Ahh, the allure of a client with deep pockets. Winning their business would give you an incredible rush, fuel your agency growth, triple your staff and hold the promise of a fat, year-end bonus. But beware. They might just trap you in a cycle of addiction and abuse.

There are so many different analogies to draw upon, such as “the golden shackles,” the “poisoned apple,” or “selling your soul to the devil.” But I think the best analogy is simply, prostitution. 

Anyone who has worked in advertising long enough and in some of the larger agencies knows what I mean. The top agency execs talk about pushing for “great work” and the “big opportunity” at hand, but they roll over at the first sign of client resistance. They promise clients quick turnarounds, annoying brand mnemonics and horrible ads overloaded with features. Just whatever keeps the waters calm and the sailing smooth.

However, before we underlings go around pointing fingers and spitting venom, consider this: the C-level execs are not the only ones guilty of compromising their integrity for a few bucks. We workers are just as guilty. We moan and complain about life in the trenches but we keep on slogging through, collecting our paychecks and fearful of getting fired for rocking the boat. It’s all about fear and greed, no matter what your place in the pecking order. 

Fear and greed are the two greatest forces at work in advertising today. Perhaps 95% of ad agencies fall prey to them. The other 5%—the Wieden’s, the BBH’s and the Droga’s of the world—don’t. And they deserve much respect.

For years I came to accept the fact that, in the business world, mediocrity is simply more profitable. Most agencies took the path of least resistance by building their businesses through “client service,” not creative leadership. They gave clients what they wanted—not what they needed—in exchange for a chunky retainer fee. 

But Apple changed my opinion about mediocrity being more profitable. 

Steve Jobs reviled mediocrity and wouldn’t settle for less than perfect art. Sure, he produced a few stinkers (like the Apple III and the Newton) but his heart was in the right place. He never compromised his integrity. Eventually, Apple grew to have the largest market capitalization on the planet, proving to me that mediocrity is not always more profitable. 

In this, I’ve discovered one fundamental truth of building an advertising agency with real integrity: you must accept slower growth.

Apple did not grow big and strong overnight. It took many years. Likewise, agencies who want to be the very best in everything they do, must turn down RFP’s, must swiftly fire bad clients, must not take “no” for an answer and must empower everyone in their companies to exercise backbone. This almost certainly means they will grow slowly. 

The more discerning and picky you are, the longer it takes. Whether you’re trying to select the perfect avocado at the supermarket or building the perfect racing yacht, you can’t rush it. You have to seek out the great clients. The ones who trust your leadership, who buy remarkable work and have the courage to navigate uncharted waters.

Top agency execs often defend their decision to take on high-paying bad clients, claiming to use the income to fund smaller, more creative ventures. And that sounds good. The problem is, it rarely happens. That’s because, when you create a culture “yes” and an army of “yes men” it’s difficult to suddenly get tough. The tough guys you might have had didn’t stick around. It has to be all or nothing, right from the start. You’re either a pirate or a pushover. You can’t be both.

Bad clients demoralize. They oppress. They demand last minute, quick turnaround work. They lack respect and appreciation. They re-write scripts. They carry tweezers and get into the minutiae. They just don’t get it. Why hire an expert and then dictate everything to them? Would you hire a top-notch tax accountant and then proceed to tell him how to do his job? How about a surgeon? Of course not. But clients do it to agencies every day and the agencies bend over backward to please. (Or forward, to be more accurate.)

The worst part is, the business world suffers. It suffers from unrealized potential. Billions of ad dollars go up in smoke because clueless, distrusting marketing clients are demanding their way—which is almost always wrong and totally ineffective. Sadly, agencies can’t say no. The money is too good.

I distinctly remember three separate occasions in my career when rumors started flying around that a high-paying client was unhappy with our agency’s work. The client had grown increasingly demanding and prescriptive while the agency grew increasingly soft. Each time the client got their way, the work suffered. And the agency always got the blame. It just snowballed and eventually rumors of an imminent pitch review began spreading. To avert a potential account loss, the agency got desperate and gave the client absolutely everything they wanted. No resistance, no leadership, just yes, yes and more yes. In all three cases the account went into review and we lost it. Three self-fulfilling prophecies. Naturally, nobody respects a “yes man.”

It’s a little bit like being in a relationship when a woman is losing interest and the man tries everything in desperation to keep her, literally throwing himself at her feet, clutching her ankles, making big promises. Which makes him look like a pathetic loser with no shame. If she was the least bit hesitant to break up with him, now she’s sure of it. He helped her make the decision. 

So what’s the solution to handling your abusive, high-paying clients? 

Fire them. You didn’t get into this business to compromise your integrity and prostitute yourself. You got into this business to change the world and make art. And you will never do it with a bad client. So fire them. You shouldn’t have taken them in the first place.

However, prepare yourself for something unexpected. It’s quite possible that when you approach your client and tell them the relationship is unhealthy and you don’t believe they’re a good fit because they don’t listen to your expert advice. . . they’ll chase after you. 

It’s simple psychology. Like being in that shaky relationship, you’re considering breaking up when your boyfriend beats you to it and breaks up with you first. It’s like a knife in the heart. “Wait, you don’t need me? Let’s talk about this.”

And if they don’t chase after you? Good riddance. Go find another client that will appreciate your best work. If you take this approach, eventually only good clients will come knocking, wanting you for you. After all, your reputation is your absolute best new business tool. The better your reputation, the more clients want you. So fire the bad clients and attract some good ones. 

