Sapient Nitro makes 15 redundant after Stockland Residential loss
The loss of the Stockland Residential account has led to the exit of 15 staff at ad agency Sapient Nitro.
Originally said by Sapient Nitro to have meant “minimal” casualties, the departure of the residential homes giant has led to the exit of a creative director in Melbourne and Sydney, a head of studio, senior producer and account director among others, the agency has confirmed.
Paul Bennett, the agency’s national MD and VP, told Mumbrella in a statement: “As part of its business consolidation efforts, Stockland Residential decided to shift advertising duties away from SapientNitro. (Our relationship with Stockland Commercial remains unaffected.)”
“The consolidation has prompted us to consider what is most needed for our business going forward and resulted in the unfortunate exit of fewer than 15 people across all of SapientNitro’s Australia offices. This was a tough but necessary decision that will help better align our capabilities and skills mix with the company’s evolving strategic direction of connecting brands with digitally enabled consumers,” he said.
Sapient Nitro has around 110 staff in offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The agency was a result of an acquisition of CumminsNitro in 2009. Sean Cummins later left the business, and subsequently launched CumminsRoss.
Stockland Residential centralised its national advertising spend into Clemenger BBDO Sydney after a pitch earlier this month.
I’m no longer in the agency game, thank god, but I do wonder whether the decision to change agencies is made with the same gravitas as a decision to make 15, in this case, staff redundant. I’m all too familiar with the view that “business is business”, but I also think that the view of the-corporation-as-psychopath is an interesting one which deserves a bit more of an airing.
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“that will help better align our capabilities and skills mix with the company’s evolving strategic direction of connecting brands with digitally enabled consumers”
Wut?
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Lovely, just in time for christmas, this business is a cruel bitch. Sympathies to everyone affected and know that you will find something better soon. It always works out.
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@meh, I always remind myself of this quote
“Everything works out in the end. if it hasn’t worked out yet, then it’s not the end.”
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Enlightenment is ego’s ultimate disappointment.
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