Getting Downsized? Send in the Clowns

Posted on by Beth Negus Viveiros

support clown
Joshua Jacks and associate

Worried about losing your ad agency gig? Have you considered hiring an emotional support clown?

Probably not, especially considering the popularity of IT. But for one New Zealand man about to be downsized from his job at FCB, bringing a clown along to meet with his employers seemed like exactly the right thing to do.

Everyone is used to stories of people bringing support animals—dogs, cats, chickens—places to help them get through the day, but a clown is decidedly unusual.

As the New York Post reports, Joshua Jack of Auckland had been called in to meet with his superiors and knew while it could be for a promotion, the more likely scenario was that he was being let go. The email informing him of the meeting told him he could bring a support person.

“I thought it was best to bring in a professional—so I paid $200 and hired a clown,” he told Magic Talk radio.

The clown earned his paycheck, miming crying as Jack was served his redundancy papers, and created balloon animals to lift his spirits. The folks at FCB were cool with his choice of meeting companion—if he was a doctor or lawyer, it might not have been so well received.

“He was $200 so basically he was, I assume, one of the best clowns in Auckland,” Jack said. “I definitely recommend bringing Joe or another clown. Highly recommended.”

In the end, “a little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants” may have been a smart career move after all: the New Zealand Herald reports that Jack and his creative partner (no, not the clown) already have new positions lined up at DDB.

No clowning around: Is your marketing agency one of the top shops in the country? Let everyone know: apply now to be part of the 2020 Chief Marketer 200, our exclusive list of the country’s top 200 B2B and brand activation agencies.

 

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