It might hurt a little but think of it like removing cancer. The surgery will be painful and set you back for a while. But when you heal, you’ll be better off. Much better off. And the employees you’ll have to lay off? What will they think? They won’t like it, but they’ll respect it. Just be honest with them.

I leave you with a great story to prove this approach works. It’s taken from The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin. (Perhaps in the future I’ll compile some more true stories of agencies firing bad clients and post them here, just for inspiration.) 

In the meantime, here’s an excerpt from Seth’s book: 

“At the dawn of the internet age, I took what felt like a huge risk: I bootstrapped an online marketing company (we invented ethical online direct mail) and grew it—thanks to some outside funding—to about 70 employees. We were big. We were doing significant projects with good clients. And we were barely breaking even, in a good month. Our investment money was running out and if we didn’t make some sales soon, we were going to have to either go beg for more money or fold. And a lot of good people would lose their jobs. This was our moment of maximum risk. 

“As founder, inventor and rainmaker, I felt a huge burden. I needed to make sales. And now. At a sales call in New York, with a famous brand, the usual was happening. The account execs and marketing guys, having nothing better to do, were beating my colleague and me up. They were criticizing our work, talking about how expensive we were, and riffing about how smart the competition appeared to be. 

“In that moment, the reality of the infinite game came to me. If saving this company meant doing this every single day, I didn’t want to do it. If I was so desperate to make each and every sale, then those sales would not reflect what we were able to do. They would merely be what the client was willing to buy that day. This wasn’t art. It was a perversion of it. While it would have been tragic and painful to have this business fail, I decided in that moment that it was better to fail than it was to lead my team down a path of mediocrity and abuse. Ten minutes into the hour-long meeting, I turned to the people we were pitching, closed my laptop and said, ‘You know, it seems as though we’re not the right company for you. We do what we do and we’re proud of how we do it. If this isn’t for you, I’m sorry to have wasted your time.’ And then I got up to leave. My stunned colleague stood up and started to follow.  

“You can probably guess what happened. The minute it was clear that we weren’t desperate—the moment we started to lead instead of beg—the sale was made. We made more sales in the eight weeks that followed than we did in the two years before. The game is infinite if you play it that way. You get to keep making your art as long as you are willing to make the choices that let you make your art.”

-------------------------------------

(Amended 21 Jan 2014)

Career Clients

10:43 AM

If you want to fail miserably at being an effective Creative Director, follow these 20 rules.

Before we get into the rules, let me first say that I’ve worked in a few well-known, A-list advertising agencies in the last 18 years and I’ve experienced the best and worst of Creative Directors. Many of these experiences have helped shape my own approach to creative direction. Like a sponge, I’ve absorbed the characteristics I’ve admired in my CD’s. And rejected the ones I didn’t.

It’s a shame that most CD’s have little or no training in managing or leading people when they are promoted to the position of “Creative Director.” Their management style and leadership abilities are rarely even a consideration. Oftentimes, the best creatives make the worst CD’s. Perhaps because selfishness serves individual creatives well, but shepherding other creatives requires generosity. 

Every advertising agency should have a program for newly promoted CD’s. A program that trains them how to be good leaders and good salesmen, and gives them the skill set required to be truly effective.

Now, on to the playbook. Follow these simple steps if you want to become the worst, most hated Creative Director on the planet.

1. Start a clique. 

Nothing projects an aura of exclusivity like your own little posse. It should be no more than five people with whom you spend idle moments in your office, laughing at this or that. Make sure and discuss out loud where your posse is going to lunch, so those who are excluded from your club will be able to hear you and feel increasingly ignored and forgotten. Make sure to keep all the best projects within your inner circle and assign all the crap assignments to the others.

Comment: This happens every day in just about every ad agency in the world and it demoralizes those who are excluded. Instead, make a concerted effort to get to know every individual in the creative department, to understand their special talents and abilities. Some of the most talented people are often wallflowers. Good creative directors will help them come out of their shell by befriending them. Be affable and connect with people. They will work harder if they feel valued and feel more comfortable when presenting ideas to you.

2. Contribute your own ideas.

You can’t trust other creatives to get it right, so make sure and contribute your own ideas as well. Then pull in some creatives to wrist them, as you stand over their shoulder at the computer screen. Finally, heavily promote your ideas and poke holes in all the others. Your ideas are better after all. But don’t forget, you’ll need a couple straw dogs in there so make sure and approve a couple ideas from lesser creatives as well. At the end of the day, you are the linchpin, the genius, the savior, the one who is going to carry this agency forward. So don’t feel bad about it. Later on, everyone will thank you.

Comment: This is one of the classic moves that guarantees you’ll be a hated CD. Yet, many Creative Directors do this very thing. How is it they fail to remember when they were the junior or mid-level creative and their CD pulled this dirty trick? When it happens, it’s clearly a conflict of interest. A word to the wise: if you want your creatives to respect you, resist the temptation to toss in an idea. Yes, it’s difficult to keep your brain from trying to solve problems, but focus on strategic problem solving and selling ideas instead.

3. Ask creatives to just email you their ideas.

You’re an important, busy person. You don’t have time to sit with every team. And besides, time is running out on this project. So just have everyone email you their ideas and you’ll get back to them later. This will surely save everyone’s time. It's a win-win. And plus, it’s so much easier to kill the ideas you don’t like without having to look those people in the eye. 

