Star team Justine Armour and Ruth Bellotti quit Mojo, Sydney to explore several options in the US
The defections at Publicis Mojo Sydney continue with the latest departure being top creative team, Justine Armour and Ruth Bellotti, who are leaving the agency at the end of this month with high hopes of landing a gig in the USA.
Their departures come just over two months after ECD Micah Walker quit the agency, as reported exclusively by CB back in July, resulting in Mojo regional chief creative officer, Craig Davis taking on creative leadership responsibilities for the Sydney office.
Armour (above left) and Bellotti (above right) are currently on the way back to Australia after exploring several options in the US.
If they do land a US gig (together or separately) it will mean their husbands will be joining them. Simon Armour is currently a creative at JWT Sydney and Bellotti’s husband Alex Derwin is a senior creative at The Monkeys, Sydney.
Armour and Bellotti’s lastest work at Mojo was the highly regarded Hahn ‘Pioneering Beering’ spot directed by Tom Kuntz. Another co-creation was the James Boag’s Premium ‘Glassblowers’ spot. Separately Bellotti co-created the awarded Burn ‘Ride’ campaign while Armour co-created the James Boag’s Draught print campaign.
34 Comments
Is there anybody left that can write or draw?
Ruth’s not going to be happy with that photo, Lynchy.
Management’s job one, retaining top creative staff. Check ✓.
re: ruth piccy comment
yeah, did they nick that off her Facebook page? haha
Really hope you pick up work in the US.
Groucho,
Don’t mean ‘is there anybody left who can write or draw?’
you go girls
You can tell when someone is about to leave an agency. You receive a Linkedin request completely out of the blue.
Mark Grimace,
Doh!!!
I’m very happy for the two of you.
Michael. It’s one thing commenting on a team leaving an agency. It’s an entirely personal matter who they are married to. It’s totally fucking inappropriate.
@Someone when you need them – Plus, they’ll just recently have become Facebook friends with a well known recruiter.
Both are champions and super nice. They’ll kill it wherever they go.
Are you breaking the news to their husband’s agencies that they’re going to be resigning soon too?
Mark Grimace
No Mark you twat I don’t mean ‘is there anybody left WHO can write and draw’ because I am including the agency mice, cockroaches, and the pigeons on the windowsills so put your tiny pecker away and stop grimacing.It is so obvious what you are doing.
How could anyone with any creative judgement let go the team that did that superb james Boag Premium spot? If I was an ECD I would quit myself to keep those two.
Hmmmmmmmmmm, now there is an idea.
@Pitch Doctor 5:25PM
The team left the building 2 months ago. They go by the name of ‘Micah Walker’.
MOJO
metal after metal after metal – and fuck all to show for it
another example of how fucked up this self obsessed industry is……
Three things:
1. Mojo are crazy to let these two go.
2. If they were males, would you have commented on their wives’ ? This seems a little uncool.
3. Go ladies – I am betting you land an awesome gig in the US.
What I don’t get about the Burn work is Skateboarders have been making films like that for 20 years…but when an ad agency does it, it’s some sort of creative genius..mmmm
I’m with confused.
@MMEEEE
When you refer to ‘metal’ I assume you mean awards?
So metal after metal after metal would equate to quite a lot to show for it, wouldn’t it?
Not the best time to be looking for a gig in the states…
8:29 – the amount of extremely talented Aussies that have defected there in the past few years would probably beg to differ. London finished when flash-mobbing became an excuse for a campaign.
Great to see the greatest girl team make the leap. Can’t believe we talked about their husbands – it really is SO unusual to have women who are married on the Blog, isn’t it…
@ Duh
yes, it obviously means awards and no, it doesn’t equate to a lot because the agency has hit rock bottom – the same agency that invested in the awards to boost its business/perception whatever the fuck you want to call it. So how good is the Mojo brand now?
basic stuff……..
@MMEEE
So let’s get this straight, you’re saying Mojo has won shit loads of awards and because of that it’s hit rock bottom?
A couple of people leaving isn’t rock bottom. Losing 90% of your clients is rock bottom. People come and go at agencies all the time.
Congratulations! Mojo’s loss is definitely another agencies gain! You’re both way to talented for that place.
@MMEEE
NO, I am not saying awards are the cause, but you’ve just proved my point.
How on earth does an agency that has cleaned up at awards lose 90% of its clients??? Why would clients leave if the creative dept is so ‘amazing’ ?????
You don’t see clients racing out of Clems Melb……….
To my original point – metal after metal after metal and fuck all to show for it.
Clients don’t give a shit about awards.
@MMEEE
Sydney office, where the girls are leaving, hasn’t lost any clients to my knowledge.
Unless you know different?
I don’t understand your argument, mate.
@MYOB – Try not to cry
The one sided story. Bloody hell, journalists are getting effing lazy. You guys state the bleeding obvious. What is the agency POV on the team leaving? Who are they talking to in the US? To make a good story please canvas other opinions. If those opinions were sought but declined to comment, then say so.
You can have the best creative department in the world, but if the rest of the agency is as genuinely political, self interested and lacking in talent as mojo, well then you’re bound for difficulty. Clems has a great department, but also a great group of talented people around it. It makes all the difference in the world.