I am a partner in Ames Scullin O’Haire (ASO) Advertising in Atlanta. We started our company in January of 1997. We grew and prospered, but we kept our souls and decided we were not going to chase just any account to make a buck. We decided early on we were not the right agency for every client.
In 1998, we made a bold decision. We took a stand that was so radical, so revolutionary, so completely counter-culture, it shook the marketing world like Jell-o on a jackhammer in an earthquake. We decided to plant our feet firmly and declare accounts we would not work on– refusing easy money on strong principles.
Below is our press release unleashed way back when. It was news that shook the marketing world, caused calamity in many boardrooms and some might argue eventually sunk a once great company. Had ASO decided to work on GM, perhaps all their financial turmoil could have been avoided.
We’ll never know. We’ll just never know.
PRESS RELEASE:
ASO REFUSES TO WORK WITH ‘GENERALS’
While a sluggish economy has many ad agencies chasing any and all accounts, Ames Scullin O’Haire Advertising in Atlanta has taken a decidedly different tact announcing it refuses to work for any account with the word “General” in its name.
This includes General Motors, General Electric, General Mills, General Foods and General Dynamics. While these corporate blockbusters spend billions annually in advertising, ASO is resolved in its commitment to refuse work from any of these lucrative heavy spenders.
In a prepared statement, ASO declares it “will not work with any client that is so mamby pamby it calls itself General. When these clients decide to get more specific, rather than general––they can give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.”
Corporate representatives from the various General clients did not return phone calls.