Comment: I’ve always appreciated Creative Directors who made time to personally meet with every team working on a project. The act of sitting and discussing ideas is extremely profitable for a few reasons. (1) It gives the team an opportunity to talk things out. Very often, an idea in raw form needs explanation. Especially if it’s truly original, because there’s nothing that compares. (2) The discussion often introduces improvements to the idea or even spawns a better idea. (3) The discussion builds the relationship between CD and creatives, enabling more cohesion, understanding and level of comfort.

4. Re-write all copy and re-design every layout.

You have very particular tastes. They made you the Creative Director because they like your tastes. So don’t feel bad if you need to re-write or re-design every piece of creative that comes your way. You are a genius with experience and vision and your creatives are not. They’ll learn quickly and soon be presenting ideas that conform to you, then everyone will be happy.

Comment: Without a doubt, diversity of style in writing and design within a creative department makes for more dynamic, multi-dimensional work. Most would agree with this statement, yet many (if not most) CD’s tend to re-sculpt everything to fit their own personal aesthetic. It’s as if they were a chef who really loved Mexican food, and didn’t care much for French or Thai or Italian. Which means if you bring them a magnificent goat cheese ravioli, they are likely to add their own ingredients, such as cumin, chili powder, cilantro and maybe some jalapeños to spice it up. The dish you end up with is a Frankenstein dish that nobody will be happy with. This is particularly true where there is a lone CD in charge. Instead, CD’s ought to force themselves to celebrate the individual tastes and styles of others and step out of their comfort zone. A CD partner can be an immense help in providing some perspective and help avoid mandates, dictates and Frankenstein-ing, so company CCO’s are advised to always use team CD’s instead of appointing lone CD’s. Fostering the unique visions of others will help build a more diverse repertoire of work and generate greater fulfillment within the creative department. 

5. Make every assignment a “Gang Bang.”

You want the best work and you want it yesterday. So why not assign multiple teams to the next project so you can generate more ideas? By making teams compete to win, you will make them work harder and faster. Create a pressure cooker and maybe you’ll get some diamonds.

Comment: Many will disagree with me on this point, but I believe assigning multiple teams to one project is counterproductive. Sure, it can generate more ideas, but the ideas are generally not as good. Here’s why: when you are competing against others to win, you don’t edit yourself as much. You will propose almost any idea, even if you don’t love it, just because you want to win. Losing means not producing anything and that sucks. So you are less inclined to edit out your own mediocre ideas. After all, who knows what the CD will like? And if you have to play more office politics to ensure that your ideas win, so be it. Instead, CD’s should assign one team to very project. It may seem risky because they will probably generate fewer ideas, but—more often than not—the ideas will be stronger. A creative team will be more concentrated, more selective, more passionate, more collaborative, and less protective and political. Nine times out of ten, the safest, most mediocre ideas win in a “Gang Bang” scenario, no matter how great the CD. I’ve seen it time and time again. If you’re a CD, put this theory to a test and see what happens. I bet the outcome will be better.

6. Show personal favoritism.

You have your favorite creatives. The ones who share your creative sensibilities. The ones who frequently come by your office to chat. The ones who join you for lunch. The ones who make you laugh. Make sure to give your attention to these people and simply ignore the others. The others are introverts or socially awkward or simply uncool, so why waste your time with them? At the very most, an obligatory “hey” in the hallways should suffice, just to acknowledge their existence. But don’t invest any more of your precious time with them.

Comment: Whether we realize or not, every CD has been guilty of showing personal favoritism. We tend to favor the individuals who are more on our radar. The ones who hang around the most and engage with us more often. They become our friends and there is nothing wrong with having friends, but there is a sinister element to this phenomenon. These “friends” tend to get better treatment and better assignments. How often have two teams presented an idea that is almost identical? And how often does the favorite team’s idea get the green light, while the less favorite team’s idea gets rejected? Even parents are guilty of this with their children. Some kids seem to get away with more stuff than their siblings. The sad reality is, personality has little to do with creative ability. But we allow personality (of the people we prefer) to sway us. They convince us to approved mediocre ideas, while a genius idea is overlooked, perhaps because a less familiar creative team’s presentation was a little flat. So what’s the solution? There’s no easy solution. But a good CD will be mindful of this and strive to be more inclusive. A good CD will avoid “gang bangs” which pit teams against each other (where, naturally, the favorite teams will have the advantage). A good CD will engage more with the quiet/shy types in the creative department, and possibly discover that there’s some serious genius hiding out there amongst the wallflowers.

7. Be aloof and never circulate the creative department. 

When people are as important as you are, it’s imperative that they come to you, not the other way around. After all, you are the Creative Director. They know where your office is, so they can stop by if they really want to talk. They’ll know if your busy because you won’t bother to look up when they’re talking. You’ll keep your eyes focused on your computer screen or iPhone while they talk and you’ll give them some “uh-huh’s” in return. And when they pass you in the hallways, stay glued to your iPhone, checking your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn feeds. Don’t worry, they’ll take the hint and better understand their place in the world.

Comment: The most insecure CD’s are the ones who can’t look people in the eyes as they walk down the hallway. Instead they’re looking down at their iPhone. This is tragic. A Creative Director must become more of a people-person when they are promoted, not less. They need to initiate more interaction with all of their creatives and stay closely connected—not just with a select few. The most beloved CD’s are the ones who are dynamic, sincere, friendly and involved—not fearful and self-absorbed.

