JWT NAMES SEAN BOYLE AS NEW GLOBAL PLANNING DIRECTOR
Ty Montague and Rosemarie Ryan, Co-Presidents of JWT New York, have announced Sean Boyle, 40, as the agency’s new Global Planning Director overseeing all of the JWT global networks’ planning.
“We are really excited that Sean will be joining us,” said Montague. “He has a top drawer pedigree with a vast bank of client and brand experience. Plus, he’s a great Irish story teller.”
Boyle joins JWT from Saatchi & Saatchi, Asia where he was Regional Director of Creative Strategy and Planning for the last five years based in China and Thailand. He previously worked as Planning Director of both SRVT-BAM and Principals in Sydney and in Singapore as Planning Director at BateyAds.
With a career that spans 22 years and two sides of the globe, Boyle has worked with key accounts such as Ford, Guinness, Unilever, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Singapore Airlines, Sony and Mercedes Benz. He began his career in 1987 at O&M, Dublin and was a Board Director of CDP & Associates from 1990-1996.
Boyle is a regular columnist with many trade publications around the world, has lectured and trained advertising students through Award School in Australia and has won creative advertising awards as a writer. He has also produced a feature film – The Long Lunch – which was released in 2003.
In an email to CB, Boyle pulls no punches explaining his move to New York: “I’d kinda hit a wall with Saatchi & Saatchi and my perspectives on where planning needed to go, differed wildly from the senior management of that company. This is a shame cos Saatchis is a great brand and I was sad to leave it. I’ll particularly miss the special partnership (and friendship) I had struck up with Creative Director, Andy Greenaway. I then had a kinda aborted couple of months back in Sydney where I found the industry had regressed spectacularly over the five years I was overseas. Sydney agencies continue to be ruled by rank conservatism… fear… disturbing politics, idiot accountants and a wanky creative clique that needs to be broken up quickly. I have no idea where the concept that an unchallenged client is a happy client actually came from but it seems to be the mantra preached by most CEOs and Senior Account Directors in the majority of ad agencies in the country. There is too much research…particularly pretesting…and not enough intuitive bravery. The agencies that we used to look to for forward thinking and subversion have all been bought up and sold out. The only glimmer of hope to me is that Droga 5 do something…tough, but not impossible. They are certainly the first Sydney agency I’d talk to if I suddenly turned into a client in the morning! Still, as an underdog Irishman, it’s fantastic to see the Kiwis kicking Aussie ass when it comes to great thinking and great creativity!
“And so to New York. I’d been putting off working in London and New York for a long time. Probably cos I was scared. Unsure as to whether I was capable of doing the job. JWT have, in Worldwide Planning Director, Guy Murphy, one of the most inspiring and respected planners in the world at the helm. I had also worked with Craig Davis in my time at Saatchi and between the two of them they convinced me that JWT really was changing. Of course one only has to enter the building here in New York to see that this is the case. Rosemarie Ryan and Ty Montague are equally charismatic leaders who have totally turned this office around. It looks, feels and acts like an ad agency that knows…really knows…that this business is all about producing great work. I am very excited at this new opportunity…especially as I just turned 40 and the only other realistic option was to get my belly-button pierced and buy a Lamborghini!”
69 Comments
Planners. Are they the biggest con-artists in advertising?
Discuss.
Anonymous bloggers.
Are they the biggest time-wasters in advertising? Discuss.
This guy speaks the truth. Onya Sean.
Have some fucking peas.
He sure does. Respect.
Judging by the shot he has a lot of experience in the hydroponics category.
Good luck mate.
You’ll kill it over there.
You’ll be happy to know both Eoin and myself will continue the fine tradition of wiping ourselves off the map every month in your honour.
By the way, the Arj Barker thing we went to just got released on DVD.
Want it?
Andy F
Where’s Tubbs?
Sean is one of the good guys.
And his observation of the industry in Sydney particularly are worth thinking about.
There have always been self-important wankers who form the cool clique in advertising, but how many of them really deserve to be there?
Go Squire go!
Well said Sean.
Actually, my sister used to work on a boat.
Oh hold on, sorry, that was my aunt. She never really liked porridge but I always thought she was lying. Sorry I digress, this is completely irrelevant….
….back to boats.
