Euro RSCG Accused of Attempt to Flood Adweek Poll With Own Votes

Euro RSCG is attempting to rig* influence an Adweek poll for “Agency of the Decade” by urging its employees to vote for their own agency, according to blogger George Tannenbaum. He writes:

Apparently, management at Euro RSCG sent a memo out to their employees urging them to vote for themselves. I have nothing against Euro RSCG, though they’re hardly whom I would have chosen. What I am peeved about is that a purportedly reputable advertising organ like Adweek will name an agency “Agency of the Decade” and a Creative Director “Creative Director of the Decade” with all the journalistic scruple of Pravda. The winners of those titles will puff out their chests, put those accolades on their email signatures, use them in new business and more. It’s all bullshit.

Euro RSCG said in a statement:

We encourage our employees to get out the vote and participate in industry surveys such as this and to vote for whoever they see fit. We of course hope that Euro RSCG rises to the top as it has been a true leader over the years, and David Jones has led the agency on a path of growth over the past 10 years, in Australia, then NY and now as Global CEO.

He’s right about the email signature thing. But it’s not going to be as simple as all that. Check the small print:

… the editors at AdweekMedia will select the best marketing, media and agency performances from 2000 to 2009 across a total of 33 categories … But first, we’d like to ask for your choices. We have narrowed down each category to a handful of top candidates. Let us know what you think. Results will be published in our December 14th issue, alongside our own selections.

There’s a reason it’s not completely clear that the agency receiving the most votes will be named “Agency of the Decade” (those popular results will only appear “alongside” the editors’ choices). Having been on the inside of Adweek’s annual Agency Report Card process three times, I can tell you that — like legislation and sausages — these decisions are not pretty to watch while they’re being made.

The rules leave enough wiggle room for editors to use their discretion to choose an agency that can realistically carry the winning title, not merely the one with the most employees voting for themselves. (Otherwise, won’t BBDO win everything?)

*Correction: Euro RSCG points out that voting in a poll is not the same as “rigging” it, which the headline originally said. Apologies for the error.