1. The Company 2. Who, where, how much? 3. Influence / Lobbying 4. Corporate Crimes 5. Further Links, Contacts and Resources

Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide
A Corporate Profile

By Corporate Watch UK
Completed July 2002

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2. Who, Where, How Much?

2.1 Board Members

Shelly Lazarus
Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide Chairman and CEO
Ogilvy's CEO is a woman called Shelly Lazarus. She is described in a business journal as 'one of the most powerful executives in advertising' and 'an evangelist for the power of brands.' Lazarus has spent the past 30 years at Ogilvy working at Ogilvy with blue-chip clients such as American Express, Ford, and IBM.[11] Lazarus has been CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide since 1997; she took over from the company's first woman CEO Charlotte Beers (see below) in 1996.

In 1999, Lazarus was named the fourth most powerful woman in American business by Forbes magazine.[12] The year after, she was down to number 7. In the same magazine Lazarus explains how Motorola CEO Chris Galvin asked her for help to get the American public back into the shops after the terrorist attack on 11th. The public simply does not feel like shopping, but we need to tell them [Lazarus quotes] "that's what the terrorists want. I don't care if you feel like it or not--go buy a bra."[13]

Lazarus feels that the growing prosperity gap and the environment are the issues that will most define our future. Her devotion to building brands and marketing (aimed at changing people's attitudes so that they buy more and more) seem at odds with her concern about the environment. Lazarus admits there is plenty of science that proves humans have a deleterious effect on the planet. She adds: 'We also know we cannot in a snap alter the way we live off the land'. Instead, Lazarus is in the forefront of promoting higher levels of consumerism.[14]

Lazarus stresses the importance of expanding our [the American] worldview and definition of globalism beyond mere trade partners. "Americans tend to be forward-thinking; large parts of the world are not", she says in an interview with Fortune magazine. In this context she particularly refers to the Middle East. After the 11th she knows what to fear: militancy [..] fuelled by a questionable interpretation of Muslim religion.[15]

Other activities:
Lazarus has been chairman of the Board of Directors of The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA). She is on the Board of Directors of GE, and an adviser at venture capital firm RRE Ventures.[16] Lazarus is/has been member of the Board of Directors of industry, business and academic institutions including Ann Taylor Stores, Presbyterian Hospital, and the World Wildlife Fund.[17] Shelly.lazarus@ogilvy.com

Charlotte Beers
Former Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide Chairman and CEO (1992-1997)
Beers began her career as a market researcher for Uncle Ben's. She subsequently took position as an account executive at J. Walter Thompson, where she became the first female vice president in the firm's 106-year history. Beers left Thompson for Tatham-Laird & Kudner where she became CEO. She resigned in 1992 and moved to Ogilvy & Mather. Beers stayed for four years, increasing billings by $2 billion, before handing over the reins to current CEO Shelly Lazarus (see above).[18] She then returned to J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, where she became chairman. On 2 October 2001 Beers left the business community to work for the US government; she was sworn in as the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (at the US Department of State).[19] Beers was assigned, amongst other things, to sell the so-called War on Terrorism to the public.[20] (see Corporate Crimes)

O&M - "Run by white male suits"
Shelly Lazarus is quoted as saying that Beers helped to pave the way for her leadership. Beers and Lazarus have both said they believed that the Ogilvy succession was an important step for women even though there are more women in top agencies positions than ever before.[21] However, women make up just 12% of corporate officers in the FORTUNE 500 list of America's biggest multinationals, and there are only six female CEOs in those companies.[22] O&M is quite exeptional in this respect: women make up the majority at the company. O&M was the first firm in the industry to have one female CEO succeed another -- but employees do acknowledge that to a large degree the company is "basically run by white male suits."[23]

Steve Hayden
Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide Vice Chairman
In 2001 Hayden was named vice-chairman of O&M Worldwide. He still manages the IBM account. When he was being asked about the chances of IBM to restore its image as an industry leader, Hayden answered he was confident that IBM would restore its image completely. When the journalist expressed his/her disbelief, Hayden added: "Well, I bet my career on it. So, why not? Besides, I can't lie. I'm in advertising."[24] Steve.hayden@ogilvy.com