8. Announce surprise check-ins. 

It’s not easy managing multiple projects and attending multiple meetings. There’s so much happening, that it’s natural to become a little overwhelmed and let things slip. You don’t want to be riding your creatives so give them some space. But if the creative teams are failing to be proactive and keep you updated on their progress, send an email right now and demand to see their work before lunch today. And then voice your displeasure if the work isn’t up to par.

Comment: The above is a typical scenario. The intentions are good—to stay out of the creatives hair—but the surprise “check-in” can throw a wrench into the gears. Surprise check-ins can catch a creative team off guard. They might have only sketches and notes, and not be in a very good place to present their ideas. And it might be more difficult to see the genius of their ideas when they’re just lumps of coal—not yet polished diamonds. When you are the CD, you are the manager. That means you are in control of managing time. The best way to manage time is to put check-ins on the calendar right from the start. That way the creative teams will have milestones to work toward and they can better manage their time and be prepared, without any surprises. 

9. Hover and smother.

It’s your privilege—no, your responsibility—to check-in as often as you can. After all, it’s just being prudent. You know your creative teams are likely to be slacking off, so become a human metronome by sending frequent emails and making frequent office visits. This will keep their lazy butts on task and producing.

Comment: Nothing paralyzes creative minds faster than a CD who has nervous energy and creates tension by riding their teams like a jockey with that little whip. If this is you, please stop. You’re not helping the situation. Instead, schedule your check-ins in advance (preferably from the very start) and stick to them. Don’t nag your teams with incessant emails and “pop-ins.” Your negative pressure might just debilitate them with creative block. 

10. Give vague feedback.

If a creative team is presenting an idea to you and you’re not sure if you love it or hate it, give them indirect feedback. Tell them “there’s something there” and ask them to think more on it. Or tell them you sort of like it but don’t love it. If they press you for more concrete feedback, tell them, “I’ll know it when I see it.” This is a great stall tactic and the best way to avoid committing to something until you’ve wrapped your head around it. Never admit that you’re honestly not sure about something. You’ll appear weak. Just stall with vagueness until you have the perfect answer. After all, if you don’t commit one way or the other, you don’t have to make a retraction later.

Comment: As humans, we all appreciate a person who has an opinion. Nothing is worse than being managed by a person with a indecisive mind, who gives vague feedback. If, after you’ve given an idea some careful consideration, you truly don’t love it, just kill it and move on. Only approve the things you love. Don’t give people false hope by keeping an idea alive, just to spare their feelings. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t give a creative team an opportunity to persuade you, if they really feel passionate about something. CD’s often think they must give an immediate yes or no answer, like a judge who’s heard a week’s worth of testimony by the prosecution and defense and now must render a verdict. The truth is, sometimes we don’t get an idea right away and that doesn’t make it bad. If you are truly undecided on an idea, take ten minutes to talk it out. Ask the creative team to re-present it to you. Ask them to help you see their genius. Admit you don’t quite see their vision and give them another opportunity to reframe their argument. Then make a decision. But don’t send them away with a vague response.

11. Don’t bother to learn anyone’s name.

The only name you need to remember is, “Hey.” Your brain can’t possibly hold all those names, so clear some space in your head and save it for more important stuff. People come and go anyway. It’s just a waste of time to memorize something you’ll forget later. 

Comment: A CD who doesn’t bother to remember anyone’s name is sending a clear signal: You are an unimportant cog in the machine and I don’t value you as an individual. It’s a clear sign of disrespect and self-importance to never remember anyone’s name. Good CD’s try to remember names. It’s personal and respectful. And that respect is reciprocal. People will respect you more for taking the time to recognize them as unique individuals.

12. Berate people in front of their peers.

Sometime’s you have to put people in their place. And when that time comes, it’s better to do it in public. That way other’s will think twice of crossing you. After all, fear is a good motivator and if they fear you, you’ll get less pushback, fewer obstacles and get more accomplished. 

Comment: The opposite is actually true. People who are belligerent and abusive in public might indeed evoke fear, but their actions do not win hearts and minds. Statistically speaking, positive motivation is far more productive. People will work twice as hard and twice as long for you if they like you. Despots and dictators alienate people and eventually their reputation spreads and they find themselves alone. Good CD’s win the crowd with wisdom and tact, and choose to confront people privately.

13. Change the strategy at the last minute.

You’re entitled to change your mind as often as you like. As long as it benefits the project. The destination is all that matters. How you get there is inconsequential. 

Comment: When the strategy changes at the last minute, it’s a sure sign that the system is broken. It means that not enough time was spent thrashing at the beginning of the project to hammer out a sound strategy, and now everything must be scrapped. If you rush to build the foundation of a house and it’s not solid then the house will eventually topple. This happens far too often in advertising and it’s a damn shame. The ones who suffer are the worker bees to slave away, spending nights and weekends to build something that the architects just bulldoze down. Smart CD’s insist on spending extra time at the beginning to nail down a solid strategy and get everyone in alignment before creative development begins. Then, once construction starts, there’s no turning back.

14. Don’t ask for more time.

Admitting that your teams haven’t cracked the big idea yet is embarrassing. Your clients are expecting to see work on the day you promised and you’ve got to make this meeting no matter what. That might mean winging it with some B-plus ideas, but perhaps, with some nice production value, they’ll shine up a bit and become A-minus ideas. Asking for more time is like admitting defeat and you just can’t do that.

