Speakers at the Thursday session of the American Association of Advertising Agencies conference made unusually assertive remarks about the future of advertising, writes the New York Times. "I think our industry would be better if agencies were as comfortable with change as we like to tell clients they should be," Ron Berger of Euro RSCG Worldwide, who is also the 2004-6 chairman of the 4 As, told the nearly 400 attendees. "I think our industry would be better if all of the people who speak at industry functions and say 'It's all about big ideas' actually had a few," he added.

Berger's successor as chairman of the 4As, Anthony J. Hopp of Campbell-Ewald, was also blunt. "I say, come on, quit the whining," he said, adding that now is the right time to demonstrate "that we're comfortable with all the changes facing our industry, that we accept change and embrace it."

Berger also named names, skewering well-known figures. "I think our industry would be better if we had more holding company CEOs like John Wren" of the Omnicom Group, "and fewer Martin Sorrells," he said, referring to the chief executive of the WPP Group, No. 2 behind Omnicom.