Stagwell has been having a tough start to September, as its controversial business working with Israel’s foreign ministry made waves both within the holding company and across the marketing industry.
Stagwell declined ADWEEK’s request for comment.
Here’s what has happened so far:
Sept. 5 — Investigative outlet Drop Site published a leaked deck showing that Stagwell had been hired by Israel’s foreign ministry to test propaganda-style messaging in the U.S. and Europe. The research included surveys of more than 13,000 people across 13 countries and sample videos aimed at shaping public opinion.
Sept. 12 — Stagwell executives told ADWEEK that the project for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was conducted by a specialized insights team rather than its creative or media agencies.
