Sampson to Subaru: You’re fired

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Sampson Todd NEW.JPGLeo Burnett Sydney CEO Todd Sampson has fired Subaru, one of the agency’s most prestigious and awarded clients, after more than a decade together.

In an email to Leo Burnett staff, Sampson said: “We talk a lot about our priorities: People. Product. Profit (in that order) and sometimes that means we have to make some hard decisions. This is one of those hard decisions.

“Yesterday we fired Subaru. As you know Subaru decided to change its working model to one where their agencies pitch against each other for every brief. You know better than anyone that pitching is really hard on you, our culture and our current clients. We simply don’t want to work that way. We deserve better.

“We have had a long relationship with Subaru, of which the last 10 years were record sales, so we all need to act professionally in ending this relationship. Whilst they have not treated us well recently, they are not bad people.”