Walking West.

I walked west this morning, following the advice of Horace Greeley and the wagon-ruts of pioneers from centuries gone by.

I walked west, past Third Avenue, once home to Ally & Gargano, Grey, Scali, Needham, Benton and Bowles. I walked west past Madison Avenue, home to so many agencies, it gave our industry its nickname.

I walked west this morning, nearly to the Hudson.

Agencies used to be important to clients. So they were paid fairly, justly, and could afford the rent on Madison Avenue, on Park, on Lex.

Today, our services and our offices have retreated to the fringes.

Geography is destiny.

We are a side show.

In just the 30 years I've been in the business, we've gone from Madison Avenue
to Halfway House Avenue, Homeless Shelter Avenue, Honda Dealership Avenue.

The semiotics of our move west are damning.

We are no longer central to making businesses work.

So we are located in no man's land.