“The PRCA has never before passed down such a damning indictment of an agency’s behaviour.”The PRCA said the Bell Pottinger campaign was “likely to inflame racial discord in South Africa”. “Having it taken away will significantly hurt [Bell Pottinger]. Bell Pottinger resigned the Oakbay account in April, at the time saying it was the victim of a smear campaign involving “totally false and damaging accusations”. In a statement about the PRCA ruling, Bell Pottinger said it accepted there were “lessons to be learned but disputes the basis on which the ruling was made”. Bell Pottinger’s co-founder Tim Bell told BBC’s Newsnight that the incident “almost certainly” meant the end for the firm but declined to take any responsibility for it.

Source: The Guardian September 04, 2017 17:59 UTC