Comment: Sometimes the big idea doesn’t come as quickly as you’d like. When that happens, delay the meeting. By not delaying the meeting, your sending a message that you’re more afraid to anger a client than to do what’s right. The right thing to do is delay the meeting until you have some brilliance to share. Otherwise, it’s just a compromise. And rarely does anything good come from a compromise.

15. Make everyone else work the weekend while you stay home.

The big presentation is Tuesday. That means your final internal regroup is Monday and—yes—everyone is going to have to work the weekend. That’s bad news for your worker bees, but if they value their jobs, they’ll do it. And since they’ll be jamming all weekend, you’ll want to stay out of their way, so just check-in periodically from home or from your iPhone. They get paid to burn the midnight oil. You get paid to stay fresh for the big meeting.

Comment: The above is generally the rationale of most CD’s. They feel they’ve earned the right to stay home and have no problem letting their underlings burn their weekends. But it’s a missed opportunity. Creatives have tremendous respect for a CD who joins them on the battlefield. In ancient times, real leaders led their armies into battle. They were in front with their soldiers, not in back, watching from under a shady tree while sipping tea. Respect is earned by example and it demonstrates an appreciation for everyone’s hard work when the CD is alongside his teams late into the night. It may not be necessary to stay all night, but at least until 1:00AM, to show your support and to be available to provide guidance and feedback.

16. Show very minimal appreciation and praise.

Be very limited with your appreciation. The creatives are lucky to be working here and that’s thanks enough. Plus, if you show too much gratitude, it will be more difficult to take credit for the ideas later on because you already thanked people for them. And if the ideas fall flat at the client presentation, you haven’t fully committed and can back away from them gracefully. As far as giving praise, give very little. You don’t want your teams to be confused and disgruntled if you praise them one week and have to lay them off the next week.

Comment: Showing appreciation and praise to creative people is often more rewarding than a bonus. Artists crave praise, particularly when it’s given publicly. Over time, they’ll forget about the bonuses they got, but they’ll remember that you praised their work for years to come. And they’ll become addicted to it, working ever harder to garner more praise. Be generous with your praise. It’s a powerful motivator and it also creates good karma. 

17. Don’t stand up for good ideas if it means sticking your neck out.

You’ve worked your ass off to get that CD position and you’re not going to fall on your sword for one stinking project. The risk is too high and there will always be more projects. Sure, you should push back and sell hard, but know your limits. You don’t want to piss off this client.

Comment: Great ideas deserve true champions. CD’s who don’t take no for an answer. CD’s who use intelligence, charm, persistence and passion to sell an idea. Resistant clients might not like a duel and might even slam the table if you refuse to give up. But that’s your job. No football player ever made a touchdown by running backwards, away from the defense. He runs into them, around them or over them and gets to the end zone any way he can. And he doesn’t worry about getting hit. That’s what it takes to be a playmaker. If your employer can’t handle that, find a new employer.

18. Create more layers.

Somewhere you read that real leaders know how to delegate. So, in the next new business pitch, make your life easier and create plenty of layers to filter out the crap. Assign team leaders to curate the best ideas and bring you just the cream.

Comment: Delegating can indeed be a more efficient way to achieve a goal during the production stage of a project, but definitely not during creative development. You want as few layers and as few filters as possible when brainstorming ideas. That’s because idea gems are sometimes disguised as mere dirt clods and they need to be bounced around and broken down for their genius to be revealed. Or at least tossed around to get others inspired. That’s why group brainstorms can be very profitable in the initial stage of creative development. As the project progresses and ideas are solidified, you can start delegating specific tasks and assignments. CD’s erroneously believe they are being prudent and efficient by creating approval layers up front to filter ideas. But what they are really doing is limiting the open cross-pollination of ideas and missing potentially hidden gems.

19. Be brutal. 

Intimidation is one of your best tools. It dissuades dissent. It makes people think twice about crossing you. It creates the impression that you’re a skull-cracker and the seas will part for you more easily. So be blunt and be brutal. You’re not in the business of avoiding hurt feelings. You’re in the business of making great ads.

Comment: There are many brilliant CD’s that are just plain jerks. And there are equally as many brilliant CD’s who are nice and diplomatic and respectful. Both methods can be effective. The only difference is the brutal CD will be hated and eventually alienate everyone and the nice CD will establish lifelong friends and build a loyal following.

20. Be arrogant.

Flaunt your genius. Swagger. Walk slowly and walk cool. Have every meeting in your office. Make sure your chair is higher up than anyone else’s. Make sure and get in the final word. Brag about your accomplishments. These are just a few of the tactics that will ensure that people respect your talents.

Comment: Nobody likes arrogance. Nobody. And yet, the arrogant types seem oblivious to their own arrogance. They think they’re just being confident. But people know the difference. So lose the chip on your shoulder and be humble, be magnanimous, be friendly, be kind. These qualities won’t make you weak, they’ll help you build strong relationships and connections. Don’t believe you deserve respect just because you have talent and just because you were ‘anointed’ to the position of Creative Director. Use humility and hard work to earn respect.

Leadership

12:39 PM

I am still amazed that big advertising agencies and their big clients have not yet woken up to the new reality in marketing. Actually, I’m amazed that it took me so long to wake up. But I’m awake now and I see all these slumbering giants snoring away.

