency after awards revelations
Jason Dooris, the controversial CEO of media agency Atomic 212, has left the agency.
Dooris’ departure comes two months after a Mumbrella investigation revealed that he had made a series of misleading and exaggerated claims within entries for several different industry awards.
Dooris pictured presenting at this year’s Mumbrella Asia Awards
Dooris does not have a new job to go to. Mumbrella understands that it has been some weeks since Dooris has been seen inside the agency.
Chief operating officer James Dixon confirmed the departure to Mumbrella.
The agency then issued a statement saying:
After leading more than eight years of continuous growth as the Group CEO and Founder of Atomic 212°, the business announced today that Jason Dooris is set to leave the agency he founded with childhood friend, James Dixon. Dooris plans to realise a life family goal in undertaking studies in Political Science and Terrorism at Oxford University and also to spend time with his young family.
Jason was severely injured in the Sari Club in Kuta Beach when the terrorist bomb exploded in October, 2002, killing 202 people. His best friend Michael Standring died in the firestorm that followed the massive explosion.
Dixon, Co-Founder and Chief Digital Officer, “It’s wonderful to see Jason pursue something that’s so uniquely important to him and his family. Given his personal experiences I have always admired his balanced and understanding view of the world.”
“The past eight years of Atomic has been the highlight of my career and thanks to a solid foundation, the company is very well-positioned for continued growth, expansion and success. I will really miss the team but also really look forward to learning more about a subject that is very important to me” said Dooris.
Atomic 212°, Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer, said: “I wish Jason all the best in his future endeavours.”
In December, Mumbrella revealed the results of the lengthy investigation into claims made by Dooris on behalf of Atomic 212 in a number of different awards across the region.
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Mumbrella obtained Dooris’ winning entry into the “agency head of the year” category of the Campaign Asia Awards, which is run from Hong Kong. The Campaign Asia entry included several incorrect or exaggerated claims about client wins which had not occurred.
Amex had no record of working with Atomic, while Coles continues to be planned and bought by OMD
Campaign Asia has since told Mumbrella it is investigating the issue, but is yet to reveal its findings.
Mumbrella also revealed a number of questions about the agency’s 2017 victory in the AdNews Awards. In a post-awards publication celebrating the winners, AdNews had said Atomic’s “newer clients” included Westpac, Audi, Coles and Telstra. This led to concerns raised by the companies that were actually the agencies of record on these accounts.
However, hours before the results of Mumbrella’s investigation were published in December, AdNews went to press declaring that it had already investigated the issues and Atomic was in the clear.
In January, AdNews revealed that media agencies had boycotted its forthcoming awards after losing confidence in its handling of the issue. As a result, AdNews has axed its media agency categories this year. Media Federation of Australia chair Peter Horgan, who is also CEO of Omnicom Media Group, was quoted as saying: “The ball is in AdNews’ court to fix the reputation of the awards.”
A few days after publishing the original investigation, Mumbrella obtained a copy of Atomic’s entry into the independent agency of the year category of the B&T Awards, which it won in November.
In its B&T entry, Atomic had claimed that its performance in 2016 made it the first to do “the awards grand slam” of being named agency of the year by awards organisers including Mumbrella, AdNews and New York Festivals.
The incorrect agency of the year claim was part of Atomic’s winning independent agency of the year submission for the B&T Awards
But the actual agency of the year winners were Cummins & Partners for the Mumbrella Awards, The Monkeys for the AdNews Awards and Y&R New Zealand for New York Festivals.
The incorrect “grand slam” claim also appears on Atomic’s website
Claiming “the allegations are, as yet, wholly unproven”, B&T this morning said in an article on the departure of Dooris: “The entry was awarded fairly on its merits and judged by an independent and impartial panel.”
Dooris faced a series of tough questions from the Mumbrella Awards jurors
Atomic also made dubious claims in some of its shortlisted entries in last year’s Mumbrella Awards. However, growing controversy over the AdNews result meant that on the day of the live judging round last May, Dooris was asked a number of tough and direct questions by the Mumbrella Awards jurors, who were not persuaded by his answers. The agency did not win in any categories.
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In a further step towards transparency for its 2018 Awards, Mumbrella announced last month that after the awards have taken place, we will publish features about each of the 30 winners, accompanied by their original entry.
Dixon (left) and O’Brien (right) remain. Dooris (centre) is out
The exit of Dooris leaves executive chairman Barry O’Brien and chief operating officer James Dixon at the helm.
Bill: Got him yes, P**S off you’re out!
Richie : Beautiful piece of investigative journalism that…
Bill: That’s completely F**ked his average Tony.
This is why in 20 years, I have never entered an award, I understand the merit, but it never really interested me.
A bunch of blokes stretching the truth, stroking each other’s egos, isn’t where we want to be playing.
Dooris.
Assuming that it’s true, Dooris’s ordeal as a victim of the Bali bombings 15 years ago must have been harrowing.
Nevertheless, his and DIxon’s cynical and clumsy appropriation of this tragedy, presumably to engender sympathy, is utterly grotesque.
@Sventana, are you fucking serious! have you actually researched this? you [edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy].
Shameless use of a tragedy like Bali to engender compassion is to quote “Sventana – is utterly grotesque”. I think I will put my awful episode in Bali on my resume from now on and also on my award entries. This guy knows no shame. What an [edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy].