Granty
sydney creatives sure are wankers
Why do people persist in sending personal messages via this blog? I mean you, Andy F. And your mate Eoin. If you’re such good pals, send the chap a fucking email or phone him.
Shooting from the hip despite the glare of disco lights and a white jacket to contend with. Great work and you hit a bullseye for Sydney’s scene.
DJ
Everywhere seems like a wanky creative clique, when you’re a planner. I have never seen one add anything to a process but they do a great line in sounding knowledgeable. They wax philosophical and their amazing insights wind up as two lines on the brief that the creatives inevitably have to rethink.
So I take it that Sean has no serious plans about going back to work in Sydney again?
that’s awesome to hear a planner speak the truth. and he’s won awards for his writing so i’m guessing he knows when something has legs or doesn’t.
the thing he said about the suits is so true it’s not funny. They seem to have been elevated to the position of ‘agency psychic’ – “I know the client… i know that’s not what they’ll want…”
Piss off suits, and stop trying to do our job :0)
This is pretty funny. The guy gets appointed JWT worldwide planning director and in the press release he basically says JWT Sydney is – like everybody else -crap. You’d think they’d give their people some PR training when they get to that level.
Sounds bloody smart.
Of course there can be great work without great planners but not great work without great creatives and a strong client relationship.
Planners are really like the optional extras pack when you buy a nice car. Nice to have but not essential.
How many great campaigns were conceived without planners ? Discuss.
Have fun in NYC
From the press release, this guy sounds like he really knows his stuff.
Unfortunately, every planner I’ve been exposed to leaves me mystified as to what it is they actually do.
bloody refreshing to read such brutal honesty.
dont know you mate, never worked with you, everything you said was spot on.
used to work in oz and i couldn’t agree with you more.
good to see someone has the balls to come out and say it – retro pic and all.
This post is proudly brought to you by the makers of Brylcream.
Brylcream, slick.
oi 9.45. i reckon people who get paid to draw pictures and judge award shows during work time are the con-artists. Keep drawing KFC ads for Singo bro
Are you sure that is not Robert Palmer in the “Simply irristable” video clip. (not sure if that is how you spell irristable)
If something, this guy deserves total respect for having the balls to say something and put his name to it. Best of lucks in NY.
That has got to be the truest named email or introduction I have ever read on this blog. This guy is speaking so much truth. I don’t care what ‘Anonymous 1’ says, or ‘Anonymous 2-2000’ says, because by signing your names ‘Anonymous’ you become non characteristic, featureless and not at all distinctive. All the things this guy seems like. And the Irish are great storytellers and your industry needs some f.good stories at the moment. I bet a lot come from this guy and his teams.
9:45
Agree totally. We have allowed planners into our lives and even paid them. To do what? Talk with a silver tongue, quote fancy stats and figures and give us creatives nothing. Nothing that we could’ve done ourselves. No decent insight or strategy before the work is created. They are masters at telling us what the strategy is on other people’s work after it’s finished but never seem to be able to deliver before. Fucking useless overpaid wankers. I can honestly say I’ve never met a decent one. (And I’ve worked with alot) They all seem to be tarred with the same brush. Political. Nasty. Sycophantic and a waste of space.
Granted, planners are mostly knobs who get friendly with those above to justify their desk space. However, how many creatives out there can actually think strategically?
So many creatives believe they do, but do they really?
Mind you, planners still suck, don’t get me wrong.
Sorry I am actually a little bit, no, very stoned (and most probably shouldn’t really be on the blog), but I think that ‘Anonymous’ is actually Satan coming out of my fingers.
Nice one, Sean.
Well done for speaking the truth. Wanky is exactly right when describing the culture at Sydney agencies. If you want to act like a tosser – that’s your decision but surely you have to score on the field first.
Sydney is full of lightweights that fail to punch above their weight yet strut round as though they’re the reason why Cannes, great brands and memorable advertising exist.
I think the Publicis Mojo ‘Hidden Truths’ campaign typifies the mean standard in Sydney. Sydney advertising is like the English soccer team; all style, no substance.
Pour yourself a long glass of humility and get back to work.
So all you little geniuses know intuitively what the brief should be, do you?
Frankly, I’m glad some other bugger has gone to see the client, listened to what they said, made a few notes, acquainted him or herself with what the consumer thinks about the product or brand, and turned it all into a brief.
That’s one less thing to figure out.
