Subscribe to RSSBRINGING THEM HOME TO MEET THE CLIENTS.
It’s quarter after two in the morning and I am lying in bed having a rather deep conversation with a friend in London via cell phone.
“Bloody hell! I can’t BELIEVE how STUPID some account people are. They cut not one, not two, but ALL of my ideas! There they are. Lying upon the floor in some tragic heap. They said they couldn’t ‘sell’ this to our client. Bullox. Really, that is all it is, Bullox!”
I sat quietly in my sleep deprived state. Then I came up with a congenial response.
“Did you ask why?”
“Yes. They said it was too outlandish. But I KNOW this client! This is right on target for them! All they need to do is let me in there to explain and sell my idea. Hell, I bet I could do a much better job of it anyhow.”
“Then ask them,” I replied.
“You know what? I WILL! I’ll let you know what happens, doll….”
Unable to sleep, I decided to crack open my laptop and pose a question to all account people out there: Do you let anyone on your creative team go with you to present a client with new ideas?
I know some agencies leave the poor creatives locked away from sight, feeding them a steady diet of caffeine, tobacco, booze and whatever food meets their fancy for the day, but is there clearly an advantage to having the creative explain that crazy campaign idea in a way only he/she can? In some cases, I think so.
Would this not eliminate some friction between account and creative people? I am a firm believer in the “let’s just all get along” mantra. I think that sometimes (and depending on the visionary aptitude of the client) bringing along a creative to pitch can actually benefit and help the client relationship.
They are able to converse with the person actually “making” the campaign and hear some of their thoughts behind their thinking and who knows, whip out another great idea off-the-cuff that the client can’t possibly do without.
Account people, Creatives are the Ying to your Yang. And vice versa. We need each other. Some agencies don’t have account people in the traditional sense at all. They have “highly communicative and detail savvy” folks pulling the job of both roles, when able. We also call these people hybrids. Or, underpaid, over-worked. But hybrid sounds much nicer.
I am really interested to hear what is common practice around the STL and elsewhere. I know some shops have evolved into a new way of thinking and categorizing people and their roles. So how is it done where you work?
Best,
The ADgitator
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I have an intolerance for stupid people and even more of an intolerance for dumb campaigns. You know the ones - they lack in creativity, didn't delve into strategy and ended up costing the client way too much for far too little. Sometimes I give advice and quite often, I'll share my real life stories that make people laugh and be thankful that they don't lead the absurd life that I do. But my life and all of its absurdities is not something I mind. In fact, it's what keep me loving life and what I do for a living which is a lot. Sometimes you can find me serving as a Marketing/Brand Manager, other times you can find me pulling duties as a Sales and Marketing Consultant, Brand Strategist, Digital Sherpa, Copywriter, Product Developer, Author and Discoverer of Correlations where none seem to be. I plan to retire by 45. (Yes, I've figured a way out.) That might seem like a lofty goal, but having a life where I travel, talk and consult seems pretty darn good to me. 15 years and counting... For ADvice: email me at anne_ellegood@yahoo.com For Complaints: Contact Management.
1 Comments
2010-10-26
12:12:37
At our agency, the creatives pitch the creative. But not just 'anyone'. There is only a small subset of the creative team that is approved for presentations. Sure, in this industry, creatives aren't exactly known for being "people-persons" but at the same time, the creatives can often demonstrate more passion for the idea and also explain the nuances of why a concept works.
Also, I don't believe the account team should ever delete ideas from the final presentation without a creative director's knowledge. Such unilateral decision making will ultimately sour the team dynamic and you'll soon see the creatives heading for the door - searching employment elsewhere.