When I was just starting out I worked at a large international agency, (who I’ll call Acme Advertising).  At the time Acme Advertising had a relationship with a client (who I’ll call Top Chemicals) that was famous for its longevity, they had been together for 68 years.  The day that Top Chemicals announced the business was going into review the Acme Account Director was playing golf with the Top Chemicals VP of Sales and Marketing. When he returned to the agency after his golf game we asked what had happened, how had we been fired after 68 years?  He said, and I’ll never forget it, “I have no idea.”


The thing that is so troubling about this story is that it is so common.  Many times agencies have been dismissed for reasons they may only dimly understand.  There are the inevitable changes to management or budgetary constraints that may lead to agency changes, but you should never find yourself in a situation where you have no idea why you have been fired.