Ogilvy CCO Eugene Cheong exits agency on ‘gardening leave’ after 22 years with the ‘Red House’
Stalwart Ogilvy Asia-Pacific chief creative officer Eugene Cheong left the agency on Friday to go on ‘gardening leave’, following a 22-year stint with the firm.
Back then, it was said that Dabral would lead the agency’s South East Asia offices, while Collins would focus on North Asia – leaving Cheong somewhat in limbo before “transitioning to a new role that is being finalised in joint conversations with Ogilvy and WPP”.
The plan was dumped at the eleventh hour, it seems, although it remains unclear whether Ogilvy or Cheong himself decided that the strategy was not going to work out.
In his farewell email to staff on Friday, seen by Mumbrella, the multi award-winning Cheong said he was “officially checking out of the Red House”.
He celebrated the highs at Ogilvy though, stating: “I have to pinch myself to believe my good fortune.”
And he told his colleagues: “In all candour, I could never have done what I did without your voluntary conspiracy. I want to thank you for collaborating to let me to live the dream.
“I will be leaving all my heavy trophies behind. That’s because, I am going out there to get myself some new ones.
“Adios for now, good people.”
Neither Ogilvy nor Cheong wanted to make further comment on the development.
Well that was a pretty brutal [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]. They could have taken him [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]..
ReplyYou know, jokes aside, this could be the perfect time to start a 2nd career doing [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] advertising work for an agency and their clients. It can’t be that hard right. Mr. Tham K.M. was publicly fired and nobody shed a tear, this is a fact that is undisputed. It was the best move ever made by a CEO with no fear. No matter what his final Lion count was, it will never equate to the real powerhouse names of the ad world. Agency of the Year* always left the Palais with a bit of a bad taste if you know what I mean. Nobody here in NYC even knows who he is, but they do now. So yeah, time for a change of guard and agenda for all those who [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] the Cannes money machine and our industry [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] so many medals. [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] should at least admit it. He was loyal to a fault, but to what end? I wish him luck and prosperity.
ReplyAll those heavy advertising trophies….and a whole lot of smiling clients.
GOD himself, The East Timor Tourism Board, a hospice somewhere in Singapore…
Its a shame big clients like Unilever, Coke, Lenovo etc [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
ReplyLike having a [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] organ removed, the only real surprise is how long it [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] and speaks volumes of the people still running the company. The Emperors New Clothes have finally [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
ReplyPress release answer aside about finding him another role in the group…everyone in the ad world knew this was coming. I’m surprised he didn’t leave earlier at least to [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]. He, of all people, should have known this was long overdue. “Consolidation” = the older, more expensive and relatively [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] folks get ousted. It’s also a reality check. Guess we have another new agency starting soon….
ReplyGardening leave? Some people just can’t see the forest for the trees.
Anyway, feel a bit sorry for that [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
ReplySmart move by Pandey to get him into gardening gear….he was [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] all the way.
ReplyI wonder if there was any hand of anyone here!!
22 years is an outstanding achievement. Respect Eugene Cheong. Shame on you, Ogilvy and all clients that let this happen. Where is the honour and gratitude? Sad state of affairs. Just one bad news after another. Depressing.
Reply“22 years is an outstanding achievement.”
It’s easy if you’re at the very top, shielded by [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines], free to do what you want and treat [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]… without any [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
Reply22 years and dumped at the roadside
Classy
Then again, where is the iconic work Ogilvy SG produced in those 22 years? So many trophies – so little actual [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
Eugene can now go off and start his own agency. Big gap in the market for [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] needing ads that they can’t [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
ReplyAbandon all hope all ye who enter.
ReplyPolarising feedback aside, Mr Cheong has made significant contributions to place our little nation on the advertising world map since 1982. It’s no mean feat for a Singaporean to appear in the Copy Book. Truly a legendary writer. Look forward to what he will accomplish next.
