Former BBDO staffer points to similarities between pitch work and Leo Burnett’s Cathay Pacific campaign
The ‘No One Does Rugby Sevens Like Hong Kong’ campaign for Cathay Pacific by Leo Burnett was launched to mostly positive reviews in February.
However, an Instagram post by Frankie Luk – a former executive creative director at BBDO Worldwide – pointed to the similarities between an aspect of the new campaign and work presented by his former agency in a pitch.
In a post accompanying the photo, Luk said: “I am so glad you like our idea, but I am not so happy about the art direction.”
Asked for a statement on the post, a Publicis Groupe spokesperson said: “Our campaign, ‘Nobody Does Rugby Sevens Like Hong Kong,’ was inspired by the distinctive cultural textures that make the Hong Kong Sevens a unique experience for all.
“We stand by the integrity of our creative process, and any similarities to other creative efforts are purely coincidental.”
Ravi is the editor at Mumbrella Asia. He has covered the marketing, advertising and media business for over two decades.
Mumbrella trying to stir up something unnecessary. The consumers have no problem, the client has no problem, the ex ECD of BBDO has no problem…but Mumbrella does! Why is your [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]?
ReplyAre you [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]?
ReplyWow, Cathay Pacific has no problem having you [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines] someone else’s proposal. Amazing. Perhaps Mumbrella should check with the client’s head office.
Reply“coincidental” !?!
are you serious?
Publicis, even if i believe you that it was coincidental, that means your creative is not unique and any creative agency could have produced this concept.
Buckle-up Publicis!
ReplyShame on you [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]!
Reply“Thou shalt not steal!”
You shall be punished!
It doesn’t look like a coincidence to me… The ideas are just way too similar…
Given that the idea has been pitched to Cathay, they should be fully aware of the similarities and potential PR crisis.
It just shows how [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]!
ReplyWhy didn’t they just pick BBDO as their AOR then….
ReplyMcCann could have done better…
ReplyThey knew the ideas were way too similar and still pushed through it!
Way too [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines]!
ReplyOr maybe they like this idea from DDBO and accidentally shared some comments leading Publicis going that way?
ReplyI have decided to throw my HK7s tickets in the bin.
ReplyI cannot attend events sponsored by [Edited under Mumbrella’s community guidelines].
Good call. Absolutely disgraceful!
#IdeaWellCopied
Reply#ideawellstolen
Reply“purely coincidental” really? lol
ReplyProbably the former BBDO staff moved to Publicis … and reused the idea.. Obviously, that’s really bad to the reputation of Publicis but it’s hard to check the uniqueness of the idea …
ReplyThis isn’t even an idea, its a proposition, and a very bad generic one at that.
#1 – Who presents s$$t like this
#2 – Who would ever even claim they did this, never mind suggest someone ripped it off
#3 – I welcome Ai created content, as this is basically an example of it
In a pitch as well, this is your best pitch work? No one does generic rugby tripe more like former BBDO staff, it would seem.
ReplyHmmm you sounded familiar. Well, the concept is certainly not as generic as the strategy you written in your entire career.
Reply… Thats not an idea. That’s at beat, the best suggestion from an internal client internal brainstorm.
ReplyAs usual, Publicis wins a pitch by dropping it’s guess what it is.
Shamelessly, they lift the idea from a pitch submission of another agency
What it shows is that there is no honor in Publicis Adland
ReplyThe problem might be that BBDO did not protect their own creative at the pitch stage, in which case there can be absolutely no complaint about this!
ReplyLook at these brats squabbling on social with each other, he did this, she said that.
No client is going to pay any agency professional rates for non professionals.
You’re bringing the whole industry down.
ReplyHave your say