Ad agency roster in shock after sudden departure of Peter Webster from Toyota after 22 years
In what must have come as a shock to the agency roster, Toyota Australia today announced the sudden resignation of divisional manager national marketing Peter Webster, with no reason given for his departure. CB hears there was a major confrontation between Webster and Toyota Australia management this week over an [unspecified] issue that led to his departure.
CB understands he will be replaced by his number 2, Scott Thompson,currently corporate manager national advertising.
The main Toyota account is split between Saatchi & Saatchi and Mojo, retail and the new Rukus brand is handled by Oddfellows, and, most recently, Droga5 was added to the roster in October to look after the Yaris brand, a decision driven by Webster, who worked well with Droga5 creative chairman David Nobay when the latter was ECD of Saatchi’s Sydney. With Webster gone, it will be interesting to see what effect, if any, it will have on the roster.
Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said Webster had made a valuable contribution during a career spanning 22 years with the company: “Peter has worked across the business in marketing, advertising, customer relations, parts marketing, national sales and Lexus,” says Callachor.
“In his most recent role, he has helped drive Toyota’s marketing during a period when the company has cemented its position as the top-selling automotive marque. He leaves the brand in great shape with Toyota on track to be market leader in Australia for the 14th year, including the past eight in a row. We wish Peter all the best for his future.”
14 Comments
I’ll bet the agencies all are breathing a sigh of relief. Always plotting the agencies against one another. Ruled by fear. Not one to ever thank the agency for coming in on a Sunday for a meeting. No one will be in shock. The bubbly corks were popping all around the CBD today.
I guess we know who won the brand pitch then!?
Bye Bye Droga
I think that’s the only time I’ve seen him smile.
having worked with webbo, he is definitely the grumpiest old school marketing director in australia…good riddance…apart from ‘nothing soft gets in’, toyota has been producing average work for the past 5 years since he’s been in charge…the whole brand needs a refresh…least he’ll get a nice payout to retire out in the shire
peter’s departure is a shame
all he ever wanted was great advertising — and he challenged the agency world to produce that
the mediocre creative talent despised him
the great creatives were inspired by him
he is a one off — he needs managing and he needs to get poked in the eye ( or more ) on a regular basis but I would take him for a client any day over the corporate — focus group —research driven — here today gone tomorrow brand manager wankers that are too often clients
Shame to see one if the real nice guys go.
FACT: This guy caused a lot of destruction.
Good bye.
Sorry Jim, I think you misread the article. It was Peter Webster who left, not John Roca.
Actually Jim makes a good point. He might have been grumpy and dour (until he got to know and trust you), but unlike most marketing directors he never abrogated his responsibility to focus groups to tell him what to think or do.
Oh what a firing!
Peter always made sense and may have resulted in a strong brand if his agencies could have delivered good work that was right for Toyota, but he was a hard taskmaster and for that he won’t be missed.
Peter has been in that position for a long time. Toyota have been in the number 1 automotive position for 10 years. They sell nearly double the number of cars than their nearest competitor and they have a market share of around 20%. It’s a huge achievement in fact I doubt whether Toyota have 20% in any other market and we’re one of the most competitive automotive markets in the world. Peter has been responsible for much of that success. He knows what he’s doing and has a real instinct for the job at hand. He’ll be missed. Yes he was sometimes difficult and he could be grumpy and demanding but he was a good man and good at his job.
The Melbourne Yakuza strikes again. All S &M functions will be there within 2 years.