The End of an Era
The Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Media Department is no more.

I mourn the dissolution of the Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Media department. It was no longer financially viable, what with the sky-high costs of research tools and Media software, lack of business, and yes, everyone's salaries. From a department of about 33-34 people (Media Traffic, included) in the early 90s, I saw this dwindle down to about 15-16 at the time of my resignation in 2005. As of last week, they were only 6.

I was stunned when I learned of the announcement a month ago. I grew up there, and served 12 of the best years of my life in that office. 12 years is 12 years, in good times and in bad.

There were countless Media parties, intrigues and factions, hours spent working overtime and overnight, food and gifts, magazines, some out of town trips, factbooks (binders) made dilapidated due to recycling, new business pitches won, accounts lost, rooms torn down and re-constructed, photocopying and fax machines upgrades, and life's major moments.

My colleagues from 1993 have come and gone -- moved on to other advertising agencies; moved on to the other side of the fence (TV networks); moved on to retirement; and one has even moved on to the great beyond. I will just have to comfort my mourning self with friendships built (and lost) and memories shared of those 12 years.