Bob Seltzer
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Chairman and CEO
Seltzer has developed and managed communications programs for several industries--with special focus in the areas of health care, consumer products and crisis communications. His clients have included Gillette, Kellogg, Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Mercedes-Benz, IBM, Nestle and Johnson & Johnson. Prior to joining Ogilvy PR, he served as general manager and president at Porter Novelli.[25] bob.seltzer@ogilvypr.com

Mike Walsh
London-based CEO of Ogilvy & Mather in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East
Walsh joined O&M in 1983 after 11 years at Young & Rubicam. AT O&M, he has been Management Supervisor on Beecham Foods, Air Canada, Spillers Petfoods, Polaroid and American Express. In 1989 he was elected to the Ogilvy Worldwide Board, became chairman of the UK Company in September of the same year, and was chairman of the UK Group from 1990 until 1999. In 1994 Walsh became CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

Walsh participates in the Marketing Group of Great Britain and is involved as a trustee of the British Red Cross Society. He was a World Trustee of the World Wildlife Fund for 3 years and continues to act as a special adviser.[26]

For the other Board Members, see: http://www.ogilvy.com/company/

2.2 Addresses

Headquarters USA
Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide
Worldwide Plaza
309 West 49th Street
New York
NY 10019-7399
USA

Tel: (1-212) 237 4000
Fax: (1-212) 237 5123

London-based offices
Ogilvy & Mather
10 Cabot Square
London
E14 4QB
Tel: +44 (0)20 7345 3000
Fax: +44 (0)20 7345 9000

Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Ludgate House
245 Blackfriars Road
London SE1 9UY
Tel: +44 (0)20 7309 1000
Fax: +44 (0)20 7309 1001
Website: http://www.ogilvy.co.uk/

Ogilvy claims to have the single largest communications resource under one brand under one roof in the UK, housing over 800 people in its offices in Canary Wharf.[27]

WPP Group
27 Farm Street
London
W1X 6RD
Tel: +44 (0)20 7408 2204
Fax: +44 (0)20 7872 8088

 

2.3 Practice Structure

Like Burson-Marsteller and Hill & Knowlton, Ogilvy & Mather is owned by WPP, one of the world's largest advertsing and media services conglomerate. Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide has 35 US offices and a further 359 worldwide in over 90 countries. Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide has recently been mentioned as the world’s ninth largest agency network, with billings totaling almost $13 billion.[28]

Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide (or the Ogilvy Group) functions as a network consisting of many offices, branches and subsidiaries all over the world. The company's subsidiary, OgilvyInteractive, specializes in building brands and cultivating customer loyalty. OgilvyOne, a consulting subsidiary, offers one-to-one marketing campaigns aimed to create customer relationships.

Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide is another branch of Ogilvy & Mather. Bob Seltzer is Ogilvy PR Chairman and CEO. Ogilvy PR offers services, including consumer marketing, corporate branding, public affairs lobbying, and creative media.

Its Technology Practice operates under the Alexander Ogilvy brand. Headquartered in New York, Ogilvy PR has offices in 59 markets across the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. Ogilvy PR also includes two wholly owned subsidiaries: B|W|R (entertainment) and Feinstein Kean Healthcare (healthcare and biotechnology).[29]

Feinstein Kean Healthcare (FKH) was founded in 1987 to meet the communications needs of the emerging biotechnology industry. Its clients include Merck&Co, Novartis, Pfizer and US Genomics. FKH homepage: http://www.fkhealth.com/

Managing Director FKH Patricia Jones chaired a workshop at BIO 2002 (the International Biotech Convention, bringing together all the beneficiaries of genetic engineering) about communications challenges facing the biotech industry selling their products to various stakeholders.[30]

B|W|R, servicing the entertainment industry, deals with, amongst other things, media relations for celebrities such as Ben Affleck, Brad Pitt, Renee Zellweger and Reese Witherspoon.

Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide’s subsidiaries include:
Communications Agency Cole & Weber
http://www.coleweber.com

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