Posts tagged client
confessions of an ad man
Jan 29th
Well.
Maybe its because I get to talk with a lot of teen/20somethings or maybe its because all my friends are cynical bastards … but I seem to defend the advertising business a lot.
And maybe because of that I thought I should take a moment and share some truths.
Because the business (for the majority) is not made up of liars, hucksters, clowns, alcoholics and smarmy assholes.
And mostly we try and tell the truth to businesses and consumers. I say mostly because I admit that there are some moments inside an agency where one of the minority (from the above aforementioned majority) find a voice (most typically with regard to new business) and says things that send a shiver up my ethical spine.
Regardless.
Some truth (I imagine this is just an abbreviated list of truths of which we could add many many more if I were to think about it more).
Advertising is not always about just selling stuff.
Advertising isn’t just a catalyst for buying (or convincing someone to buy) … it is a catalyst for how people see things, think about things and, sometimes, actually do things. I heard Spike Lee once say .. “I feel a responsibility for everything I create <because millions will see it>.” Advertising may be the most powerful thing out there to affect people. We know we are in a business but we also know we impact people significantly more than the sales numbers ever reflect. We in the business never forget this (albeit it may look like we have on occasion). Ok. Let’s just say that the people in advertising who really ‘get it’ never forget this.
That said …
Yes. Creativity is about results & awards (or recognition).
We understand what we do makes an impact … and should be measured by some type of results. On the other hand … because it is creativity we like some creative validation that you didn’t just have to throw mud against the wall to make something stick. The truth is that advertising people thrive on both. And we have to because sometimes bad advertising can generate results. And people get fooled by just looking at sales results (and not examining the results in terms of what people actually think … because that impacts future behavior). Good advertising can generate better results (and better long term impressions). And awards help better delineate between the crappy advertising that shows results and good advertising that shows results.
We like results & recognition. And we like people talking about it … speaking of which …
Social media is actually not that social.
We care about social media. Probably more than most business owners actually do. Many businesses create an illusion of ‘social’ but in reality maintain a relatively non-social business model (as defined in traditional social terms). So. The truth? The term social media has taken on galactic size proportions standing for everything … and nothing. Here is the truth. Most social media vehicles are simply information disseminators. They aren’t social. They permit people and businesses to narcissistically spew forth ad nausea about themselves. What makes the web different is that there is an OPPORTUNITY to respond. If you take part in responding … well … it still isn’t social … it has simply become a dialogue (sort of). It only becomes social when there is some interaction like talking with someone at a party. Trust me on this one … in most cases it remains at stage one (the spewing part). For the most part the current social world is a monologue.
Oh. Just like TV.
Now. This doesn’t diminish the importance of social media and the future … it’s just that the good agencies keep perspective and actually recommend what is going to be the best for a clients’ business.
Ok. Back to TV.
Television is not dead.
One TV ad on American Idol can reach more teens then a PitBull tweet. And make a bigger impression (because you have those funny moving picture thingies).
Anyway. As long as tv executives keep their heads out of their asses often enough to actually produce programs people will watch … there will be TV ads. And as long as there is TV advertising there will be a maddening mix of insightfully educating entertaining executions and pedantic pedestrian drivel waste of :30 seconds.
Why is that? ….
We don’t know what works (for sure).
Sure. There are some basic principles that can insure your advertising will be in the “good” portion of the gene pool but, in the end, setting research aside … people are fickle and clients (in general) find it difficult to make the hard choices (because they prefer to ‘please’ rather than ‘prod’ the mind) needed so that the advertising actually has enough sharp edges on it to stand out. I will say this … give a good advertising agency (not a hack agency) one year to do whatever they believed was the best thing to do and I would bet over 80%+ of everything they did would be good (people like it) and effective (creates results).
Anyway. We are probably like songwriters. We write songs and we know some are better than others when we write them. We also kind of recognize when we write a hit – on the off chance when we write something like that – but you can never be sure until it is actually out there for all to hear & see.
And we do care what people think …
We do care about clients (most of them).
There is nothing better than knowing you have created something people like and generates results in partnership with a client you respect.
Nothing.
