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Paul Tilley, executive creative director of the major ad agency DDB in Chicago, jumped to his death from a hotel window on Friday. He played a key role in many familiar ad campaigns, including "Dude, you're getting a Dell" and the "I'm Lovin' It" campaign for McDonald's. But Tilley was often criticized on industry blogs, and in the wake of his suicide, some people are calling those harsh criticisms a factor in his death. Others are arguing just as hard against that interpretation. Below, a selection of the negative comments on Agency Spy, a blog that had criticized Tilley's management skills recently (and offered "heartfelt condolences" on his death):

Seamus Says: February 24, 2008 at 7:08 am Agreed that it's sad and I am sure the condolences are meant. But you bitched about the guy 5 days ago and now that post is mysteriously missing from your site.


S.O. Says:
February 24, 2008 at 11:58 am
Heartfelt? True? Just stop it now. It's too late.
Paul was a talented, compassionate, kind, and thoughtful man. But those with far less character, in name and anonymously, chose not to write those things.


bill Says:
February 24, 2008 at 3:43 pm
death by blog
It looks like this stupid blog can kill more than a career.


bill Says:
February 24, 2008 at 3:50 pm
F-ing parasites!
Agency Spy, George Parker/Adscam, and Lewis Lazare/Sun Times should all be sued.


Dan Says:
February 24, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Trust me... as someone who's known Paul for over 20 years... he heard and felt all those comments and whispers.
Sadly, we'll never know what drove him in those final hours. All support to his two girls.


gb Says:
February 25, 2008 at 3:01 am
What was written in the blogs about Paul was outrageous and cruel. If you don't think that such deeply hurtful comments were not impacting him and his family or fanning the flames at work, you are seriously naive. The criticism certainly undermined him. Paul sure wasn't perfect, but who is?
I can only hope that this horrible event will lead people to think twice before they let loose with caustic comments that are globally disseminated. Are there no standards of decency in the blogosphere? There should be.


hesucks Says:
February 25, 2008 at 1:54 pm
i think it's time for your to rename this site 'BLOODONMYHANDS.COM'