advertising and other stuff. no, really.



Friday, February 9, 2007

This takes guts.

Via Drudge comes word Jim Samples, the president of the Cartoon Network, is stepping down and taking responsibility for the Aqua Teen Hunger Force bomb scare in Boston. Gotta say he’s really taking one for the team. Now, I’m always the first one to say brands are responsible for approving stuff presented to them, but this may be a bit much. If that’s his final decision though, Interference needs to step up and chip in to pay for the OT along with Turner at the very least. A brand shouldn’t take a hit without the agency taking one too. It was their idea in the first place that started the problem – NO MATTER HOW MANY OTHER CITIES WENT BOMB SCARE-FREE. So please save that tired response. Ironically, I bet these two will probably have a book deal by next week.

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6 comments:

Moda di Magno said...

I feel bad for Mr. Samples. However, I wish to clarify your your CAPITALIZED STATEMENT here:

No matter how many cities didn't have things with wires and duct tape attached to their primary highway supports and bridge spans...

The dumbass "artists" (sell-out fucks who took money from an ad agency...) knew what they were doing when they placed those things on the highway (and proceeded to videotape the emergency response.) They need to pony up a little cash - or go rake up a playground or 1200.

xoxo from Boston,
MdM

Anonymous said...

It's a very Japanese response, I thought. Here's a guy that takes full responsibility for something he's probably only partially accountable for. Compare that with the parade of corporate dillweeds in recent history - Kozlowski, Lay et al. Hats off to Samples. I'd hire him. He's much, much smarter now, and his character seems solid.

Anonymous said...

I posted about this on my blog, but I've always been curious (since a non ad-world friend asked me years ago) why major corporations like IBM and GE and Viacom and Turner go around vandalizing cities with wild postings for their products. I realize that these are done by outfits like Interference, who often put up posters that were conceived by ad agencies and all, but bottom line: you ain't supposed to paste posters all over the city. It's littering and it's vandalism. What gives?

Anonymous said...

It's too bad for Samples but on the other hand, it's so fucking rare for someone high up like that to stand up and take responsibility.

Everyone else is too busy trying too to pull the strings on their $20 million parachutes.

Alan Wolk said...

Cynic in me says let's see what Mr. Samples is up to about 2 months from now.

Anonymous said...

He'll probably get something before Roehm does.

;-p