Interpublic chairman urges rivals to do more good, as WPP boss says tobacco work is a personal choice

The chairman of holding company Interpublic Group used his platform at Advertising Week Europe to call on his peers to do more good in the world, minutes before the boss of rival group WPP was asked on the same stage to defend working for tobacco companies.

Michael Roth, chairman of Interpublic, and Mark Read, CEO of WPP, were among the opening speakers at the London conference. Although they did not appear on stage together, both were asked about the issue of brand purpose, and the advertising industry’s wider responsibilities to society.

Roth brought over from the US client Anne Finucane, vice chairman of Bank of America, to speak about projects including efforts to provide clean water in the third world.

He said: “When you think of purpose-driven advertising, it’s pretty clear that companies that participate on particular issues, and part of their communications and advertising have component of that, perform better.

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