Leaving us creatives to have all the fun, applying wit/charm/drama/imagination to the proposition.
And Sean, who I admit I’ve never worked with but sunk quite a few beers with, seems to have a very good intellect (for an Irishman) and a great love for the business.
What you tossers don’t seem to understand is we need people like him. They protect us from the real world, and, when they do their job well, provide us with the springboard for what we know best.
Would you rather do the planner’s job? I’m buggered if I would.
4.14,
As an Art Director I’m offended but not surprised at your comment. The very attitude that all creatives do is draw pretty pictures or come up with witty one liners is the very reason clients don’t trust agencies when it comes to having input about an idea.
If you go to a lawyer, you listen to him or you wind up on the block. If you go to a mechanic, you listen to him or you wind up in an accident. Same with Doctors, Accountants, hell even Butchers.
If you come to an ad agency, you sit with planners while they masturbate verbally with every phrase ending in ‘ise’ – strategise, incentivise, formidablise quadruplise.
The clients, who have degrees in marketing (generally, hence why they get paid the big bucks) sit there with blank looks on their faces half the time, sometimes looking at the creatives going ‘what the fuck did he sniff this morning’.
It took me a while to work out why they talk such nonsense. They feel fucking insecure and really don’t have a clue what they’re talking about, so they make up words to sound more intelligent than they are, and use graphs to state shit that is bleeding fucking obvious and not really ground breaking. It’s over compensating, car salesman style, for a lack of being genuinely needed in the agency.
I also wonder. How many planners actually studied or have degree’s? Not many.
This guy however, sounds like he knows his shit, so there is hope for us yet. A no bullshit planner. Wow. That really is a breath of fresh air.
5.43
Sounds to me that you’re real problem is that you’ve worked with bad planners, but by all means, feel free to go ahead and generalise about all of them. Twit.
Thanks for adding some evidence to the ‘wanky creative clique’ comment.
I’m a creative, and yes, when planners are bad, they’re useless. But good ones are unbelievably invaluable. But you could say that about any department/role in the process, not just planning.
Ironic that you get on your soapbox and throw out words from your thesaurus like nasty, sycophantic and waste of space, when that’s exactly all your blog was. Hypocrite.
Oh, and ‘useless overpaid wankers’?
Welcome to advertising!
Isn’t this the same guy who was at Patts Sydney for a short time?
Interesting this hasn’t been mentioned above. Patts people – what’s the story there?
“rank conservatism”
“fear”
“disturbing politics”
“idiot accountants”
“wanky creative clique”
Fuck off.
There’s still plenty of hard-working people in the Sydney agencies, whether you want to admit it or not.
Don’t fucking generalise.
8:24
Your over defensive response makes it painfully obvious you are one of the very people I’m talking about.
The guy talks sense
Am not going to add to the argument over whether planners are worthless. Those espousing this view tend to be mediocre creatives anyway and all sense of proportion goes out of the window when they feel disagreed with! Planning is an integral part of the process and I personally can’t see that changing.
Agencies need more people like Boyle. Hope it goes well for him in NY
To quote Sean: “Sydney agencies continue to be ruled by rank conservatism… fear… disturbing politics, idiot accountants..” and ” I have no idea where the concept that an unchallenged client is a happy client actually came from”…..That’s the story when he was at Patts, 9:06.
The real question is…why is a guy who gets it this much working at JWT?
Miss ya Mate.
11:20
Stop justifying your totally useless, non functioning., obsolete job.
The planner.
I think he’s absolutely spot on.
I’ve worked in four countries and this is, by far, the most paranoid, terrified agency environment I’ve ever had the misfortune to work in.
I get a pat on the back when we’ve had a ‘good meeting’ – we didn’t sell the work but we had a ‘good meeting.’
The work’s utter, utter shit and it seems the more you agree with the cretin client, the more money they throw at you.
Oh, and I work in a supposedly ‘creative’ agency.
And before I’m told to fuck off – I’m WAY ahead of you.
I love this guy!
Never met him but he sure does speak the truth!
Australian advertising sucks balls. And we all know it. So we try make it better by holding wanky lunches and kissing one another’s asses.
Irish planner man, you rock! well done for getting the fuck out of aussie advertising.
does anyone know when the next legendary lunch is?
No, fuck this Sean guy.
All he’s doing is putting himself up as some kinda guru.
We all know advertising is full of tossers.
