Long-serving creative director at Linc Integrated, Steve Brown is considering establishing a rival agency in Western Australia following news that he, along with three other staff members, have been retrenched from the West Perth-based advertising outfit.
Mr Brown suggested the reason behind the dismissal may be due to the global financial crisis (GFC) finally taking its toll on the company while Linc group managing director John Carlson said a new business plan for the organisation could also be a contributing factor.
"It may also be down to (that) we're developing a new business plan," Mr Carlson told WA Business News.
"We're taking a slightly different direction and focusing on digital communication.
"We don't do anything at the moment without the GFC in mind, and I guess it makes us sharpen our focus on who we employ and what role we employ them in."
Mr Carlson said he will be replacing Mr Brown with a new creative director that could garner an enhanced salary.
In total, there were four Linc staff members let go, an account manager and an account coordinator from the Melbourne office, and a finished artist from the Perth office along with Mr Brown.
However, Mr Carlson said Linc are currently advertising a number of positions that will see a "net increase in total staff across the country" in light of the new business model.
"We're employing a senior programmer, a junior programmer and an account manager in digital in Perth and an account manager in digital in Melbourne," Mr Carlson said.
"We've been less impacted by the GFC than those dependent on press and television ads.
"Mainstream advertising has dropped off. There's been a 40 per cent decline in offline, and a 27 per cent increase in online."
Mr Brown, who is one of Perth's most experienced creatives, realises the difficulties in setting up a business in the current climate.
"At this stage I'm looking at possibly starting my own business," Mr Brown said.
"There's no better time to start a business than in a recession, if you can survive through a recession your business can do anything."
In 1985, while at Ogilvy & Mather in Perth, Mr Brown created the Piper West Flight School outdoor poster which remains Perth's only Gold AWARD Award winner.
He joined AdLink in the early 90s, eventually taking over from Gordon Dawson as creative director, after speding a couple of years in Singapore working for Batey Ads.
AdLink was taken over by Jung Lautrec & Shaw in 2001, which became the foundation of Linc.