The only advertising people who have no/little respect for their clients or nothing good/nice to say about their clients (most typical comment is “they just aren’t that smart”) aren’t good advertising people. And you don’t want to work with them anyway.
And we do care about the people who buy the stuff too, but …
The consumer is not the king/queen.
Sorry to burst everyone’s bubble but if they were (kings & queens) they could demand anything they wanted and businesses would go out of business chasing their fleeting whims.
Here is the truth. A sale is a partnership between the seller & the buyer. At its best it is a marriagelike relationship. In either case … things are balanced … with one not significantly more important than the other. And why is this important? Well. With balance there is trust. And that is the basis for any long term brand or business proposition. Treat them like a king/queen? Yikes. At some point they will believe they are one and … well … treat the company like a serf (that is bad by the way).
Speaking of how people are treated …
Creative people always have a thread of insecurity (or fear).
If people want to wonder why creative people (or agency people in general) do wacky things … well … try this on for size. Remember what it felt like the first time you were in love and decided to say it out loud? You were scared shitless it wouldn’t be reciprocated. Or, worse, someone would just laugh. Well. That’s life in advertising on a daily basis. Creative ideas and ads and thoughts are emotionally, typically insightful, parts of our soul we elected to have the kahones to share with the public. In the end no client is the enemy, the consumer isn’t the enemy … fear is the enemy. Understand that and you understand the people in the business.
Ok.
I am sure I missed some other truths, but those are probably the biggies.
Good advertising people don’t lie. Either by omission or in actual ‘untruths.’ And they actually have the clients’ business interest in mind with almost everything they do … because when a client is successful, even if an agency may not get credit, they almost never get fired.
That’s the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth (at least for today).
ad agency client service: best job in the world
Sep 9th
I have worked within the advertising agency business environment my entire career. Began in Media, shifted to account management (interfacing with clients), learned strategic planning/account planning along the way, shifted into senior management and have handled new business, some business consulting assignments and ultimately have managed entire agencies. Throughout my career I have not only touched pretty much every aspect of a marketing/advertising/business consulting company but also have touched upon just about every industry and business type out there (excepting waste management possibly). All that said. The best job in the world is in account management. Sure. I imagine it has a lot to do with your personality and what floats your boat but there is absolutely no job in the world that will insure you will never be bored, always be challenged, have the opportunity to lead as well stand aside and still share in successes more than a position in account management. It is not for the faint of heart. You have to have resiliency of kevlar and a slight strain of paranoia to balance a sometimes quasi-arrogant attitude to push you way through a seemingly endless maze of objections and doubters to great ideas and great work.
Bill Gray, CEO of O&M said this at the 2005 4 A’s conference about account management :“Great account people have great observational skills, seek simplicity as the foil to complexity, take great intuitive leaps, are not linear thinkers and have bias to action.”
Anyway. I say all that as a preface to something I liked to give my team members when they joined (or I joined an agency). While I wrote it many many years ago as a young supervisor I have always hesitated to revise it. Yes. It could be improved. Yes. It could be smoothed. But, yes, it says pretty much what it needs to say.
Welcome to the description of possibly the greatest job on earth:
——-+
Welcome to account management. You are a unique person at the agency. You have to know as much about your clients business as an employee of that company does (maybe a little more). You also have to know more about your own agency than the client does (a lot more in fact). You are paid by the agency, but you won’t ever get paid unless your client is successful. You are a business consultant – internally and externally. You are an expert in ‘objection management’ (or at least you better become one if you want to be able to get ideas implemented) and you are a decision maker.
Think of yourself as the one who drops the pebble into the still pond. Your job isn’t just to drop the pebble but more so to recognize how the ripples will spread out and affect everything surrounding you. As a junior account person your pond may be small (simply opening a project effects a number of people), but the key to becoming a senior manager is recognizing how decisions dropped into the business pond ultimately impact when the ripples hit the long-term horizon. You won’t get them all right. And you’ll have to be flexible enough to know when to course correct versus “stay the course”.
