Sir Martin Sorrell: “People Look Back At The Don Draper-Era With Rose-Tinted Glasses”
He may have long since departed his beloved WPP, however, Sir Martin Sorrell still has many a sage word about the company he founded and the advertising world in general.
Since leaving WPP in April under a cloud, the 73-year-old has taken a number of potshots at WPP’s direction, in particular, a lot of the creative agencies he believes aren’t keeping up with the times.
In an interview with the BBC over the weekend, Sorrell – who it’s often said took the creative out of creative agencies – lambasted those who still pined for the good old days.
“There are new forms of creativity in things like data analysis, in digital transformation. People look back at the Don Draper/madmen-era with rose-tinted glasses,” he said.
Far from retiring, Sorrell has begun his latest venture into the advertising world, S4 Capital, which recently purchased digital production company MediaMonks for $A472 million.
When asked if the new venture was a form of revenge on WPP, Sorrell said: “There may be a bit of that – but what I’m most interested in is building a business to scale. Some people found things and move on, others build businesses, very few can do both.”
In the far-reaching interview, Sorrell also denied that he’d misused company funds while at the helm of WPP and described allegations that he’d slept with prostitutes on the company credit card as “Not true. There was an investigation and it turned up nothing.”
However, he did admit that he’d often micromanaged WPP, a company with some 200,000 employees globally. “Founding a company is the nearest a man can come to giving birth. Emotionally rather than physically obviously – but it’s your baby.
“I asked myself this question – who is really looking out for this company? And the answer is, no one apart from me. And by the way, micro-management is not a fault,” he said.
Meanwhile, in an interview with the UK’s The Sunday Times yesterday, Sorrell branded WPP’s decision to sell its stake in the digital marketing company Globant as “bordering on negligent” and claimed there was no one left to “look out for” WPP now he’d left.
“The one thing I’d criticise them for so far, and I would be very aggressive about it, is the sale of the Globant stake. I think it is bordering on negligent,” he said.
“There really is nobody looking out for WPP. Founders have different attitudes to managers . . . founders have a personal commitment to the company they founded, which it is very difficult to replicate,” he said.
Latest News
Optus Offers Victorians Free Access To Optus Sport
Locked down Victorians who don’t currently have an Optus Sport subscription will have complimentary access to Optus Sport from this weekend to enjoy the UEFA Champions League tournament plus access to premium health and fitness content through the Optus Sport app. UEFA Champions League – the world’s premier continental football tournament – kicks off at […]
Torrens University Australia Launches ‘Career Crush’ Via VCCP Sydney & Lash
Torrens University Australia has launched ‘Career Crush’ via VCCP Sydney and Lash, to help match students with a career they’ll love. Career Crush is an online quiz that determines prospective students’ personal strengths, passions and aspirations to match them with the careers and courses they’re most compatible with. One of the toughest decisions young people […]
Is Imitating An Accent Racist? 23% Of Aussies Think So
Study reveals it's no longer acceptable to call a colleague a "flamin' galah" or announce that "a dingo's got my baby".
Audi Unveils Latest Campaign ‘Raised By Racecars’ Via The Monkeys
Who doesn't love new work from The Monkeys? Unless, of course, you're a rival agency who just lost the account, that is.
Gaming Mums? The Key Demographic That Advertisers Are Missing
Study finds mums are turning to gaming. Apparently, not drinking 24 Red Bulls & living off Uber Eats while doing it.
Gen Z Men Say Feminism’s Gone Too Far & Makes It Harder For Men To Succeed
New study reveals Gen Z men now the fourth straight consecutive generation in a row to get the willies from feminism.
Study Finds Both Conservative & Feminist Women React “Positively” To Sexualised Advertising
This study's quite academic, so B&T has had to edit out the bits where we had no idea what the boffins were on about.
JCDecaux Brings Real Red Nose Day Heroes To life To Help Raise Funds For SIDs
We're big red nose supporters here in the B&T office. Admittedly, it's more a gin thing than a child charity one.
Pedestrian Partners With With NZ’s Mi9 To Expand Commercial Offering
Pedestrian Group has partnered with Nine subsidiary Mi9 New Zealand to offer NZ brands the opportunity to partner with the likes of Business Insider Australia, Pedestrian.tv and Gizmodo Australia. Next month, Mi9 New Zealand will be representing Pedestrian Group in the NZ market, offering clients the opportunity to work with leading youth publications including Lifehacker […]
triple J Hack’s Avani Dias To Work On Collaborative Four Corners Investigation
triple J's Avani Dias to work on a Four Corners investigation which will no doubt be depressing judging by Four Corners.
