STEVE MCCLELLAN

Articles by Stephen All articles by Stephen

• Publicis, The Trade Desk Resolve Months-Long Dispute in MAD on 06/12/2026
  

  In March, Publicis alleged TTD was violating its master agreement, and failed an audit which led it to stop recommending TTD to clients. TTD denied the allegations.

• Clean Creatives Will Push Cannes Lions To Stop Awarding Work Promoting Fossil Fuels in MAD on 06/12/2026
  

  The group will make its case on panel sessions and in the streets (particularly along the Croisette) where it will solicit pledges from agencies to shun work related to fossil fuels.

• GSTV First Media Company To Sign Up For Stagwell's SATS Planning System in MAD on 06/11/2026
  

  SATS, part of Stagwell Marketing Cloud, is an AI-powered platform that replaces demographic assumptions with real-time, behavioral audience insights to optimize media planning.

• AKQA CEO Shah Adds Strategy Role To His WPP Remit in MAD on 06/11/2026
  

  WPP said Shah will work with WPP's management team and board on developing a strategic plan for competing effectively and achieving long-term growth.

• Havas Acquires Experiential Agency Archrival in MAD on 06/10/2026
  

  The agency will be aligned with the holding company's own specialist in the field, Havas Play in North America.

• Dentsu Revives 360i As U.S. Social-First Solution in MAD on 06/10/2026
  

  The solution - Dentsu stressed it is not a full-blown agency - will be comprised of a small team led by Christine Cotter, most recently president of social innovation at WPP's Ogilvy. Earlier she was a social media executive at Amazon.

• M+C Saatchi NA Taps Hermer For Dual C-Suite Role in MAD on 06/09/2026
  

  Hermer joins from Publicis Groupe, where he spent more than 13 years in several senior roles. Most recently, he served as global CFO across two of Publicis Groupe's largest international client relationships, Heineken and Samsung.

• Horizon Partners With AI Content Startup Kartel in MAD on 06/10/2026
  

  Kartel was founded in 2024 and is now helmed by longtime TV executive Kevin Reilly, who joined the startup last year as CEO.

• How Cutting Entry-Level Agency Jobs Impacts The Entire Industry in MAD on 06/08/2026
  

  New report from the 4As and DBC suggests agencies have killed the traditional "apprenticeship model" used to develop the next generation.

• Accenture To Acquire Creator/Social Agency Whalar in MAD on 06/08/2026
  

  Whalar Group will enter a three-year strategic partnership with Accenture Song "focused on driving innovation in the creator economy and granting access to the wider Whalar Group," the companies stated in a release.

Comments by Stephen All comments by Stephen

• Interpublic's R/GA Taken Private By Truelink Capital by Steve McClellan (MAD on 03/03/2025)
  

  Good question, Scott. Not disclosed so far. 

• International Advertising Association Establishes North American Chapter by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 03/17/2023)
  

  Michael, the IAA has had a New York chapter but has never had a North America chapter. This will encompass all of the US, Canada and Mexico, according to the group. Thank you for rasing the point as the article should have provided that background. 

• How Much Does Gun Advertising Contribute To All The Killing? by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 06/01/2022)
  

  Steve, here is a link to the NYT story referrenced in the Whitman column. It does not show the videogame type ads described in the piece. It does link to a Daniel Defense ad featuring children. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/28/business/daniel-defense-rifle-texas-shooting-gun.html?searchResultPosition=1

• New Era At Accenture Interactive As Droga Is Poised To Take The Reins by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 08/23/2021)
  

  Oops, thanks for pointing that out John.

• 4A's Creates Agency Review Participation Agreement by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 08/24/2021)
  

  Hi Michael, I think you're right--an effort to make clients aware agencies have major issues with the current process, particularly when the client doesn't retain professional help with the search. No power per se. 

• Agency Review Activity Spikes After Quiet 2020 by Steve McClellan (MAD on 07/09/2021)
  

  Hi Michael, the $544 million figure is a net figure that does take into account losses. No doubt marketers are pressing for lower fees/prices whereever they can find them, with all suppliers. But the spike probably does reflect the fact that marketers put off reviews last year to deal with other more pressing COVID-related issues. 

• Imagine A Pro Sports Team Called The 'New York Jews' by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 07/13/2020)
  

  Ed, I think the hockey team has a claim on the Capitals name there, although St. Louis had both a baseball Cardinals and a football Cardinals for some time. To your broader point, yeah, there are a lot options for non-offensive names. 

• Despite Rumors To The Contrary, Manly Men Drink Rose by Richard Whitman (Mediapsssst on 08/06/2017)
  

  Thanks Nicholas, as editor of this column I should have caught that. Appreciate that you did. 

• Brands Failing To Provide Quality Training In Media Skills by Steve McClellan (MAD on 10/28/2016)
  

  It is J.R., although it's usually not referred to as 'educatiing' and frequently it is people below the c suite. But often agencies meet with clients to 'brief' them on this or that issue. Which makes sense given that the former are supposed to be experts in the field. 

• Agencies React To Finger-Pointing, 4As Calls ANA Report Anonymous, One-Sided by Steve McClellan (MAD on 06/07/2016)
  

  Thanks for catching that Michael, now fixed.

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