It’s a tricky job. But it’s a great job. It is never dull. High risk. High reward. Being the closest to the client you get to truly share in their successes more than anyone else in that agency. As the main contact with the client you get to share all the agency successes. The highs are high. The lows are low. But (this being written by an account person with over 20 years experince) it is the best job in the agency.
Some rules of the road for account management within my group:
Create a Positive Environment.
People in the agency take your lead. If you are passionate, they will be passionate. If you show you respect the client, they will respect them also. It is up to you to create an environment that makes people want to work on an account. Sure. On occasion you will be asked to work on an account that you will scratch your head and trying to figure out what YOU like about the account.
Well. That is actually part of being a great account person. Finding that initial spark yourself. Finding the passion for that account that you can share with others. Trust us .. there are people on the client side who LOVE what they do. Find out what it is. Tap into it yourself. Be accountable. Be honest. Be an expert. And share the passion they have.
You have to be a little of a ‘chameleon.’ No. that does not mean changing your ideals or beliefs. It simply means you have to assume some of the characteristics of your account environment so that you can blend in and become part of the client. Then you will be successful. Then you can create a positive environment. Then you can convince your client to take some chances and that typically leads to bigger results successes. (then everyone is positive when that happens.)
Lead versus follow.
Lead, lead, lead. That’s your job. You always have to know where ‘you are going’ so that you can help people better understand why they have to do what they are doing. Always have long-term attitude embedded in everything you do. Following (particularly your client) often means you have entered the ‘short term trap.” This is a doom loop that you can only break out of by being a leader.
And you can only be a leader if you are informed and educated. You have to know more than the other person. Internally as you guide people through the process you have to be able to share the knowledge that lets them do their job better. In order to lead the client you have to know their business and/or products. You cannot talk with a car client unless you have driven the car, been on the lot with the salesman and even maybe visit the manufacturing plant.
In the absence of anything better, even a camel will walk to the closest water .. even if it is poisoned. Even the smartest clients need to be led. Without leadership given the myriad of projects clients can demand, it is easy to very quickly go astray and simply start “following” and just start ‘doing what we have been told to do’ – and that is how relationships get poisoned. Clients rarely leave agencies where their account management team is respected as leaders.
Proactive versus reactive.
The corollary to lead versus follow. Being proactive.
The moment you start to react to a client’s suggestion or a situation you know you are behind. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen. You should ALWAYS listen. In fact, listening can help you become more proactive. By building on what you heard (and learned) from your client you would continuously share forward thinking, new ideas and stay ahead of the game.
Half the battle in account management is figuring out how to keep moving forward. By reacting you are defending and not moving at all (in fact you often find yourself moving backwards!).
At any level in account management you should be thinking proactively. You are not an order taker. The minute you do become one .. find another job.
Outcome versus output.
As account managers we are all about ‘doing things’ — creating advertising, generating ideas, solving businesses problems — that generate outcome for our clients. Outcome. Real business results. Yes. Business results. An agency is measurable by results. Even if we do not control all aspects of the plan. Trust me. If business results are down, a client doesn’t want to hear why an agency is not responsible for those results … they want an agency that is also losing sleep and coming up with solutions.
To be sure we do that (generate successful results) we need to insure quality output. Don’t settle for “c” product or “ok ideas.” They’ll come back to haunt you with “ok outcome.” And ok outcome doesn’t make clients happy.
The reality is .. as you start your career in account management .. your role and responsibilities are focused on generating the output. Project management and just getting all those projects done. Efficiently generating the work and making sure it is as effective as possible.
But as your responsibilities grow you will become increasingly focused on outcome. Short term and long term. Sometimes in the beginning stages of your account management career it is difficult to see what the ultimate long-term outcome strategy is. That’s ok. It will become clearer as you grow and take more of the long-term leader role on the accounts you work on.
But always remember. All agency output should be judged on outcome. Even in your self-assessment. If you are not generating good outcome, then start judging your output. Maybe it needs to be improved. And, ultimately, that is what great account mangers do. Constantly assess, evaluate and improve.
Client Agency Relationships Part 2: The Art of the Relationship
Jan 18th
Once a deal has been struck (see Client Agency Relationships: the Art of the Deal) a client and an agency enter a relationship. This relationship can be as partners or a vendor relationship or even consultant relationship. Regardless of what that relationship ends up being there are several things that need to take place for it to be healthy.
