Anomaly lays off 22 employees and cuts pay for some, due to coronavirus impact
Anomaly has laid off 22 employees in its New York office. The office, which lost Panera as a client this week, said, however, doing so was a direct result of the impact of the coronavirus on its business.
Anomaly president Franke Rodriguez emphasized the layoffs are not a result of the account loss: “This is directly associated with the impact coronavirus is having on our clients business, and in turn ours,” wrote Rodriguez in an email. He also said that everyone being laid off will get six months of healthcare coverage.
Aside from the layoffs, the company is also instituting a 10% pay cut for all staff that “make over a certain amount,” explained Rodriguez in an email, adding that founding partners, department heads and all group leaders are included in the employees who’ve taken the temporary pay cut. It’s unclear how long the pay cut will be instituted or what the salary level is that it impacts as Rodriguez did not immediately respond to requests for clarifications.
“Anyone who can read, listen or watch the news knows that we are in extraordinary times — as are our clients and the economy,” said Anomaly chairman Carl Johnson in a statement. “No one is immune from the impact and consequently in response to a tough business context caused by the coronavirus directly impacting our clients, we have had to let a number of people go.”
The effect of the coronavirus on the ad business is starting to become clearer as some marketers have reduced budgets and suspended campaigns. The long-term impact is still unknown.
“It sucks, but being naive or in denial would suck more,” wrote Rodriguez of the layoffs in an email.
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