Marketing fundamentally changed forever, beginning a few years back. Yet most everyone is acting as if everything were the same. Media buying is virtually the same today, Super Bowl ads are still the rage, and the tone of the advertising hasn’t changed. Everyone is still trying to “disrupt” people so they will stop and notice their funny or cool ad. 

Is it ignorance or denial? Either way, both the agencies and the clients should be ashamed of themselves. 

The only real behavioral change I’ve seen in recent years is that marketers have embraced the internet (social media, blogs, YouTube, etc), but only as a layer of frosting on top of a traditional media cake. 

Dumb. Real dumb.

The truth is, the once powerful brands and their multi-million dollar budgets no longer have the power. They once had a virtual captive audience and now they don’t. 

In the 20th Century, if you were at home on your sofa, watching primetime television, you had no choice but to sit through that TV commercial for Alka-Seltzer or Velveeta or Chevy and you were forced to watch it. The advertiser could rest assured that their money was well spent because they knew everyone would see their ad. Same thing for running an ad in the major magazines and newspapers. 

But in the 21st Century the audience has all the power. Not only can people skip ads altogether, but they all have multiple screens open while watching TV (that is, if they’re watching an actual television at all). We all have our tablets, smart phones or laptops open when the TV is on. Even if I’m watching live sports and I’m unable to skip the commercials, I can very easily ignore them. During the commercial break I can peruse Facebook, read my favorite blog or watch a funny cat video my aunt forwarded to me.

So attention is now dispersed in a million different directions and marketing “disruption” is no longer a viable strategy because it’s easier than ever to ignore. “Disruption” is an antiquated concept that a few soon-to-be-extinct dinosaurs are still clinging to. “Disruption” is now equivalent to spam.

Think about it. People have always hated ads. They are a nuisance. Over the years, we become predisposed to ignore them. Each of us has conditioned our mind to block them, like Kerri Walsh blocking a spike. So marketers have used clever disruption techniques to startle us and make us pay attention. And that formula worked pretty well for a few decades. 

Now, consumers have more distractions than ever because of their multiple open screens, more ways to mute or zap your “disrupting” ad, and way more choices of competitive products and services to choose from. All the noise, clutter and competition has multiplied a thousand times.

The smart marketers have realized that the smoke, mirrors and fireworks used to disrupt people doesn’t work anymore, and they have embraced a new way of marketing: appealing to a select group, making connections, building a loyal following, and providing relevant, personal, anticipated content. 

Furthermore, big advertising ideas are quickly becoming less relevant and less effective. People are way too connected and way too savvy to fall for ideas that have no relevance to the product or service. Instead, people are looking for big product or service ideas. Companies that innovate and make great things.  

Many will disagree with me (my guess is that it’ll be generational, with the older folks disagreeing the most.) But let’s be truthful with ourselves. What worked in the 20th Century will simply not work now. Successful brands must make products and services worth talking about. And marketing departments must tell stories that people find relevant and compelling enough to spread.

It’s no longer about shouting with a megaphone to get a sale. It’s about wooing people and building a lasting connection. This is what has been called the new, “connection economy.”

Marketing guru, Seth Godin, articulated it well with the following analogy. He said...

“There are two ways to get married. The first way to get married is to go to a singles bar, walk up to the first person you meet and propose marriage. If that person won’t marry you, repeat the process on everyone in the singles bar until someone agrees to marry you. That’s a stupid way to get married. The other way to get married is to go on a date. If it goes well, go on another date, with that person....and then you meet their parents, they meet your parents, you get engaged and you get married.That worked for me and maybe it worked for you. So the question is, why aren’t you dating your prospects? Why isn’t your company organized from the ground up to turn strangers into friends before you turn friends into customers?”* 

The connection economy is about leveraging the viral potential of meaningful thoughts and ideas. Not a funny joke or irrelevant flash in the pan, but stories that affect people and get shared. There are a lot of fluffy things that go viral, but let’s not assume that it translates into devoted customers. It’s like cotton candy. It might taste sweet but there’s no nutritional value. And you can’t live on it.

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not advocating for only touchy-feely, sleepy, boring marketing. It can still be wacky or funny or weird. As long as it’s a remarkable idea that is rooted in the product or brand belief. And as long as it’s relevant to people’s lives. And of course, if it’s not good enough to be sharable, then it’s like a stillborn baby. (Sorry for the bad analogy.)

Below is a chart of the old way of marketing versus the new way. Seeing these two ways juxtaposed demonstrates the massive shift that has occurred. (Note: If you haven’t already read the book, Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin, do yourself a favor and download the e-book right now. It’s a few years old but still spot on.)

Click here to download high resolution chart above: http://bit.ly/17jJrnT

*Excerpt from Seth Godin and The Future of Marketing, GoToMeeting Corporate Podcasts #55 - Dec. 2, 2008 

Perception

6:30 PM

Music is perhaps the most powerful weapon in our arsenal for emotional storytelling.

Of all the components which comprise a great commercial or web video, from poetic writing to breathtaking cinematography to flawless performances by actors, music has the greatest potential for influencing our emotions.

Researchers tell us that music stimulates more parts of the brain than any other human function. They say, “Our physical responses to music are rooted in the brain and the way it processes information. There’s evidence that we are born with brain structures that allow us to experience music both emotionally and physically. And today many scientists are convinced that there is a biology of music, a hardwired capacity for musical appreciation and expression.”