First and foremost, the baseline or cost of entry in a relationship: an agency needs to deliver work on time, on target, and on budget, with zero tolerance for errors.
This is a fundamental truth. I attended a presentation in the 90’s given by the JWT worldwide Creative Director who said it best, “I have seen most client agency relationships fall apart because of day to day agency mistakes, not failure on the big thinking. The client starts thinking if the agency cannot manage the details how I can trust them to manage the big stuff. And it all starts falling apart.”
Secondly, an agency should be passionately committed to immerse themselves in the clients’ businesses—to come to the table each day as a fully engaged business partner, rather than as a vendor. It shows a commitment to true business results.
Beyond those two basic, but important thoughts, let’s say the following outlines some of the basics a client should expect from an agency. The agency should:
- Be a proactive business partner, operating as an extension of the clients’ marketing department and functioning as a part of the overall business team.
- Maintain an account management team to service the needs, the thinking and tactical needs, of the clients business.
- Provide ongoing strategic thinking, to better understand, communicate with, and motivate the clients’ target audience to take action (drive results).
- Leverage the budget through innovative planning, efficient buying, merchandising, added value, event marketing and sponsorships.
- Create and produce highly effective, traffic building, multi-level campaigns that will successfully enhance and unify the client’s brand image.
On the other side of the relationship, there are certain things an agency would like from the client. The following outlines 6 (which may not be all-inclusive but probably hit the key things):
- Communicate.
An agency is only as good as the information it gets. Tell us the good, the bad and the truth. No matter how much experience we have, guessing is guessing, and we will not always be correct when we guess.
- Be a partner.
You are the Client. And ultimately your word is the final word (because it is your money). But agencies do impossible things for Clients who treat them like true partners. We’ll debate, we’ll argue, we’ll be grumpy with each other every once in awhile, but we all have the same goal in mind – business success. And you hired us to do something you didn’t believe you could do. So treat us like a partner.
- Be fair.
Maybe this should have been “be open minded” but suffice it to say we are not evil and we don’t purposely have bad intentions. When we do something we usually have a good reason on why we did it (and it would be nice for you to stop and listen to it). And we make mistakes on occasion. Not on purpose but because they sometimes happen. Just be fair.
- Be tough.
If it is not right in your eyes, then it is not right until we have convinced you it is (or you have convinced us otherwise). Sure. You hired us to be the experts in what we do, but you are an expert in what you do. Don’t compromise. Don’t settle for “good” because good is the largest enemy of “great.” Be a tough grader. This is business. And we are all about doing whatever is best to drive the best results.
- Have fun.
Laugh a little. Okay. Laugh a lot. It is marketing for Pete’s sake.
Conclusion: Some Semblance of Partnership.
While insuring expectations are communicated and aligned and delivering upon the details are critical, ultimately the most successful relationships have some semblance of a partnership. And partnership is truly a multi-faceted concept. Some collaboration helps (but agencies always need to remember they get hired because the client cannot do something themselves). A goal should be to attain a seamless extension of the marketing department at minimum, the client company at its best – joined by common business objectives and fueled by shared values.
It is quite possible this quote from Booker Washington summarizes a healthy client agency relationship the best:
“… be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.”
Note: To download a PDF of parts one and two of Client Agency Relationships, visit my Thoughts On Business page or click here.
Advertising Words of Wisdom
Jan 14th
I have been fortunate throughout my career in advertising agencies to not only have worked with many really smart people but also to have heard some really smart things. What I love about advertising people is that they typically find simple ways to say some complex thoughts (except people in account service, who typically use bucket loads of nonsensical words to say very little. Hey. I started as an account person). Here is a sampling of thoughts shared with me over the years (and check out one of my earlier posts on Sam Meeks who was a masterful wordsmith and leader).
