The List: Executive Summary/The Pacesetter
L.A.’s advertising community likely let out a collective sigh of relief at the end of 2001, one of the worst years in decades. The ad slump became even more severe after the Sept. 11 attacks, when many companies, particularly airlines, pulled spots and others cut back on spending.
Many of the city’s top players saw their billings fall below 2000 levels, such as TBWAChiatDay, which is owned by Omnicom Group. Despite a drop of nearly $200 million in billings, the Playa del Rey agency managed to hold onto the No. 1 spot.
DDB Worldwide Communica-tions Inc., Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles, SuissaMiller and DavisElen Advertising also suffered billings declines.
Not all was bleak. Rubin Postaer and Associates’ billings were up by about $25 million, which moved the independent agency up one spot to No. 2.
Some new names made their way onto the list this year, including Anita Santiago Advertising Inc., a Hispanic agency that counts Carl’s Jr. restaurants and Wells Fargo Bank among its clients.
Claudia Peschiutta
The Pacesetter: TBWA Chiat/Day
TBWAChiatDay once again came out as the top biller in L.A. County, but the agency’s 2001 results were mixed.
The firm’s big wins, such as a $100 million global Adidas account and a $100 million Energizer account, were tempered by losses. Kinko’s Inc. took its business to another agency after two years with Chiat.
The agency was also beat out by rivals for other accounts, including AT & T; Wireless’ $400 million business, which went to New York’s Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.
Yet unlike many other agencies, Chiat came out of 2001 with few layoffs. The agency has a staff of about 500 employees. One significant staffing change was the departure of President and Chief Executive Tom Carroll, who went to Chiat’s New York office. He was replaced late last year by Robert LePlae.
Among Chiat’s most memorable work from 2001 was the campaign for XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., which featured such performers as David Bowie and B.B. King.
Claudia Peschiutta
