ROOKEY REPLACES ROCKY AT CLEMS
Following the appointment of Guy Rooke as associate CD, Clemenger BBDO, Sydney deputy CD Rocky Ranallo has left the agency. New ECD Richard Maddocks confirmed Ranallo had gone but the rest of the 11 strong mainstream creative department would remain and possibly another team added soon.
Ranallo had been acting CD since the transfer of former ECD Danny Searle to regional ECD of BBDO based in Singapore back in June last year. Says Ranallo: “I’ve done nothing wrong, quite the opposite, it’s simply a case of a new broom. I’ve been replaced by someone Richard sees as more suited to where the agency is going. Meanwhile, I’ll be exploring all possibilities. I’ll be looking at a deputy CD role somewhere, that’s where my real value is.”
A former long term Campaign Palace creative (for 18 years), Ranallo was originally hired with his partner Craig Moore (Moose) in 2004 by Searle. Moose left last year and is now at Sydney based shop, One for All.
Ranallo can be contacted on 0408 499 690 or via email
43 Comments
All the best Rocky. Yet again Clem’s loss is someone else’s… etc
The next agency to snatch up Rocky will soon see why we all fell in love with him at Clems. A great creative and a heart of gold! Good on you Rock
I reckon this is a great example of how our industry gets things the wrong way round. A new CD comes in and wants to mould the world in His own image. What if the agency’s client base was happy with the erstwhile deputy CD? It’s irrelevant because the new broom has His own vision. The new broom has a vision of the kinds of ads He wants to produce to win at Cannes next year. It’s all way way too predictible. I just hope he lasts longer than the Mike O experiment at Clems in Melbourne and that not too many people get hurt in the process.
Sorry to hear Rocky.
Unfortunately, these days your a rooster one day, feather duster the next.
No industry treats its people as shabbily as ours. On the other hand, Rich Maddocks is like a breath of fresh air and if anyone can drag Clems Sydney into the 21st century it’s him.
So true 3.47. However if the new broom really wants to win at Cannes He should have kept Rock on. Rocky does high quality, hard-working creative product, that wins awards. Bloke’s a true pro. This is a tragedy for Clems, but great for the lucky bastards who hire Rock.
I love this industry.
Watch you’re grammar Andy.
Don’t know about feather dusters, but there’ a lot of vacuum cleaners in our industry.
7:21, is that you Rocky?
Big loss for Clems. One of the best Art Directors in the industry, an industry that these days doesn’t value true creative now (clients and agencies alike, client – producers/art directors now, agencies – “OK, we don’t want to lose the account so we’ll just do whatever you inexperienced, power hungry arseholes that are paying our wages say/want”). So sad, but, by god, some other agency is going to be very, very lucky to have you Rock.
Onya mate! You’re truely one of the best.
x
There’s a long term pattern here. Wait till Rich finds what it’s like to sit next to the bearded clam
What a waste of talent
Agencies are so busy trying to be different they’re all starting to look the same.
Every time I see another CD wanting to do standout work I know more of the same old ‘new’ work is just around the corner
At least Singo had the guts to really be different!
Good call, Singo!
Have a look at the NZ Creative Circle Blog then fellas (www.nzcreativecircle.blogspot.com). DDB is being caned for its posturing and flip flopping. Same kind of shit, but it’s MUCH worse. We should all be changing our contracts to include danger money.
Sorry, my broom hit the wrong guy. It was meant for Watson.
Richard
Interesting. Let’s see if Mr Maddocks remains true to his word and the rest of the department do remain – we’ve all seen those promises before. Sounds like he’s a bit of an impulsive broom to me and might be a tad concerned about an award winner like Rocky showing him up. Watch your backs and hide your awards guys…
Surely you could have combined the last two stories with the headline Rookey replaces Rocky
That’s quite a change of tone from the swagger in Rocky’s devil-may-care utterances in relation to the wine ad in the ‘Could be a Caxton’ story.
Rock, welcome to the real world.
It happens to us all eventually.
Rocky is a good guy and has done great work in the past. But what was the last great ad to come out of clems? Anyone?? As deputy CD he has to take some responsibilty for the fact that they have been doing average work for as long as anyone can remember. Maddocks is still young and hungry to do good work, and if his first hire is anything to go by Clems may be due for a comeback.
11.17 is right. Rocky is a nice guy and all, but come on, Clems Sydney hasn’t done anything good in ages. Someone needs to take responsibility. The Clemenger way of doing business is blaming the creatives, but the real problem lies with the suits. There are plenty of good creatives around, but without suits and clients interesting in doing different work, things won’t change.