“If you are willing to work insane hours, have fun and drink lots of Coors this may be the place for you.“
Roy won’t remember me but I interviewed for a supervisor spot at his agency when they won the Coors account in the mid 80’s. I have always remembered what he said. This was his way of saying don’t expect a 40 hour week but can you still have fun and, oh by the way, I only want people who can be passionate about the business they are working on. That agency, GSD&M, was a zoo at the time. I was pretty sure they had no clue what they were doing (in my infinite late 20’s wisdom). I wasn’t ready for them at the time. I probably wasn’t good enough for them at the time (or maybe I just didn’t have the capacity for their company gestalt). But they have gone on to kick some ass. I will also say that I stored away this little learning moment and have reapplied it time and time again (not just the beer drinking part).
“So what you are saying to me is go ahead and do this if we want to be the tallest midget.”
Steve Danuser
The first time I heard this I was floored (said by one of my clients). It was awesome. I must have said something incredibly dicklike to my client to solicit this response. But he got the point of whatever I said and he had the grace to respond with some humor. I have heard nothing better to say “big fish in little pond” with more pizzazz than this. Settling sucks. And this statement captures the essence of settling.
“We don’t want to be known for creating brilliantly crafted failures.”
Don Perkins
Advertising agencies are always being pointed at and slammed for just being creative and not caring about the business, i.e., “all you want to do is wacky advertising.” And every time I hear someone say this I think it is the silliest thing I have ever heard. My first instinct is a sarcastic sharp retort. I want to say how dumb that comment is. My friend and great creative director took the high road. In this concise statement he says we will always be creative but with no intent to not drive results. Let me be clear. There is no credible marketing or advertising agency in the world that doesn’t understand they are in the business of creatively generating business. Period. No debate.
“Don’t suck.”
I could probably do an entire page of Luke quotes but this is a standout and remains in my everyday toolbox of things to say. I get so tired of people saying ‘good luck’ in a business environment – for meetings, presentations, whatever. At that point it isn’t about luck. You have probably put hours of hard work and tons of worry into being prepared and putting yourself and the team into the right frame of mind. It really all comes down to performance. You are in the time and the place and it is just time to “do it”. So. The quote. Luke just gave me a post it note before a meeting that said “don’t suck.” I wish I had kept it. He understood the value of humorously understanding in the end it comes down to how you perform in the moment. And you know something? None of want to suck when given the chance. Sure we want to shine. Sure we want to be great. But most of all we don’t want to suck. That quote was one of Luke’s greatest quote/lesson moments. I use it all the time.
“Sliding down the slippery slope of mediocrity.”
He actually said “the slippery surface of irrelevant brilliance.” I believe but I thought somewhere he said what I wrote above. Regardless. Another great quote from a great writer. This isn’t just a business lesson but also a life lesson. It is absolutely so easy to compromise – in business and in life. “Just this once” you say when you are tired. Whatever the decision or action it may be to you in the moment it is mentally “an exception”. And before you know it you are on that slippery slope.
Life is funny that way. That incomparable movie The Replacements has a scene where Keanu Reeves talks about it as “quicksand”. It’s the same thing. You get in it. And you fight hard but you just can’t stop sliding down. And it is a truly helpless feeling. The worst thing about the slippery slope is that most people don’t realize they have started sliding until it is too late. It is one of my quests in life to find good people who have mistakenly started the slide and lend a hand to pull them back up. Does that mean I am better than mediocrity? Shit no. I just recognize that sense of helplessness and I like people to have hope – for something better. Anyway. This quote reminds me of two things.
1. Pay attention to everything. It’s the only way to insure mediocrity can’t gain momentum (because we all have to compromise on occasion)
2. Help those who have that look of “how the hell did I get so far down this slope” by grabbing their hand and pulling them back up whenever you have a chance. There are some incredible people and some incredible talent out there that just got caught on life’s slippery slope. It doesn’t mean they are mediocre by any stretch of the imagination. Simply that they got caught on the slippery slope and didn’t know how to get off.
“All you can really ask is for someone to do the best they possibly can.”
