Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide

ABSTRACT
This paper deals with the challenge I - Charlotte Beer is facing at Ogilvy & Mather Company
which deals with the change in management and sustaining the visionary
direction.
Charlotte Beers was appointed as the CEO and Chairman at Ogilvy & Mather in 1992. During her
first few weeks at O&M, she made a group of top executives who were possionate for the change
in the organization for the future growth, called Thirsty For Change to manage the internal
conflicts of the organisation.Charlottes vision was to implement the brand image of the O&M
because the company was losing its core local clients which accounted the major profit of the
company.
In this paper, description of team composition, set of skills, culture and team process with
their development stages is given. Ultimately this paper deals with a set of actions to be
taken in the future.
Final Case Analysis : Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide
LEADERSHIP PROBLEM / CHALLENGE
I have to recognise the main problem which is affecting the Ogilvy and Mather Worldwide. The
O&M worldwide is in the transitional stage of the organizational development, between the
previous stage of multi directional approach and uniform customer centered and customeized
Brand Stewardship. The main focus during the next financial year would be an transformational
adoption of work dynamics. The year 1993 was the most problematic year for the O&M Worldwide. I
faced a problem regarding making a group with a vision. The concept of Brand Stewardship can
not be appropriately evaluated for its functionality unless it has been understood by the
employees and the higher level executive of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide.
The concept of Brand Stewardship is worthless until we limit the use of same concept by the
competitors. The company adopted a revolutionary change for the methodology and working towards
the mission, which was to evaluate the concept of Brand Stewardship. By the implementation of
Brand Print and Advertising Campaign by central WCS team, the local agencies limited their
focus to local markets. The WCS will work towards the business development processing to focus
mainly on global clients with a planned matrix structure. Balancing the rewards effectively is
also required to enhance the companys competitive advantage.
GOALS AND PRIORITIES
OPERATIONAL REGULATION
Operational regulation is one of the major restrictions of local agents in Brand
Stewardship personalisation. The education of local agencies regarding the long term
benefits of Brand Stewardship is requierd to focus on long term priorities. Operational
regulation is required to effectively relate the success of Brand Stewardship for a more
financial prosperity.
Moreover, identification of different resources to provide benefits to the revenue loss
and successful understanding of WCS schematics are required for the compensation and
rewards. In addition, for the operational regulation, assessment of financial loss in present
state is also required. The short term goals of local companies, financial resources and
sharing of financial security by the local companies may limit the operational regulation.
BUILDING CONFIDENCE
For the enhancement of appropriateness between the Ogilvy & Mathers
organizational structure, processes, strategies and workforce building confidence is also
mandatory which can be achieved by regular workshops about the effectiveness and
benefits of Brand Stewardness. This may help in the motivation of employees. The
workshops can be arranged with the help of a good training force which can resemble the
vision of Brand Stewardship effectively.
In addition, the progress of the program can be evaluated by feedback sessions and
through the evaluation of the local agencies. The main limiting part of this process is the
involvement of time for the workshops and the revenue to be spent on such workshops to
Final Case Analysis : Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide

entertain and to get the feedback from the employees and the local agecies.
TEAM ASSESSMENT
From the concepts of Organizational Behaviour, I beleive that a person can not do any
work as efficiently as he/she can do it with and in a team. Hence, the team approach
always creates a potential decision. Different viewpoints may mobilize the accuracy and
creativity in a team and may generate more alternatives.
1. Context and Culture
To focus more on branding and on customers the visionary context is must. Top line
executive of the company has his own way of thinking about the visionary context
but as an organization the O&M still lacks confidence. For the visionary focus on
customers and the brand, brainstorming is must because Brand Stewardship is not
possible without brainstorming.
2. Team
Rod Wright
President for formulation process in Asia Pacific
His main visionary follows methodology of Mc Kinsey 7S model
Shelly Lazarus
President for New York division
Vision for Brand Stewardship is a conceptual mechanism which is enhancing
self esteem and she wants architectural change in the organization.
Mike Walsh
Chairman for United Kingdom offices
Anticipated that team would take more time to articulate the vision clearly
Beleives brainstorming and popularity as key success facets
Kelly ODea
Director of Worldwide Client Services, London
Argues that concept of Brand Stewardship is not embraced into everyday
practice as it is not clearly understood.
Harry Reid
CEO of O&M, London
Strongly beleives in visionary internal transformation with powerful strategy and
business mission.
Reimer Thedens
VC of O&M, Frankfurt
Share similar perspectives of change with Harry Reid
Argues that Brand Stewardship is relevant to O&Ms direct methodology
Louis Bassat, Bill Hamilton and Robyn Putte Creative Crew
Creative Directors of O&M at Spain, New York and South Africa respectively.
More concerned about inspirational creaivity
3. Team Process & Stage of Development
Group has more uncertainity for the brand image and for the development.
The company started with the forming stage, for clear authoritative vision change,
process development. Our team applied stop look and go approach.
In 1993, we started with the strming. We attend more on the brand and vision of the
company. odeas approach for the geographic fragmentation is about the brand
stewardship concept. It helped us to generate brand audit and another successful
attribution for the process. Wright and Walsh have the popularity concept. This
major focus on the structural modification and institutionalization for the change.
Shelly has more focused on the clients needs and structural changes. Reid and
Thendens were passionate about the financial discipline. We transit via norming
stage, we had certain degree of cohesiveness. Brand stewardship has been started
with the WCS schematics. In performing stage we effectively manage the change.
After future vision we mobilize the energy in the managing transition.
ACTION PLAN
1. Vision Awareness ( Shelly )
The vision awareness is at the topmost priority to help te local office to understand
the Brand Stewradship.The most important factor for the change is the awareness

of the vision. Until the executives and the local agencies are not aware about the
vision they will not be able to understand the concept of Brand Stweardship. The
local agencies will correlate everything with their loss of identity.
Shelly is good for the schematic articulation as she likes drastic internal
tranformation.
2. Winning over Financial instability ( Reid and Thedens )
Local agencies are very much less interested about the magnitude of global vision
because they are more confined to provincial business.
Reid and Thedans have this operational efficiency to mobilize an appropriate
dimension towards the goal of Brand Stewardship. The risk may be only the
investment of time and resources but making some structural changes with the
finances may help local agencies to work towards ultimate vision.
3. Institutionaization of Brand Stewardship
Sustaining and institutionalizing change is
change management.
Walsh will help recognizing the appropriate
initial apprehension can be overcome by the
companys formulation.

( Walsh and ODea )

the another component of effective
implementation of tactics and the risk of
competencies created with the

Final Case Analysis : Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide

4. Rewards and Campensation ( Creative Crew )
Creative crew of the company at different locations around the world will help in
case of the rewards and better compensation as their concept of Brand Audit is very
much impressive. There may be a risk of unhealthy competition between WCS and
local agencies in publishing the manipulated effort.
5. Focus of long term, sustained growth ( Shelly )
Brand Stewardship is just the beginning of a revolutionary momentum in O&M.
After institutionalization of the vision, we need to still provide the zeal for client
centric image. O&M's should be committed for long term and sustained momentum.
The enthusiasm of Brand Stewardship will be mortal and vulnerable for many
external factors. Company should constantly regularize its attitude towards
customers and their image.
Shelly will lead this project also, as she substantially believes in development of
O&M's image to be primarily client orientated. There are enough resources to ratify
this vision within our local offices. They are so powerful and gullible towards the
structured growth.