11.44 you are soooo right. The real problem sits in the corner…
Couldn’t agree more with 11.17 and 11.44, specially the ‘suit’ problem. I know is so cliche for creatives to blame the suits but all the ‘big’ agencies in Australia, have a massive top-level suit problem. Not your average ‘AFA graduate’ that comes in fresh and loves good creative work. They’re allright. But the CEO, GM, GAD levels are populated with ‘yes’ people bowing to their masters in London, New York or Paris at almost everyone expenses but themselves. Specially American and British born ones. AM’s learn from them all those bad habits and the vicious circle perpetuates. Australian advertising suffers as a result. That’s why Australian independents with real Creative leadership like BMF and Host flourish creatively and grow financially. There should be more of those. You know it makes sense. I’m anon ymous.
On the contrary 1:32, “it” doesn’t make “sense”. Are you actually suggesting that Australian advertising is shit primarily because of suits from America and the UK? In case I am mistaken, UK and US advertising is generally of a higher quality than here. This suggests to me that the calibre of people (across creative, account management and clients) is generally higher.
Rather than pointing the finger at a very popular target (I’m sure there are plenty of AWARD students ready to back you up), perhaps consider the number of talented Aussies that head to the UK, US, Dubai, Singapore et al. every year. Once the cream of the new talent run off overseas chasing bigger, not to mention better paid, opportunities, then you are left with only so much in an already small industry (relatively speaking).
9.26, is that you Toby?
Mother don’t have suits and they seem to do OK.
Anyone earning over $150k a year has a big target on their head. Esp given all the cutbacks.
Award school students think twice. It’s a rocky (no pun intended) and often short lived career. Make sure you save and have a career plan B, C and D.
And, sadly, it’s only going to get worse.
Rocky’s a proven talent. A truly great guy who has been treated badly even though he stepped up to the plate when Danny went o/s and they needed him. Disgusting.
Maybe Clemenger should think about who else they have in control if they truly want to change things around yet again, the current management hasn’t exactly brought in much work in the last few years have they. Is that Rocky’s fault? I don’t think so. Isn’t it about time the upper management of these agencies started looking at themselves and their own performances. If they want to blame someone for lack of new business wins then look in the mirror, fresh creative is always a good thing, a sweep of the broom is also a good thing as long as it reaches every corner that needs to be cleaned, the management corner included.
At the end of last year, you didn’t have to be earning 150k to be shown the door at Clems – across all departments.
Does anyone have that sinking feeling out there in St. Leonards?
This is one of the most entertaining blogs I’ve read thru here. Rok is one of the few great people I have had the pleasure of working with in this industry….There are not too many “Industry people” out there that can actually keep it real and have their heads still on their shoulders. I have no doubt there will be many options for Rok and the gravy train will roll yet again….
Same old same old. The cycle keeps happening. You’d think we’d learn…
Rock will be fine, Clems will carry on, sadly loyalty isn’t rewarded in this industry and it hasn’t been for a very long time. The only thing keeping real people and real creative talent in this industry is the occasional crossing of paths of like minded people. The rest of you should be ashamed.
6.17, the technical term is “re-arranging deckchairs on the Titanic”.
Rookie replaces Rocky
By hook or my crook they’ve replaced Rock with Rooke.
Rock rocks in all our books at clems.
If Ranallo have been replaced how can he have been made redundant.????….this could get even better yet
7.57am You will notice his ‘replacement’ has a slightly different title. Associate CD rather than Deputy… oldest trick in the book…
Jeez I wish there’d been this much discussion and interest when I got it in the neck.
11.43
“Anonymous guy commenting on blog has been made redundant”.
Gee, I wonder why that didn’t hit the news…
Rok, You are a star.
As an ex client of Rocky’s I have mixed emotions about him leaving; sad that he has seemingly been treated badly, but also excited about what the future might hold for him. Often this is the kind of impetus we need to shake our careers up a bit and take us onto the next chapter, better that than re-reading the same words over and over. Sure it’s all a bit “glass 1/2 full” and idealistic, I know, but Rocky’s talent will win out in the end and a misguided & financially driven spring clean won’t keep him or his talent swept away for long!!!
Please note – I am an ex-client so please no scrutiny of my grammar or spelling – that’s what we pay you lot for!!
Rocky you have well and truly been taken up the Bot! We will miss you xxx
Abysmal!
Wow, I am very close to Rocky and it has brought a tear to my eye to read the amazing things most people have written. I am not associated with him through the industry but more personally and he has always been very humble about his ability and standing in that industry, but reading these blogs has made me realise just how respected he is. Onya bro
Well said 1:33pm. Ditto, ditto and ditto. Onward and upward Rok – you deserve better and will no doubt get it.