The secret diary of an ad agency, aged one week: Sean Doyle of CDD recalls the ups and downs as the agency took its first steps. (Live Issue/CDD).

Background Walter Campbell, Sean Doyle, Dave Dye, Caspar Thykier and Natalie Bright resign from Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO in July. Across town, Alison Hoad packs her bags at Lowe. They all meet in an Italian agency's London headquarters to start CDD Testa.

After 11 September, Testa decides to pull out of the marriage before it's consummated and a four-month meeting begins. Through it flow Italian lawyers, English lawyers, accountants, potential new partners and numerous pizza delivery boys.

CDD, now minus the Testa, receives many kind offers of temporary accommodation, eventually settling at Sputnik's offices in Carnaby Street. Soon after, Peter Mead comes charging in on a white horse bearing the Omnicom crest. Acquaintances are renewed, papers are signed and hands are shaken. Early November, CDD is invited to pitch to the worldwide head of Mercedes advertising. Late November, Mercedes tells CDD it has its first account. In early January, CDD moves into its first home.

Monday

Everyone, eager to impress the others, gets there for opening day bang on nine o'clock, which results in a messy, five-partner pile-up at the front door.

Walt's awards arrive courtesy of Pickfords and we spend the first couple of hours unloading them. Dave and I -- not fans of vulgar showiness--prefer to restrict ourselves to a small box between us.

We meet a prospective client but unfortunately it's before we've had a chance to sort our meeting rooms out, so we're in the makeshift Room 3 which is the size of an aircraft hangar. While this is helpful for light-hearted metaphorical banter (eg. Alison's "We like to think of ourselves as First Class but with an eye on Economy"), it does result in a distinct echo after every sentence. Alison's delivery of our slogan comes out as "The ads, the ads, the ads, the ads, the ads, the ads, the ads, the ads".