This is a follow-up to my earlier story regarding the anti-American ads created by the Johannesburg office of Ogilvy & Mather. Sometime late last night, Ed Driscoll noted that the ads in question had been removed from the CLIO Awards page. I contacted CLIO again and here is their official statement on the removal of the ads:
“The CLIO Awards have removed the advertisements from the 2009 winners list and shortlist on the website until further investigation.”
Recall that their earlier comment was:
“Part of the CLIO Awards entry submission process for judging does include criteria that the work submitted must run/be published in order to be considered. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and we will contact the agency and look into this matter.”
If Ogilvy did indeed submit ads to CLIO which did not actually run then it seems clear they are in violation of the rules. Still no comment from Ogilvy on the awards or regarding A&E denying any and all knowledge of the ads.
Click Here if you wish to contact Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Dan McLaughlin
Very Nicely Done
MikeO Friday, May 22nd at 12:28PM EST (link)Caleb,
Your investigation forced action, and it is sweet to know that you set CLIO, Ogilvy & Mather, and A&E to struggling with whatever farcical notions of integrity they think important enough to preserve in the face of the rank dishonesty of anti-Americanism in the ads.
Should they fight amongst themselves, I am rooting for casualties.