They stole our Pocky!

Instagram post claiming credit for the Share Happiness Tour - Dent's work.

We are currently witnessing the most outrageous act of credit stealing any of us have ever seen. It's unbelievable.

Unfair credit-taking isn't new. Whether on a LinkedIn profile, in a creative portfolio, or even in a meeting, it happens.

But this one is a doozy. A new low in credit stealing.

We recently discovered that another Los Angeles area agency is claiming a campaign we concepted and executed was actually their work. They present it as a case study on their website, in PR, social media and now their newest 2026 sizzle reel.

And apparently, they’ve been doing it for years.

We, Dent, created and executed the Pocky Share Happiness Tour in 2013. It ran through 2017. We conceived it. We produced it. We executed it. We have the contracts, design sketches, presentation decks, behind-the-scenes photos, tour videos, health permits...everything.

The Miller Group started showing this campaign as their work on their website starting in 2021, four years after the campaign ended. We know because the internet archive WayBackMachine shows it in the 2021 version of their website. They have our Pocky work posted in AdForum.com with a 2023 date.

And in 2026 they’re still showing our work as theirs. On their current website. In their case studies. And now their 2026 Sizzle Reel.

There's no evidence we could find showing any work they did themselves. Not even a social media post. It’s all our work. Our images from our events.

Unbelievable.

At this point you might ask, “Why didn't you say something before?”

Well, we accidentally discovered it when searching for Pocky marketing after we stopped working with them. We’d never even heard of The Miller Group before this. We don’t pitch new business, so we don’t really look at other agencies’ marketing materials. We stay in our lane. (And only show our work.) 

Perhaps the good news is that no one ever brought it to our attention, because, well, maybe no one we know saw it? Who knows?

Anyhow, at this point we’re wondering, what should we do?

Our first reaction was through-the-roof rage. Who TF does that? Who takes credit for another agency’s work like that? 

By the way, The Miller Group probably did work for Pocky, but we're not sure. They don't have any work on their website except ours. So, who knows?

Anyhow, what should we do?

Some say go straight to lawyers. Cease and desist. Sue. Lanham Act violation - which is ironic, charging an ad agency with false advertising.

Public shaming? Like this? OK, for now.

Or maybe just call Founder and Credit Stealer in Chief Renee Miller and talk?

Nah. She of all people knows what they put on their website was not theirs.

So, what's the point of calling? They will probably just take down what they can, leaving the PR and other stuff out there. Besides, where does that leave us?

They've had this out there for years. How many clients and other agency folk have seen that? How many new business pitches did our work help them win? 

What about us? The Miller Group takes credit for Dent's work for years, so why shouldn't we set the record straight for years?

This was not an accident. It was not a rogue employee. This is in their current agency credentials.

So, we're still trying to figure this one out. We’re open to others’ ideas. 

But only if they're your own. 😉