MEC boss Vogel calls for ‘more professional behaviour’ in wake of Nestlé account win
MEC boss Peter Vogel
More professional business behaviour is needed if the media agency industry is to earn respect for its work, MEC Australia chief executive Peter Vogel has said in a response to a letter of congratulations from a rival.
Last week ZenithOptimedia CEO Ian Perrin sent an open letter to Vogel in an attempt to end the “vicious cycle” of accusations usually levelled by the losers of a pitch, after MEC won Nestle from them. He said the “best team won” and acknowledged how Nestlé ran an “open and ethical process”.
Vogel has now penned his own letter in response, saying it was “refreshing” for the incumbent agency not to cry foul or spread “other misinformation about the appointment”.
“If we want our industry to be respected for the great work that we produce and the commercial benefits that we deliver to our clients, we will need more of this professional business behaviour,” he wrote.
Perrin’s letter, which followed the appointment of MEC to handle the media strategy, planning and buying for Nestle, drew a mixed response with some in the industry accusing Perrin of a PR stunt and suggesting a personal letter would have carried more meaning.
Perrin responded on Mumbrella by confirming he had sent a personal note in addition to the open letter.
“I agree with the sentiment of those who think a personal letter would have been a better option,” he wrote. “I actually sent one to Pete earlier in the week. But with so much negativity in our industry, it felt like an opportunity to make a more positive, public statement, however contrived it may appear.”
Steve Jones
The letter from Vogel in full:
Hi Ian,
To be honest, I’m not surprised that I received this letter from you – and that’s a real compliment to you and the way that you operate.
Our team put a lot of hard work into the Nestlé pitch and were very proud of the work we produced. So, it was very refreshing for the incumbent agency not to undermine the significance of this win for us, by crying foul or spreading other misinformation about the appointment.
We are extremely excited about the opportunity to work with Nestlé, and I think they should also be complimented for the professional way in which they ran the review.
If we want our industry to be respected for the great work that we produce and the commercial benefits that we deliver to our clients, we will need more of this professional business behaviour.
I hope your example makes us all more gracious in both victory and defeat moving forward.
Best wishes to you and your team.
Cheers, Peter
Guys, just email eachother direct.
User ID not verified.
Peter and Ian sitting in a tree….
Seriously great stuff guys.
User ID not verified.
Very touching, but its much more fun when there are punch-ups…
User ID not verified.
Nice one, and congrats on the win!
User ID not verified.
Would do most people think when a senior agency exec announces a pitch win and in the same sentence says they won it ethically and not in a dodgy manner.
“Mmm, I wonder why he said that …”
Alex, can you poll the answer please.
User ID not verified.
Imagine this scenario. TV ratings finish after 40 weeks of a cat fight and David Gyngell rings Tim Worner and says well played you were the best!!!!. Don’t know who is winning to date but same response in reverse. And by the way the ratings system is 100% right all the time – As Michael Caton would say “tell them they are dreamin”
User ID not verified.