How the Lowe story unfolded this week

Campaign 09-Dec-05

THURSDAY

11.00am News of Sir Frank's intention to launch an ad agency with others
comes in a 30-word statement from the PR agency Sputnik
Communications.

11.30am Rumours emerge that the £50 million Tesco business will

move out of Lowe London and into the start-up. Mark Cadman and Russell

Lidstone, JWT's managing director and head of planning respectively and
previously key players on the Tesco account, fail to answer calls about
their future. So too do Paul Hammersley (above), DDB London's chief
executive, and David Hackworthy, his chief strategic officer, who are
also reported to be involved.

12.00pm Paul Weinberger, quits as the chairman of Lowe London to join
the start-up. Weinberger (left) has creative responsibility for Tesco.
Sam Cartmell and Jason Laws, senior creatives working mainly on Tesco,
say they will follow Weinberger.

FRIDAY

10.30am Lidstone says that "at this moment, I'm still head of planning
at JWT". Cadman keeps mum.

2.30pm Garry Lace (below), the Lowe chief executive, meets Tim Mason,
Tesco's marketing director. He is told the business will be moving.

A timetable is discussed.

MONDAY

3.30pm Sir Frank said to be abroad and uncontactable.

5.45pm Lace calls Lowe staff together to confirm that the Tesco business
is going after almost 16 years.

6.00pm Agency formally announces the split.

6.30pm Tesco confirms it will switch to Sir Frank's new agency next
March.

TUESDAY

11.15am Lowe sources claim the agency is planning a "counterpunch", the
nature of which remains unclear.

3.30pm Lidstone confirms he will be staying at JWT.

4.00pm Hammersley flies to the US for meeting of DDB senior
managers.

WEDNESDAY

5.00pm Cadman (left) said to be torn over joining start-up, fearing he
may miss out on chief executive's job at JWT. "He's between a rock and a
hard place," a JWT source says.

5.30pm Hammersley still has not resigned from DDB.

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