R/GA creatives make scented candles to remind staff of things they miss about being together
With the pandemic still making it impossible for advertising firm R/GA New York’s 650 employees to be together, creative Thibault Gerard, a former intern at GPY&R Melbourne, alongside Katie Facada have taken it upon themselves to bring a piece of the office into every employee’s home.
Eau D’Office is a series of scented candles from all the different smells they miss from their days of working together under the same roof.
From the scent of Bourbon and Cheetos coming from impromptu Thursday happy hours, to the lingering colognes after crowded meetings in tiny conference rooms, the candles aim to conjure all the unique memories of being together in their iconic new office space in Hudson Yards.
Eau D’Office launched with six scents, and the lookbook lives on an instagram page at @rga_scentedcandles, where employees can peruse the collection and request which one they’d like sent to them.
The idea originated as a goodbye gift to two group creative directors. It got such a great response the team felt compelled to get the whole office in on it.
Says Gerard: “Smell is our closest link to memory. We obviously want everyone to laugh at this, but it’s also a way to honor the time we shared together.”
Creative – Katie Facada, Thibault Gerard
Design – Matthew Woodward
Photography – Thomas Huerta
19 Comments
Done very well already by global hot-shop Uncommon.
https://www.creativeboom.com/features/uncommon-and-earl-of-east-create-charity-candles-that-smell-like-the-places-we-miss-most-during-lockdown/
Apologies for being so condescending. TBH I had a dream job lined up overseas but then the pandemic happened and that’s honestly the only reason why I’m still here and just mildly bitter.
Lame
You can be critical of this work and not mean spirited. Fact is uncommon did it and did it better and for charity. This kind of industry navel gazing work might help with staff morale, but it won’t win any awards or improve the agency’s creative reputation. You’d think the creative leaders at r/ga would be aware of the uncommon work and not want to do something so similar, but that comes down to the agency and individuals’ desire to create innovative work, and not follow in the footsteps of the best. (Yes I know uncommon don’t own candle ideas but “smells like something we’re missing” is the same idea.)
There’s no defending the work, even by copying the pseudonym.
Thank you for your homage to our labels.
This has a bad smell about it.
I don’t think people want to be reminded of the office?
Don’t we just prefer our freedom while getting the work done?
@Gottabequick – generally I’d agree, most creatives should know about great work that’s been done, but scented candles, during COVID, meh, I can see how that might have been missed. I sure as hell did, so maybe they just both came up with similar ideas.
Regardless, the last thing I’d want during COVID to cheer me up would be some bloody stinky candles.
If you work in this industry and you don’t know Uncommon’s work then you’re pretty out of touch I would say.
‘might help with staff morale’
It’s a joke eh – lighten up
It reflects poorly on R/GA’s creative output and wasn’t worthy of being PR’d externally.
It’s not a bit of fun, it’s agency propaganda to inspire current employees and be a calling card to new ones. Any ambitious creative would see this as being indicative of an agency that has low standards. Creativity is our commodity.
It’s a gesture, from an employer to its employees, at a time when people would probably like some kind of light hearted recognition of the situation they are in and something else to talk about at Friday zoom catch ups.
If you want to piss on someones campfire, you are welcome to.
then why pr it if it’s internal?
I miss the cowardly scent of scathing feedback behind my back on level 14, the elevators and the foosball table. Bravo to all.
They chose to market it as a positive initiative.
Doesn’t null the intent
Wait! They missed the Scent of Bitchiness, the Scent of Jealousy and the Scent of Favouritism.
“Eau” in French means ‘water’ and is commonly used to describe liquid perfumes, etc.
Makes no sense on a candle even if you’re implying the word stands for “the smell of something.”
“Odeur d’Office” would make more sense.
Creatives anonymously sh*tting on other creatives is the most creatives thing ever. Bravo.