Wanted: Male Caucasian 220lbs 6’3
Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
We’ve been sent (and pointed at) some pretty weird stuff in our six years in the publishing business (in exactly four weeks time DailyDOOH will be SIX years old) but the picture below (and the video further in the post) surely tops anything that we have been shown before…
Shown above, allegedly, is a baseball cap wearing Chris Beauchamp (described as Monster Media’s owner in his LinkedIn profile) and we are told that he is busying himself, removing the Inwindow Outdoor plaque from outside Inwindow Outdoor’s temporary office.
He’s also shown in more detail in the video below…
The elevator leads to the temporary office space taken by Inwindow Outdoor. The other character in this video is allegedly Zach Chastain, an Account Manager at Monster Media.
We have been told that an Inwindow Outdoor office manager was present at the time. She was slightly unnerved by the whole escapade and alerted building management who reviewed surveillance video.
Our understanding is that Inwindow Outdoor CEO Steve Birnhak has given Chris until close of business on Friday to return the plaque to them (together with a written apology) or Steve and his landlord will be pressing charges for theft and criminal trespass against Chris Beauchamp and Zach Chastain.
June 26th, 2013 at 21:03 @918
An Open Letter to Chris Beauchamp, CEO of Monster Media
Dear Chris,
Over the years you’ve done some pretty underhanded things, but other than sharing my frustrations privately, I’ve largely held my tongue, hoping your transgressions would catch up to you via other means. However, after what just happened (which I’ll get to shortly), I’m no longer going to quietly sit back and watch you lie, cheat, bully and steal. It’s the month of whistle-blowers, and I’m joining the pack.
When we were first getting involved in digital, we had just been awarded the campaign for ‘Coraline’, and you tried every dirty trick in the book to thwart it. You even tried to bribe our new partners at Helios with $250,000 to not work with us.
Another time, you tried to bully our client at DMG (and other media buyers) by telling her you had patents on gesture interactivity, so they could only work with you. Thankfully, she was unconvinced and we went on to do many more campaigns together.
More recently, with Clear Channel, you were able to get an exclusive on San Francisco bus shelters signed by a (now former) employee who was unauthorized to do so, amidst allegations of bribery*.
Lately, things have been kind of quiet. Then, last week, for some inexplicable reason, you, and your NY sales rep, Zach Chastain, showed up at our temporary office space, in the midst of our move. Our office manager, the only person here at the time, was unnerved enough by the exchange that she felt compelled to alert building management, who then reviewed the surveillance video. That’s when we saw you steal our office plaque. WTF??!
Here’s the incriminating video:
http://youtu.be/ju9g8gs0hQo
and photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24762070@N03/9136914868/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24762070@N03/9136914966/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24762070@N03/9136914822/in/photostream/
You have until close of business on Friday to return it to us, along with a full, unequivocal written apology, or, in conjunction with our landlord, we’re pressing charges for theft and criminal trespass against both of you.
Steve Birnhak
CEO
Inwindow Outdoor
*According to Clear Channel’s lead counsel, the former (terminated) employee claimed he was offered bribes in exchange for an exclusive, while Monster alleged he solicited the payoff. It’s unclear if money was ever exchanged.
June 27th, 2013 at 12:42 @570
No company, no employees, no office, no life….my summary of Steve Birnak
June 27th, 2013 at 13:26 @601
As it is patently obvious that a small proportion of our readers cannot behave responsibly (Gosh I sound like a skool teacher), we’ve deleted the vast majority of comments on this post. If you want to comment and are prepared to give your real name and email address we’d be happy to post. If you cannot abide by those simple rules, feel free to read / chortle / be angry / be incensed / LOL / whatever BUT please do not submit any comments. Thx. A
June 27th, 2013 at 15:15 @677
Well, looks like we won’t be doing much more business with either of these companies. This has to be the most downright childish thing I have ever seen between two CEO’s. Unbelievable.
June 27th, 2013 at 15:55 @705
Steve,
We stopped by your office and saw you were no longer in business and nothing but your old sign remained. A simple prank, nothing more.
Your Empty Unlocked Office: http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/wclfjn
As for your slanderous and untrue diatribe, I kindly ask you remove it.
I think we all have better things to do.
June 27th, 2013 at 16:56 @747
Chris,
You are being untruthful once again. You went into our temporary office space (we’re moving to the back of the floor and are here while they’re doing renovations) and spoke to our office manager. Here’s MORE video of you being shown the way in by our painter.
http://youtu.be/YUwWqpmoSrM
What you did is theft. I’m sure you’d like this matter to go away, but it’s just starting.
June 28th, 2013 at 16:12 @716
I’ve been following the saga for the past few days, did he write the apology and return the sign?! I’m on the edge of my seat in anticipation.
June 28th, 2013 at 19:58 @873
Ok great so now it’s all out in the open, Chris Beauchamp likes to play devious pranks that are border-line illegal and InWindow needs a waaahmbulance. All involved parties should probably think about growing up a little.
JUST SAYIN’
June 28th, 2013 at 21:33 @939
Hey Larry,
Looks like you do a lot of work for Monster Media….
JUST SAYIN’
June 28th, 2013 at 21:41 @945
I take it back. You worked AT Monster Media.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/larrywilliamson
June 28th, 2013 at 22:21 @973
I don’t know either party but I would hope the one claiming the allegations at InWindow has some backup to them. If not, seems that a libel suit would be in order. By the looks of the videos, definitely not worth a lawsuit but that’s just my opinion.
June 29th, 2013 at 14:24 @642
Thanks for the plug Steve! 😉
I know the rivalry between the two companies has been going on for a long time, and neither has clean hands.
I’m pretty sure I speak for more than myself when I say that using using an industry blog for things like this distasteful, and while I’m sure you mainly meant to tarnish the reputation of the offending party, you’ve done the same to your own.
June 29th, 2013 at 23:02 @001
Aaron,
I can definitely prove it. I wouldn’t make those accusations if I couldn’t substantiate them. More importantly, Chris knows I can prove it, because he knows what he did, which is why he and his proxy, are trying to deny and deflect. Yes, there’s bad blood, but it’s based purely on the continuous misdeeds of one party. In terms of this being unprofessional, I can understand that perspective, but I felt it was the best course of action because his behavior is continuously deplorable and the industry needs to see it and hear about it. My feeling is the world doesn’t need any more Lance Armstrongs. If I come off negatively as a consequence, then that’s unfortunately something I’ll have to accept. I can say that I’ve received numerous letters of encouragement, including one from someone at his company.
June 30th, 2013 at 15:41 @695
While I found the sign stealing prank article very entertaining, the additional banter is quite embarrassing for the OOH industry. Steve, I would suggest putting this to bed.
July 2nd, 2013 at 13:02 @585
And we wonder why our industry lacks credibility . Whatever transpired between these two companies is not the point. Steve, dragging down our entire industry with this rant about a childish prank is an embarrassment . Considering how cut throat you have been, and how you and your predecessors at Inwindow conduct yourself in negotiations you should not be casting aspertions at anyone . Stop it guys!
July 8th, 2013 at 17:37 @776
David,
We were asked to work with your printing company by a media buyer. Given your company’s extremely close relationship with Monster, and their misdeeds, we were extremely hesitant to do so. I’m sorry if that was frustrating. I can also understand your interest in their defense.
Steve