Filmmakers have known this for years and have used music to evoke whatever mood or feeling they want to convey. Likewise advertisers have used it, sometimes masterfully. In many cases, the music actually makes the TV commercial.

But most advertisers have failed to exploit its true potential. Perhaps because of simply bad taste in music or more likely a result of too many cooks in the kitchen.

Aside from the creative team, which initially chooses a music track, there are at least a half-dozen other people who weigh in on the matter. And each has their own music tastes. In the end, it’s generally reduced to the least common denominator—a track nobody loves but nobody hates.

This shouldn’t be.

Without a doubt, music tastes are subjective. But there are people who seem to have a better ear than most when it comes to finding the perfect track. In the same way there are great DJ’s and not-so-great DJ’s.

Smart ad agencies and film producers hire skilled music supervisors/producers. These are people who have a very eclectic ear and a knack for finding a fresh, rare, and/or unused tracks with a great melody and hook, irrespective of genre. They listen to a lot of music and are generally well connected to the music industry.

A good example of how this formula is applied is at TBWA Media Arts Lab in Los Angeles, which creates all the advertising for Apple. They almost always have great music in their commercials, and it’s almost always fresh, new or pre-released music. They rarely ever use classics.

Using fresh, new music has given Apple and other brands the additional advantage of helping to make their brands feel fresh and new. Whereas agencies that typically use familiar music automatically infuse their ads with a sense of staleness. The exception being a song that is remixed or re-performed.

Often there’s a debate about whether the high cost of licensing a music track is worth it. The answer is, it depends on the song. A great track can add incredible stopping power and is definitely worth it.

To illustrate the power of music, we’ve compiled 22 TV commercials and/or web videos that succeed in exploiting it’s true potential.

1. Schweppes - Water Balloons

This commercial uses super high-speed film and a beautiful music track by Cinematic Orchestra and Patrick Watson. The music has an anthemic quality to it, with vocals and music building to a crescendo. It’s reminiscent of Phillip Glass, helping to drive a sense of awe and wonder.

2. Mercedes - Presence

This commercial is dark and mysterious, with music to match. The impending bass strumming quiets the room and then is accompanied by mournful strings, creating an atmospheric sound to match the visuals, which are stunningly beautiful. At first glance, it appears to be a trailer to a new film with Josh Brolin, then it’s revealed to be a spot for Mercedes.

3. Casey Neistat - My Birthday Video

This video by Casey Neistat is an inspiring piece. It’s mostly a time-lapse video of Casey’s holding his hand up to the camera, showing a countdown until his birthday. In some places we see him reliving moments from his youth by juxtaposing video of him from childhood. We get a sense of a person’s whole life and the music helps a lot. The track is Dull To Pause by Junior Boys, which has a very childlike and infectious melody, joined by an emotional, almost sorrowful vocal. It really helps make the video.

4. Apple - iPod Nano Video

This TV spot featuring the first iPod Nano video is about as simple as it gets. We see a stack of iPod Nanos being removed one-by-one, while a music video plays on screen. It’s a catchy music track called “1,2,3,4” by Feist, a little know music artist. After this TV spot aired, Feist was suddenly on everyone’s radar and record sales soared. This is a common outcome for bands who’s music appears in Apple ads. It’s a wonder that bands don’t pay Apple to get their music in the spots, instead of the other way around.

5. Guinness - Swim Black

This spot was produced nearly ten years ago and uses the classic track, Mambo No. 5 by Perez Prado. Even though the track isn’t fresh and new, it succeeds because it’s not mainstream and therefore has no baggage. The celebratory feel of the music and visuals together make for a really fun spot. One of our all-time favorites.

6. The Social Network - Trailer

This movie trailer uses a boys choir version of Radiohead’s “Creep,” which is both beautiful and haunting. The opening is most compelling with close-up images of people’s photos and Facebook posts. The music works because it’s an obscure rendition of a classic Radiohead song and because we just don’t hear this kind of music in a movie trailer. This instantly makes it stand out.

7. Honda - Mix

This spot uses a music track composed by J. Ralph, a world-class music composer. It shows the outcome of various things mixed together, then reveals them to be metaphors for the new Civic Hybrid. The track has an incredible melodic piano hook—just seven notes—that leaves you wanting to hear the rest of the song. It really elevates the spot, infusing emotion, despite the stark, clinical imagery.

8. Ikea - Lamp

This famous TV commercial, filmed by Spike Jonze, features an old desk lamp that is thrown out by its owner. We simply see the woman carrying it out to the curb with the trash. But we feel something for this inanimate object because it’s filmed in a way that evokes a sense of humanity in the lamp, and because it’s accompanied by very cinematic and emotional music. It comes together perfectly and is one of the more memorable TV commercials in recent memory.

9. Nike - I Can

This Nike spot was produced many years ago, but the music track still has great emotive power. It’s set to Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve, which is one of the more anthemic rock tracks of the last decade. The word is, The Verve experienced a revival in record sales after this TV commercial aired nationwide in the US. Which proves that commercials can be a powerful vehicle for driving interest in little known or under-appreciated bands.

