CCO and CD from JWT India resign over Ford ad controversy

An update to the news about the misogynist Ford ads with Berslusconi, Hilton and Schumacher gagging their enemies and sticking them in the trunk.... Heads have rolled at JWT India for the tasteless campaign.

Bobby Pawar, JWT India's chief creative officer & managing partner, as well as Vijay SimhaVellanki, creative director at Blue Hive, a WPP unit dedicated to managing the Ford business, have been asked to resign.

A statement from JWT India reads:

"After an internal review, we have taken appropriate disciplinary action with those involved, which included the exit of employees at JWT. These were necessary steps owing to the direct accountability of the individuals as we work to ensure that both the right oversight and processes are strictly enforced so that this never happens again."

Bobby Pawar took it like a proper captain of a ship and emailed Economictimes India this statement:

What happened is unfortunate. But no matter what the circumstances, it did happen on my watch."

The ads didn't just appear on various ad sites around the world, JWT had also entered them in the annual Ad Club awards. One does not enter (expensive) awards without having work seen by senior creative management of any agency.