Wirestone Seeks Acquisitions; T & O; Wants to Get More Creative
After 20 years with FCB Southern California, Scott Montgomery, executive vice president and executive creative director, has decided to take a breather.
“I’ve missed a few too many Little League games. I’d like to catch up,” he said.
Montgomery’s last day was May 24. He said he didn’t want to celebrate with some big stuffy party with tuxedoes. A keg of beer and a game of hoops on the agency’s new basketball court in Irvine did just fine, he said.
“That’s the way I want to go out,” Montgomery said.
Montgomery’s departure marks the closing of a chapter. He co-founded Salvati Montgomery Sakoda with partners Phil Salvati and Ken Sakoda in 1981 and then sold the agency to Bozell Worldwide, which became FCB Southern California in 1999. The agency expanded from a few handfuls of people to about 200.
Over the years, Montgomery said he experienced lots of ups and downs. After a while, the daily grind wore on him, he said.
“I just haven’t felt a huge amount of excitement for the last year or so,” Montgomery said. “The business just repeats itself and I just need a breather. I don’t want out of it.”
It’s too early to tell of future plans, Montgomery said. But for now, he said he will kick his feet up with family, play some golf and perhaps write a children’s book or two.
FCB, which is pending purchase by The Interpublic Group of Cos., is looking for a replacement.
“Scott leaves behind a legacy of great work and we wish him nothing but the best,” said agency president Jim Harrington.
During his tenure, Montgomery said he’s also watched Orange County take a strong foothold in the ad industry. The so-called Orange Curtain image has pretty much faded away, he said.
Wirestone Seeks Expansion
Wirestone’s Irvine office is looking to get a boost now that the Emeryville-based technology marketing company has received a $20 million round of funding from B2B Solutions LLC in Stamford, Conn., and PPM America Capital Partners Inc. in Chicago.
Allan Karl, vice president and Wirestone co-founder, said the money is set to be used for technology to develop better tracking and accounting systems, to acquire other companies and potentially grow the 18-person Irvine office, among other initiatives.
“Will we grow this office? Just by the mere fact that many of our competitors are laying off and closing doors we’re finding that our business is stronger than ever,” Karl said.
At a time when other agencies have pinched back on staff,including Irvine-based Nine Dots and Irvine-based Schraff Group,year-old Wirestone said it is seeing solid growth.
Wirestone’s luring of financing in a tight economy sends a message to existing and potential customers, according to Karl. He said that many companies are skeptical and want reassurance that Wirestone, which Karl said is profitable, “won’t disappear in six months.”
Some of the clients serviced from the Orange County office include SMC Networks in Irvine and the Printer Place in Anaheim.
The main thrust these days, according to Karl, is return on investment.
“Our clients are looking at the best way to use the dollars that they do have,” Karl said.
In the meantime, Wirestone is eyeing undisclosed companies in the creative and technology industry to buy, as well as businesses that specialize in wireless, rich media and interactive television, Karl said.
Getting Creative
T & O; Group is looking for an executive creative director.
“We’re looking in Los Angeles and outside the area for an executive creative director that can reposition the agency,” said Monte Zator, executive vice president.
According to Zator, T & O; currently is viewed as an “account-driven” shop, with strong relationships with longtime partners such as Fantastic Sam’s and Uniglobe Travel. Now he said he wants to put more emphasis on strong creative work.
For agencies of T & O;’s size, which are going after “midsize clients that need the most bang for their buck,” Zator said there is a lot of opportunity.
“The flag is still there to grab,” Zator said.
In other news, T & O; recently was tapped by Verizon Wireless to handle a teen marketing project, and by the Senior Real Estate Council to handle advertising, marketing and public relations for their Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation, which, among other things, qualifies realtors to specialize in the 55-year-old and above market. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Fewer Dots
Nine Dots has undergone some shifts.
The company recently laid off an undisclosed number of people,the result of a tough first quarter, according to Craig Holland, vice president and managing director.
Things, however, seem to be on the upswing, according to Holland, with the agency recently landing three undisclosed accounts.
In other news, Portland, Ore-based CyberSight, an interactive marketing firm, which acquired Nine Dots and another marketing company last year, will change its name to Nine Dots. The combined company now counts 120 employees and is headquartered in Portland, with offices in San Francisco, Toronto and Irvine.
Last week, Nine Dots also said it plans to partner with Colle+McVoy advertising and marketing communications in Minneapolis. As part of the alliance, Nine Dots will open a Minneapolis office to strengthen its Midwest presence.
