How Marissa Mayer Fell Asleep and Kept Ad Executives Waiting For Hours

Wall Street Journal ^ | 6/23/14 | SUZANNE VRANICA

[jimbo123]

For media companies, the Cannes advertising festival is all about getting face time with top media buyers and advertisers. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer missed a golden opportunity to do just that last week.

Last Tuesday evening, Interpublic Group arranged a private dinner at the swanky L’Oasis for Ms. Mayer to meet executives from marketers such as Mondelez International MDLZ, brewer MillerCoors and Greek yogurt maker Chobani. It was supposed to be a chance for Interpublic and some of its clients to get a first hand update from Ms. Mayer on what Yahoo has to offer.

But Ms. Mayer was nearly two hours late, and several dinner attendees including IPG Chief Executive Michael Roth ended up leaving before she arrived, people familiar with the matter said.

Ms. Mayer told some attendees that she had fallen asleep, some of the people said.

“If it were an investor meeting, a board meeting or a potential acquisition, I am sure she or someone from her team would have woken her up,” said one top executive in attendance. “It is another instance where she demonstrated that she doesn’t understand the value of clients, ad revenue or agencies,” the person added.

[Still Thinking]

I’m sure Laz’d hit it, and she doesn’t make me want to gouge my eyes out, but I think “super hot” is probably overselling.

[RaveOn]

“Perhaps that’s just as well. I have noticed in the past few months that Yahoo’s e-mail service has gotten worse.”

There’s been a tidal wave of complaints about the disastrous new Yahoo! email system, which also ruined AT&T email. Missy Mayer was in charge of that customer-alienating fiasco, as well.

Everybody at Yahoo! was apparently asleep when they approved it, despite the exclamation point in their name, which I assume means the correct pronunciation is to shout it.

[glorgau]

She’s one of those people that brag about how they “thrive” on 3-4 hours of sleep a night.