IT'S not the natural order of things in Adland, but agencies do occasionally "re clients. It's doubly unusual, however, when that client also happens to be the 800-pound media gorilla of your market. So when Publius heard that creative agency Rothco had severed its relationship with RTE over what both sides termed 'creative differences', we took an interest.

Rothco, which formed a joint venture with media buyers Vizeum to bid for the state broadcaster's account, began work with RTE only in April of this year after winning a competitive pitch against McCann Erickson and 10-year incumbent Young Euro RSCG.

Rothco MD Patrick Hickey said the relationship was strained as it became clear that internal units in RTE would continue to produce ads without coordinating with the agency. The breaking point came when Rothco was asked to pitch against internal production units in RTE to produce a masterbrand advert for RTE.

Hickey said the contract with RTE named the agency as "brand guardians", adding that if he knew they would be asked to pitch for work they thought they'd already won, they wouldn't have bid for it in the "rst place.

Advertising sources said Rothco was worried that the quality of some ads produced by RTE internally were so poor that they would damage the agency's reputation.

RTE director of communications Bride Rosney said the state broadcaster's internal creative teams would be given priority in producing adverts for its news, TV, radio and performing group business units and that fact was made "absolutely clear" in the initial contract negotiations. She added that the contract speci"ed that the agency role of 'brand guardian' would apply only to speci"c pieces of work commissioned with the agency, "to ensure those speci"c projects were consistent with brand guidelines".

Hickey hotly disputes this. "The industry-accepted understanding of 'brand guardian' is that you get to guard the brand. You have responsibility to make sure work looks, feels and sounds like it's meant to. We were absolutely aware that internal resources were to be used, but if the market thinks we're custodians of a brand, and 10 ads appear, only one of which we've generatedf we had to take a decision."

McCann Erickson MD Orlaith Blaney said RTE's de"nition of the agency role . . . having responsibility as 'brand guardian' but limited strictly to commissioned pieces of work . . .

was fraught with problems. "That is an impossibility, " she said. "How could you be expected to be brand custodian?"

Rosney insisted that the situation should not have come as a surprise.

"I can't say we said there would be a competitive pitch. But it was always clear that where internal sources are available we'd use that."

Rosney told Publius RTE was "disappointed" at Rothco's decision to resign the business, which was made known by letter last week following a six-month review. Hickey said Rothco would complete outstanding work but expected to be "nished within four weeks.

RTE was in internal discussions as to how to proceed. Rosney said its relationship with Vizeum was unaffected.

NOT SO EASY RIDER

A 'RIDER' is a document in which musicians make their occasionally ludicrous demands of promoters and handlers . . . like removing all the green M&Ms or providing a carpet woven from rose petals.

A rider from a prominent rocker soon to be playing in Dublin has come into the possession of Publius.

It includes a warning to lighting designers: "We had a lighting designer once, but he went mad so we shot him. It was the kindest thing."

Among the requests for beer, wine and existential security guards is a pitch for a reality TV show, Dead Dog Island, "where a group of contestants/dog lovers is asked what is their favourite breed of dog, then whatever they reply (for example, poodle, or labrador), they are then presented with a dead dog of that particular breed, which they have to cook in a number of different ways, say about six or seven, and then eat it all up over the course of the next, ooohf two weeks or so." TV3 will probably make the show, and hire Claire Byrne to host as punishment.

Publius thinks this rocker may have a future in reality TV. Publius just hopes we're not alive to see it.