George Patterson Y&R
Encyclopedia
George Patterson Y&R is an Australasian advertising agency with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Auckland. The agency was formed in 2005 when the international advertising holding conglomerate WPP Group
acquired the Australian marketing communications company, The Communications Group (TCG).
demerged the Sydney & Melbourne business he had started in 1918 from Catts-Patterson; George Patterson Bates from the 1990s, when the agency's long-standing Asian affiliation with Bates Worldwide
was formalised with an acquisition by Bates, then one of the two worldwide network holdings of Saatchi & Saatchi PLC
; and George Patterson Partners at the time of the WPP acquisition, having been primed for sale under that name by the TCG management-buyout group since 2003.
WPP merged the Australian offices of its worldwide Young & Rubicam
brand with George Patterson. WPP had acquired the worldwide Young & Rubicam
brand in 2000.
was appointed national CEO. Howcroft is known to Australian television audiences for his regular appearances on The Gruen Transfer
.
In mid-2010 Howcroft was promoted to CEO Y&R Brands Aust & NZ giving him a responsibility including some other Australasian WPP owned businesses.
. As well as criticising the decision not to relegate the task to the Government, a law firm or risk management consultant, The Advertiser reported that "Senior staff at the advertising agency promote degrading images of women and post bizarre messages on their social networking accounts." The social networking accounts, which can be accessed from the firm's home page, refer to Prime Minister Julia Gillard
as a lesbian, and feature guides on topics such as "acceptable stalking
" and "making your own sex toys". CEO Russell Howcroft admits to being a member of the "Pippa Middleton
Ass Appreciation Society" group on Facebook
. Other staff members can be seen drunk, one can be seen in a simulated sex act and others tweet
statements such as ""Where can I buy a Kate Middleton blow-up doll
?". A spokesperson for George Patterson Y&R stated: "We do not believe that this material is in any way relevant to an assessment of the nature or quality of the professional services that GPY&R provides." The story was picked up by most major Australian newspapers.
WPP Group
WPP plc is a global media communications services company with its main management office in London, United Kingdom and its executive office in Dublin, Ireland. It is the world's largest advertising group by revenues, and employs over 150,000 people in 2,400 offices in 107 countries...
acquired the Australian marketing communications company, The Communications Group (TCG).
Merged businesses
TCG's primary advertising asset was the George Patterson agency which had dominated the Australian advertising market throughout the 2nd half of the 20th century. Known as "Patts" in the industry, the business had been George Patterson Advertising from its formation in 1934 when George PattersonGeorge Patterson (advertiser)
George Herbert Patterson was a pioneer Australian advertising executive who established an agency group that dominated the Australian advertising industry throughout much of the 20th century. His eponymous agency was the largest in the country from the 1930s until the 1980s...
demerged the Sydney & Melbourne business he had started in 1918 from Catts-Patterson; George Patterson Bates from the 1990s, when the agency's long-standing Asian affiliation with Bates Worldwide
Ted Bates
Ted Bates may refer to:*Ted Bates , American football player*Ted Bates , English footballer and manager with Southampton F.C.*Ted Bates , American advertising executive and founder of Bates Worldwide...
was formalised with an acquisition by Bates, then one of the two worldwide network holdings of Saatchi & Saatchi PLC
Saatchi & Saatchi
Saatchi & Saatchi is a global advertising agency network with 140 offices in 80 countries and over 6,500 staff. It was founded in London in 1970 but now headquartered in New York. The parent company of the agency group was known as Saatchi & Saatchi PLC from 1976 to 1994, was listed on the London...
; and George Patterson Partners at the time of the WPP acquisition, having been primed for sale under that name by the TCG management-buyout group since 2003.
WPP merged the Australian offices of its worldwide Young & Rubicam
Young & Rubicam
Y&R is a marketing and communications company specializing in advertising, digital and social media, sales promotion, direct marketing and brand identity consulting.-History:...
brand with George Patterson. WPP had acquired the worldwide Young & Rubicam
Young & Rubicam
Y&R is a marketing and communications company specializing in advertising, digital and social media, sales promotion, direct marketing and brand identity consulting.-History:...
brand in 2000.
Leadership
George Patterson Y&R offices operated with a system of local office CEOs for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & Auckland until June 2009 when Russel HowcroftRussel Howcroft
Russel Howcroft is an Australian business man and media personality best known as a panellist on the ABC television program The Gruen Transfer.He is currently the national CEO of advertising agency George Patterson Y&R.- Media career :...
was appointed national CEO. Howcroft is known to Australian television audiences for his regular appearances on The Gruen Transfer
The Gruen Transfer
The Gruen Transfer is an Australian television program focusing on advertising, which debuted on ABC1 on 28 May 2008 and has run for four seasons...
.
In mid-2010 Howcroft was promoted to CEO Y&R Brands Aust & NZ giving him a responsibility including some other Australasian WPP owned businesses.
Controversy
The agency attracted controversy after it won a contract to "clean up" the social media policy of the Australian Defence ForceAustralian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
. As well as criticising the decision not to relegate the task to the Government, a law firm or risk management consultant, The Advertiser reported that "Senior staff at the advertising agency promote degrading images of women and post bizarre messages on their social networking accounts." The social networking accounts, which can be accessed from the firm's home page, refer to Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
as a lesbian, and feature guides on topics such as "acceptable stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
" and "making your own sex toys". CEO Russell Howcroft admits to being a member of the "Pippa Middleton
Pippa Middleton
Philippa Charlotte "Pippa" Middleton is an English party planner, socialite and younger sister of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge...
Ass Appreciation Society" group on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. Other staff members can be seen drunk, one can be seen in a simulated sex act and others tweet
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
statements such as ""Where can I buy a Kate Middleton blow-up doll
Sex doll
A sex doll is a type of sex toy in the size and shape of a sexual partner for aid in masturbation....
?". A spokesperson for George Patterson Y&R stated: "We do not believe that this material is in any way relevant to an assessment of the nature or quality of the professional services that GPY&R provides." The story was picked up by most major Australian newspapers.