ReplyI don’t think he appeared in the original Copy Book….there were a few “extensions” to it printed by various other parties he may have been in one of them them. Maybe the Asian version.
I can just imagine his work in original Copy Book next to all the [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] campaigns done by the greats…Economist, Sainsburys, Timberland, Volvo, Parker….
Followed by [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines-] collection….Death, God, East Timor Tourism….what an [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] that would be.
ReplyNotable Singaporean-born copywriters – Mr E Cheong, Mr BB Looi, Mr M Fong, Mr KJ Ng, Ms R Haque, Mr D Lim, Mr E Buay, Mr SH Lim, Ms SH Lim, Mr C Soh, Mr L Lee, Mr T Lim…
ReplyA formidable list of locals. Most of the names now forgotten. Some seem to be grandfathered into the fold but okay. But when did [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] ever write anything other than his own press releases? I thought he was an art guy when I worked with him at [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
ReplySo, it looks like the list is final. Exponential distribution from the looks of it, but every person has a right to his opinion.
ReplyAdding on to your list…
ReplyMr C. Chiu
Mr A. Lok
Mr C.K. Guay
Et al.
never mind the trophies, where’s the [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]?
Replywhere’s the ground breaking client [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]?
It was NOT the D&AD Copybook of legends. It was the rubbish one that followed with the SG [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]. No, sorry, it isn’t quite the same thing folks. Nothing to see here, please spare us the rewrite of history for the press releases.
Reply[Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]. I am sorry but we need to stop celebrating the people and creative work that burred this town alive.
ReplyNow lads, don’t make me come out of retirement.
ReplyHis work that got the gold once upon a time was [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] stuff that followed. Nothing to see her folks, the [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] have been taken out. It’s time go go back to work. Nowhere near as exciting but what to do.
ReplyI haven’t been here in years. But I do say, the Ogilvy shake down from the top down was so long overdue. In the words of a close industry watcher. The [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] drove the awards machine right into the heart of legitimate winners like Fallon, Crispen, Goodby, Leos, BBHs, W+K and others. Agencies and real men who build a lifetime of credible work that actually ran and saw a media schedule. The [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] that was committed during those ugly years discredited the entire industry of people working to make great creative work. The parodies of case study films that followed by every agency with iMovie just to win an award is so shameful. Seeing the Global Head toss out because of his disgusting conduct was so apt. I won’t miss him. Not a single creative director from his army stuck up for him. Think about that for just a moment. Not even [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] went to the press and said a kind word. But after working with them both at different times in my career, I do think it is fair to say I understand completely. There is no love lost here. Dong dong the witches are dead.
ReplyI don’t understand why the follow in the article here did not fight for his global boss when it all went down. Code of conduct was an [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] over and over again. The news on what really happened out of New York are so disgusting I won’t even bother to add them here. But yes, to the poster above, I do think [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]. The quest for fakery and medals equated to a legacy of Cannes Most Awarded* frauds. I have no idea how the CEOs of each agency in the network let themselves get fleeced so often and for so long. Sad state of affairs really. But in the end, look what we are left with. [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] was publicly fired and humiliated but he still prances around like he’s some sort of hero, can you believe it? ST over in Singapore even wrote a tribute to him that was well covered here in this magazine. So much propaganda until the bitter end. Makes you want to vomit in your own mouth when you think of that agency and their legacy of lies.
ReplyLet it be clear that nobody ever got into the cadre by playing fair. It is an impossible ask, but if you didn’t produce the little Lion trophies you were finished. I hope no network is crazy enough to pick up these [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]. It was painful to see that mess go on for so many years in a row. The arrogance is so thick it is hard to measure. Summer after summer gloating on stage as if they were David A of AMV. David would puke if he saw what advertising turned into. But in the end, it landed just where it was supposed to. Flat on its back. Now it is up to Chris Riley to clean up the garbage here in SG and move it all forward with his new creative hands. I hope Pihushi and Sonal can carry the torch with more honour than the last guys.
ReplyHave your say