I think the context is that the incident has piqued Dooris’s interest in his proposed studies in Political Science and Terrorism. It could have been better written, but I don’t think it’s a cynical grab for sympathy
Saw the headline, and thought smart move to stand aside given the circumstances. Then read the piece about using the Bali bombings as a sympathy vote, and thought what a complete tosser.
Is this true?
Shameful use of the past to cover current sins.
Maybe he should become a monk or priest?
http://www.thecourier.com.au/s.....-bombings/
According to this article he left Carat in 2014. So how has he led the agency as CEO for 8 years? Seems it’s not only him that likes to extend the truth. This would be the time for this in the agency to ensure every piece of communication was accurate and try to restore faith (if any left) for the agency, its clients and most importantly staff.
http://www.adnews.com.au/adnew.....a-director
Dooris was there –
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/jasons-a-lucky-lad-after-bali-escape-28083944.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/bali-bomb-survivor-home-28138842.html
I’m no supporter of Dooris’ actions, but comments suggesting he is using Bali as a sympathy vote or question whether he’s telling the truth are fucking grotesque. Regardless of whether its Jason Dooris or Joe Public, it is both disrespectful and dangerous. I’m surprised Mumbrella even published them.
I get you media agency types have shat yourselves over the injustice of being denied a win in a beauty contest, but try to have a little perspective. Remember, your transparency issues run far deeper than this distraction.
Didn’t stop to consider that perhaps the victim wasn’t an Australian did you?
8 years as CEO of Atomic…Carat must wonder how he was managing to be GM of Woolies in Carat at the very same time and how they really lost Dick Smith to Atomic…
No-one doubts the impact the Bali bombings had on those who were there.,nor, the added burden of losing a friend. However, what in God’s name does that have to do with Dooris’ indefensible behaviour?
Must just be another one of those little typos/massive lies…
Barry launched D212 less than 4 years ago & recruited JD as MD a month later. Clearly a 100% exaggeration mark-up is now the norm here.
Is Jason Dooris the Jarrod Hayne of media?
For those suggesting that the reference to Dooris being a victim of the Bali bombings is grotesque, while it’s clearly relevant to his decision to do the course at Oxford, I think the problem is that the statement makes no mention of the awards fiasco. It implies that the ONLY reason Dooris is leaving is to pursue his dream that has stemmed from the tragedy in this past. So it’s in this way, in my view, that the statement seems to be using tragedy to generate sympathy.
The timing of Dooris leaving is clearly questionable. Perhaps a little more transparency around Dooris’s exit would be warranted, given the agency already has a question mark around integrity.
Tomic 212
Finally someone showed Jason where the Door Is.
Now it’s time for the other agencies who manipulated half truths to win media agency of the year and beat culture awards.
Things to look out for;
Claiming ideas were theirs when they actually came from the creative agency or media vendor.
Using out of date staff retention figures.
Using staff survey results from only one office as nationally they were at an all time low.
Preoccupation with taking down the competition in the same category .
The list goes on. But more scrutiny is needed for these type of awards.
Things to look out for on mumbrella commentary posts:
1. Basking in mock disgust in the belief you are Mother Theresa’s love child and without sin.
2. Commenting because you can, not because you have anything to say.
3. Getting that one liner out that’s been burning a hole in your “creative” bum hole.
4. Being surprised that awards entries are made up, by agencies whose sole focus is to make up stuff.
5. Being able to cut down an agency and an individual that were doing really well (mostly because you’ve never been that good and them being bad makes you feel much better about your own poor life choices)
6. Exercising your anonymous bravery (you may call hypocrite on this but I really am lord lucan).
Let the guy move on, and get on with his life, unbelievable.
As you were.
Tomic212 – pure gold!
Dear Lord Lucan
The problem with your rant is you forget the damage done by Dooris’ actions to people and agencies. Accounts lost. Jobs lost. Revenue lost and/or wasted. All because ‘one’ man chose to deceive. But, you obviously think that’s ok. Mind you, if you can murder the nanny, condoning Dooris’ behaviour is probably fine by you.
I disagree Luke – if not a grab for sympathy, then it is a deflecting tactic. As seen in a number of the comments here, Dooris’ experience in Bali suddenly seems him as more resistant / immune to criticism about any curious award submissions.
I think it also helped people skip over the “undertaking studies in Political Science and Terrorism at Oxford University” bit, which stood out to me as a claim worth considering. A quick glance at the Oxford University website indicates that they don’t appear to offer an explicit “Political Science and Terrorism” course (outside of a one-week summer program / short course).
Perhaps Dooris is going for a Masters or PhD and then focus on terrorism as an area of interest, but Oxford’s Department of Politics and International Relations have already closed their submissions until September 2018. So he’s got to an early start then in preparing for it.
Now, I may have missed the specific course (it was a quick glance), but regardless I saw “Dooris is leaving to go to Oxford University AND he experienced terrorism in Bali” was a curious inclusion in an exit PR statement.
Also: the Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer isn’t given a name in the statement and it’s a very bland comment for an eight (?) year CEO leaving, which I also found interesting.
BRILLIANT
Yeah you’re right. Nothing to see here. In fact – we should send him some flowers.
Got his address?
‘Mother Theresa’s love child and without sin.’
– Get some facts into your armour. Mother Theresa was evil. Withholding their medicine and praying for the dying should have seen her locked up many years before she died. Unforgivable.
He was British – https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/bali-bombings-the-28-british-victims-of-the-bombers-8206242.html
I know it’s from a compet site, but Campaign Brief is reporting “a refocus on media” after ECD departs
http://www.campaignbrief.com/2.....jonas.html