CAMPAIGN DIARY: Red Square red-faced over its errant e-mail

With Agency of the Year voting coming up, here follows a cautionary

tale about how not to make friends and influence people at Campaign -

and on the importance of learning how to use your e-mail properly.

Wednesday, 9.45am: Campaign reporter Eleanor Trickett is e-mailed by an

old contact, Mel Colton, telling her that after a freelance stint, he

has secured a position as the the creative director of Red Square.

Wednesday, 10.02am: Eleanor sends a congratulatory e-mail in reply,

asking, not unreasonably, what the hell Red Square is. It is, after all,

some way off the PR, awards and any other radar you care to mention.

Thursday, 9.56am: Eleanor receives an e-mail from the unknown Jenny

Tyler, also of Red Square. ’Are you going to ’prime’ her to cover us?’

it asks.

’Or at least warm her up so we can use her big time for the launch?’

Thursday, 10.05am: Eleanor replies, politely: ’I don’t think this

message was meant for me ...’

Thursday, 12.11pm: Eleanor gets an unapologetic e-mail from Jenny: ’I

thought I was replying to Mel,’ she chirps. ’Oh well, I would like to

start building a relationship with you ... (etc etc)’

Sadly, Agency of the Year may elude Red Square for some centuries

yet.

But hey, at least they got their (one and only) mention in Campaign.