Anonymous (and me)
I have said this a zillion times. And I have no clue who I stole it from. But if I could beat this into the head of every leader in the world I would be willing to staple the piece of paper with the quote on it to my forehead. Sometimes we ask so much of our people it is amazing. And, yes, many people do not know what they are truly capable of until they are pushed to aim for something seemingly impossible. I am a pretty demanding leader. I set an incredibly high bar for my team. But in the end all I ask is that they do their best. And if it isn’t enough they we can say we didn’t succeed for lack of trying. And sometimes that’s as good as it gets. And sometimes that is when I have been proudest of people I have led. Ask the best of people and I believe most people will surprise you by doing a little better.
Client/Agency Relationships: The Art of the Deal
Jan 14th
Client/Agency/Service Supplier relationships are a balancing act. The best relationships represent a combination of two experts constantly challenging each other, finding times when each is, respectfully, right or wrong, and throw in a good dose of actually liking each other. But typically before you get to the relationship part you have to consummate a deal.
It is because of this I call this “the art of the deal” (see the upcoming Client Agency Relationships Part 2: the Art of the Relationships for a relationship point of view) because philosophically how you strike ‘the deal’ dictates what becomes a client/agency relationship. In other words, often the success of that relationship is dictated by how well the initial deal was struck.
As for who is responsible for making a good deal? Well, while I have seen Client/Agency relationships sour because of either party, I would suggest that agencies more often than not are most culpable for failures and bear the brunt of the responsibility in establishing the deal. Having sat down in dozens of meetings between an agency and a prospective client I have seen the good and the bad unfold not only as the deal is being consummated but also after the meeting as the deal unfolds. I have seen how agency people rush towards the finish line saying anything that needs to be said to get there. And I have seen the expressions on the faces of the people back at the agency when they have seen what promises have been made to make the deal. And, bottom line, I have seen that I don’t want to go through that disappointment when facing my own people.
It is very simple if you stick to your guns. I suggest there are six critical steps to sealing a good deal (and having a hope of a successful relationship). Let’s call this what it takes to stand up and feel good about shaking hands on the deal as the contract is ready to get signed.
1. Alignment of Expectations:
Nothing is worse than if either side of the partnership (or dealmakers) is expecting something the other partner is not prepared to do, or even worse, cannot do.
2. Communicate:
Alignment means both parties need to communicate. This means clearly articulating expectations and capabilities to meet expectations. Am I meeting your needs? Am I meeting your expectations? Both sides asking questions. Both sides talking to each other. Sometimes it is a dialogue. Sometimes it is simply asking the correct questions. But each of those options includes speaking versus silence.
3. Honesty:
Good communication requires honesty. Honesty with yourself first and foremost, i.e., can I honestly say we are doing a good job? And, of course, “I need to be honest now or it could continue to build up into big trouble.” Honest discussion on the good and the bad. It’s easy to talk about the good stuff, more difficult on the hard things. ‘Fess up honestly in all cases and you earn trust.
4. Respect:
Honesty is typically best when there is mutual respect. Respect speaks for itself. We all feel good when respected.
5. Compensation:
If you have the 1st four right (alignment, communicate, honesty, respect) then the money discussion becomes easier, not easy, but certainly easier. It’s a value equation. Agencies need to feel like they are being fairly compensated for actions. Clients need to believe they are receiving valuable activity/action. And there needs to be an alignment on this value equation or it becomes a battle of nickels & dimes and instead of talking business you are constantly talking about money (and that is bad).
6. Chemistry:
Finally, it always helps if you like each other. It doesn’t have to be ‘best friends’ but if each party respects and likes each other than there is at least a fighting chance to make it through the tough times as well as truly enjoying/celebrating the good times. “Double the joys and halve the griefs” as it has been said.
Conclusion:
That is what makes a great deal between a Client and an Agency/Service Supplier. I know, it sounds simple, but it is harder than it looks. The sight of the finish line makes people do and say funny things (and it can certainly create amnesia with regard to knowing the “right thing to do”). Agencies want to make the deal.
So. In the end?
Take a deep breath when you are getting ready to cross the finish line and ask yourself do you really want to win. Ask yourself honestly are you clear on all six criteria. And ask yourself the hard question even if it is at the last minute – did you really want to run this particular race and was it really the right race for you?
Make sure you know what you are going to win. Make sure the Client knows what they will win. And then make the deal.