ACCC Admits It Doesn’t Penalise Influencers For Breaking Sponsored Content Rule
ACCC set to keep a keener eye on influencers, as Rod Sims reveals pearly whites thanks to Kendall Jenner whitening pen.
“An Inflection Point”: News Corp CEO On What The ACCC’s News Payment Code Means For Journalism
No one hates the tech giants quite like News Corp. So, expect plenty of the usual barbs, swipes, sprays & vitriol here.
Seven Announces Spotlight Investigations Team Covering Breaking News & Deep Dives
Seven unveils new 'Spotlight Investigations' team that B&T hopes will use a proton pack & Neutrino Wand to bust ghosts.
News Corp Earnings Slump 20%, As CV-19 And Local Assets Drag The Business Into The Red
Rupert sends threatening internal staff memo that he'll "release the monkeys", as News' numbers bleed red.
Thursday TV Wrap: Nine & Seven Thursday Night Footy Clash Sees AFL Come Out On Top
TV served-up the veritable footy feast last night. Or, if that didn't tickle your fancy, there were trains over at SBS.
Run, Don’t Walk! B&T Awards Entries Closing In Exactly One Week!
Hear that clock ticking? That's your one week warning for B&T Award entries. It'll be the steel drums next, we warn you.
VCNI To Launch SVOD Service Featuring ViacomCBS Content, Replaces 10 All Access
ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a division of ViacomCBS, is launching a premium streaming service internationally, appealing to audiences of all ages. The new SVOD service will start its international roll-out early in 2021, offering exclusive premieres of all new SHOWTIME series, including Halo and American Rust. CBS All Access originals will also premiere exclusively on the new service, such […]
PubMatic Grows Team To 500, Set To Make Another 80 Hires In 2020
Much like the peacock's exotic plumage, this PubMatic news has its share of showing-off. Not that it's mating season.
“Buy A Hammer & F@ck Off!” ‘Chopper’ Read Reveals His Own “Karen From Bunnings” Ad
Let B&T end the week as we started it, with ANOTHER "Karen from Bunnings" story. Or, how we ended the week previous.
Optus ‘Yes’ Brand Mark Taken Into New Territory By FutureDeluxe
As part of a larger project to refine their brand with partner branding agency Re, Optus have engaged experimental creative studio FutureDeluxe to explore how the iconic ‘Yes’ brand mark behaves in a sophisticated 3D environment. FutureDeluxe have produced a series of 8x idents and a number of static key visuals which will be used […]
“Clean ‘Em Out!” Political Candidate Threatens Rivals With A Colonoscopy In Oddball Ad For US Elections
With the US presidential elections a mere three months away, B&T's just going to sit back & watch the lunacy flood in.
Nike & Wieden+Kennedy Unveil First Work For Liverpool FC
Liverpool has given us many great things, including The Beatles, head butts & football hooliganism. Now comes this ad.
Women In Print Starts New Chapter & Finds New Home
For some reason B&T's illustrated this Women In Print story with a computer screen. Yes, an investigation is underway.
Emotive Partners With YouTube And The United Nations
Creative agency, Emotive, and Good Oil Films, is partnering with YouTube and the United Nations to raise awareness around the importance of quality education, which forms part of the UN’s Global Goals for sustainable development.
HWBK Retains Seven Miles & Secures Campaign Work With Marine Stewardship Council
As this photo proves, gone are the days when it was shorties to the front, tallies to the back & polkadots were a no-no.
Grill’d Launches 100% Natural Campaign
Hungry Jacks may claim its "burgers are better", but Grill'd can most certainly claim its are four times more expensive.
LinkedIn Perfectly Captures The Realities Of WFH In New Spot
Sadly, new campaign doesn't answer why people look far more attractive in their LinkedIn photo than in real life.
Zuckerberg: Regulating Targeted Ads Will Hurt Small Businesses
Zuckerberg slams regulators and issues terse warning to whomever's using his squeezable mayonnaise in the staff fridge.
Televised Church Service Catches The Full Fury Of The Beirut Explosion
Arguably, church is one place you'd want to be during a massive explosion. But as this proves, a bank vault's better.
Trump Interviews Trump In A Hilarious Mashup Of His Car-Crash TV Interview With Aussie Journo
It's not often you hear "leader of free world" & "comedic genius" in the same sentence, such is the Trump presidency.
