Paul Manning leaves Ogilvy for .99

UPDATED 4pm

Well-known retail ad man Paul Manning is leaving Ogilvy & Mather as executive director to become managing director at .99.

The Aucklander has worked at Ogilvy, whose clients include big retailers such as Briscoes and Countdown, for nine years after his start-up MetroMedia was acquired.

He is replacing Ben Goodale, who will give up the mantle of .99 but will continue to lead justONE, the agency he founded in 2006 and sold to Clemenger Group in 2013.

“I have always admired .99 as a formidable competitor,” Mr Manning, a former EY Entrepreneur of the Year, says.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this successful agency into its next stage of development reflecting the ever-changing retail market and our client’s needs. I’m looking forward to working alongside Craig Whitehead, the Chief Creative Officer at .99 and its founder.”

A source close to Ogilvy says his resignation yesterday has come as a shock to both staff and clients and he has been placed on gardening leave for two months.

He is due to start his new role in mid-January.

An Ogilvy spokeswoman says there is “nothing to share” as to whether he has a replacement, but it is understood he doesn’t.

Meanwhile, justONE will become the Trans-Tasman lead of loyalty programmes for Clemenger Group in the New Year.

Clemenger Group NZ chief executive Jim Moser says there is a growing opportunity in the data, direct and loyalty industries on both sides of the Ditch.

Mr Goodale says justONE is shifting into the “next stage of growth as a new age agency... justONE has been my ‘baby’ for almost a decade and I’m excited to see it continue to develop and grow.”

Mr Manning’s resignation comes on the heels of Ogilvy digital director Greg Whitham leaving last month for a job at VML.

Following a rough 2014 with the loss of big clients such as Holden and Auckland Council, Ogilvy has fared better in 2015, with wins in SeaLord and Number One Shoes.

Among .99's clients are big names such as Farmers, Genesis Energy and New World. The agency has 90 staff while justONE employs 20.

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