10. VW - Big Day
On paper, this spot would seem ho-hum. A man in a tuxedo races to get to a wedding on time. We are lead to believe he’s the groom but later realize he’s not. Instead, he’s the bride’s true love as the she’s standing at the alter with another man. But, it’s filmed beautifully, the subtile performance are excellent and it has an amazing music track. Again, the music here is a piece composed by J. Ralph. It’s electronic with a nice melody, sampled elements, and a woman’s haunting, operatic voice. It’s hard to imagine this spot being as good with any other track.

11. Great Nights Start With A Phone Call - web video

This web short is about three attractive young women going out for a night on the town, and is reminiscent of a fashion brand film. It has a handheld, first-person feel about it. And it’s cut nicely to an infectious, dance-able music piece, which provides a nice emotional hook to enhance the story.

12. Audi A4 - Life
This commercial uses a super-catchy Nina Simone track, Ain’t Got No (I Got Life). We see various people and scenes, while looking out the window of a car, each person or scene matching the lyrics of the song. This is one of the exceptions to the rule of using fresh, new music tracks as often as possible. Nina Simone has such amazing soulfulness and heart, that it’s irresistible. Plus the song is one of her lesser known works, so it’s not overplayed. It really makes the spot. Literally.

13. VW - Protection
The classic spot, filmed by Jonathan Glazer, is shot entirely in slow-motion. The black and white imagery is breathtakingly beautiful and the vignettes are dramatic. The music, from Requiem by Fauré, is powerful, haunting and makes the scenes more profound. This is a really great use of classical music with sensational impact.

14. Nike - Magnet
This Nike spot focuses on Lance Armstrong riding cross country on a personal journey through various environments. Some moments are poetic, others whimsical. But all of them beautiful. The acoustic guitar and piano driven music helps carry this spot, infusing a sincere, from-the-heart melody, with light touches of vocals, as if a gospel singer is humming quietly. The spot has some nice emotional power. Particularly when we see children with cancer cheering Lance on, and a little boy riding a tiny bicycle, trying to keep up.

15. Levi’s - Go Forth
This spot uses a beautiful orchestral piece entitled Prelude, from Wagner’s Das Rheingold. It’s about a small, rundown town in Pennsylvania, that needs to be revitalized. We see people going to work to improve their town, set against the Wagner music, which it builds very slowly with a layering of horns, eventually reaching a crescendo when the tagline “Go Forth” is shown written against the sky. The imagery is shot beautifully and the music is really elevates it.

16. Jaguar - XK06
When this spot launched, it was unlike any car spot on TV. It was criticized by some in the industry for lacking any concept and being more of a mood piece because it used pretentious fashion models and graphic design. But that criticism didn’t change the fact that it was memorable and stood out from other car spots. And music helped play a key role. The infectious track is ‘I Turn My Camera On’ by Spoon.

17. Saturn - Numbers
This spot for Saturn, filmed by Mike Mills, is a great example of a voice-over-less, music-driven spot that makes a simple point... you’re are not treated as a number at Saturn. The spot shows the lifespan of a woman through the years and how her life is reduced to a series of numbers. At the end, she’s greeted by name in the Saturn showroom. A simple yet powerful idea and executive wonderfully. The instrumental music piece has a playful, matter-of-fact-ness to it, then crescendos with a strong piano riff. Great, simple, emotive storytelling.

18. Sony - Cybershot
This anthem spot for Sony Cybershot digital cameras is a low-concept, montage spot, showing people from various walks of life snapping photos. The line is, “Don’t think. Shoot.” It’s filmed beautifully and filled with interesting, quirky or playful scenes. The music track gives it tremendous gravitas, with a track that makes you move.

19. Visa - Running Man
This weird spot for Visa starts out with a naked man running cross-country. We seem him traverse various terrains, getting help along the way (because he has his Visa card). In the end, he shows up just in time for his wedding and you get the idea he was the victim of a terrible prank and had to travel all that way to make it. The music track really carries the story with a driving guitar riff and great melody. It’s a bit hard-edged, which helps counter the expected stodginess of Visa, a financial brand.

20. Australia Tourism - Walkabout
This beautiful (albeit melodramatic) TV commercial shot by Bruce Hunt and Baz Luhrmann is about a corporate executive who’s life is out of whack, with her marriage apparently on the rocks. Suddenly, a ghostlike Aboriginal kid appears and whispers into her ear. Soon after, she’s in Australia, with her marriage mended and her spirits lifted. Yes, it sounds like a cheesy concept on paper, but it’s played well and the cinematic music has a dreamy, epic quality to it. It was composed by Nylon Studios and really elevates the spot.

21. Life in a Day - Trailer
This trailer features a montage of people from around the world and incorporates two different pieces of music. The first is a poignant, Phillip Glass inspired piece. The second is a pretty folk-type melody. You really feel the sense of global humanity and the music joins them together. It really succeeds in evoking some emotion.

22. US Cellular - Bunnies
This TV spot uses a super charming track by male/female duet singers, accompanied by nothing more than a ukulele. The melody is sweet and the vocal harmonizing is sublime. It really succeeds in infusing the spot with a lot of emotion.

23. Bonus: Jack Leroy Tueller
This is a really moving story about how an American soldier in WWII used music to disarm the enemy.

There are many more great commercials, trailers and videos, with great music. Perhaps in the future, I'll compile and post a second volume.

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References/Quotes:

1. NPR.ORG “The Power Of Music To Affect The Brain"

2. The Power Of Music by Elena Mannes

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Creativity

10:21 AM