Ad Agency Layoffs Continue to Hit Michigan in Wake of GM Agency Overhaul

Ad agency layoffs continue to impact Michigan this month. McCann plans to lay off 123 employees at its office in Birmingham, Michigan after losing business from key client General Motors. That is two weeks after the date Commonwealth/McCann said it would eliminate 56 jobs in Detroit. This news was first reported by Ad Age.

The layoffs come as GM transfers work away from Detroit agencies that have long had accounts with the automaker, as a result of an agency overhaul announced earlier this Summer.

The agency will complete the layoffs October 15, according to a WARN notice filed with the state. Impacted employees at McCann are not represented by a union, according to the WARN notice. The agency still has work with GM, according to Ad Age. It is not clear how much its revenue is impacted.

GM’s switch to out-of-town agencies has sparked criticism – and action – throughout the ad industry. Detroit-based Doner, whose clients include auto giant Stellantis, created a $1 million fund to hire more talent amid the layoffs at its competitors. This million-dollar fund is part of a broader #HireDetroit initiative across the city.

Commonwealth/McCann is expected to retain some work, including Chevrolet campaigns in several markets outside the U.S., according to Ad Age.

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