We also know there are some red hot professionals.
Not a lot, but a few.
Always has been been, always will be.
I actually work with a great planner. The briefs actually contain insights, good propositions and sound strategy. First time for everything.
I read this announcement + blog with some interest as I know Sean, am a planner, who has come back to Australia after working in NY etc and have worked with JWT.
Firstly, Sean congrats. This town is too small for you. The question is not whether you have the talent but whether you have the temperament to cope with global JWT politics.JWT is a dinosaur caught in transition between old and new ways of thinking. I am sure there are an island of great people but the rest of the place is shit.
2ndly planning. When it is good it is invaluable. However, as a judge of the creative planning awards I was dismayed to see that in many cases the strategy was clearly coming from the creative department. Maybe the issue is that most big agencies don’t know the difference between good and bad.
3rd. You come back to Australia for love not for job satisfation. It’s all that Sean claims.
Good luck!
I’ve worked with a lot of planners and Sean is one of them.
he is the only one who has ever been truly inspirational. I’d work with him again in a heartbeat.
you should all go back. this is a very stupid discussion…as usual
well done sean
oh boy woozles.. you sure have set the cat amongst the pigeons!
8:55 it’s like buddhism. It’s all shit we already know. But sometimes you need to be told.
If you think Sydney has regressed you should try Melbourne. It’s regressed 10 years.
Hey 11.49, I don’t need to be told by “Sean Gods” or Arrogant 11.49’s.
Fuck off. Get your head out of your arse.
.
Did Sean God Planner plan this pr? God he’s good.
Is this guy the Darren Lyons of Advertising?
Nice one Mister Boyle,
Get my number from Flemming and shout as you’re ever passing through London.
Know some good lads in NYC too, if you like to soften the Landing.
Jones
4:12, it’s obvious you can’t be told a thing.
Why doesn’t anyone pretend they just did it for the money instead of rambling off this whole ‘creativity’ bullshit?
Saatchi’s to JWT. Pretty obvious.
Out of the frying pan and into the Boyle!
To the victor go the Boyles.
Commenting can be so inane.
For real public opinion insights, go to urtak.com
Go to urtak.com and help transform the nature of public opinion research.
Maybe you’ll pick up a few good ideas, too.
Is the jingle making a comeback in tv advertising?
http://urtak.com/questions/2588/results
Sean Boyle drinks at my bar STITCH
Your all welcome too !
Nick Cohen – STITCH Bar & Lounge
(Is this considered Marketing ????)
Ah. I thought he was an ok bloke before I found out where he drinks. Next.
get fucked… all of you
come one lets get this guy to 100 comments.
For hypocrisy if nothing else he deserves it….
I’m sure he’s a great guy but couldn’t he get a better photo?
Advetising’s biggest threat is complacency and the ability to settle for mediocrity just because its client approved. That’s why the business needs people like Sean Boyle. Sydney’s loss is New York’s gain. And in the old show business maxim of always leave them laughing here’s one:
Q: What did the Zen Buddist say to the Hot Dog Vendor.
A: Can you make me one with everything!
For God’s sake, stop talking about Sean. He loves it, and he’ll sit up all night reading this stuff, masturbating furiously. Now stop it.
i worked with sean for a while actually. and i can tell you he’s a planner with balls (sometimes too much for the faint hearted) and he’s a true thinker. i wouldn’t try to box him in as just a ‘planner’, he had some great creative executional ideas and would often contribute tvc, print, and interactive ideas to an assignment. yeah he can be in your face, but if i were a client i would be appreciative someone was challenging my thinking.
What is this Island of Austrailia you all speak of? They have advertising?
All you people out there saying this guy knows his stuff, speaks the truth, blah blah, blah, he obviously doesn’t know enough to realise that it’s not smart to burn your bridges as he has done here.
He can forget about coming back to Sydney – because no agency will have him after this baseless fucking rant.
I wonder if he also classifies JWT Sydney’s office as also being crap like all the others?
And if the guy is so good, why didn’t he start his own fucking agency in Sydney and show everyone else (and the clients) how it’s done?
Sorry, but his comments are bullshit and just don’t stack up.
if you can afford a Lamborghini, even with that high-falutin’ title, then do call me Loreleilee.
Hello Sean visit us here in Moscow I would love to cook spicy food for you.We miss you so much!!!!