Tag: small agency diary

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Just What Is a Creative Director?

Phil Johnson, of PJA Advertising and Marketing, recently published a good piece on the Ad Age Small Agency Diary:  What the Hell Is a Creative Director Supposed to Be?

An excerpt from Phil’s piece:

I’ve come to the conclusion that the job of creative director is bigger and more important than any one task. Rather than the person with the best ideas, or the person who is the best judge of good work, or the person who can best manage the creative process, a creative director needs to shape the creative brain of the entire agency and build a creative conscience. His influence extends well beyond the creative department. This conviction has made me question many of the traditional expectations for a creative leader.

Take the time to read the entire post on the Small Agency Diary.  It’s a good read for anyone involved in this business.  And, if you feel so inclined, leave him a comment over there as well.

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There’s a New Year Coming, But its Going to Take Work

2009 is almost done crumbling to the ground, and that shiny new toy that is 2010 still looks good in the display case.  But before you go thinking that things are going to turn on a dime, take a few minutes to read the latest piece from Bart Cleveland on the Ad Age Small Agency Diary.  In it, he offers some good advice on How to Roll Strong Into 2010, such as:

Communicate. Not much good to talk about? You’re not looking hard enough. Even if it is how great everyone is being in the face of hardship, talk about it in your staff meetings, e-mails, etc.

Walk and talk. The economy can’t kill what makes your agency a great place to work; only you can. It has no effect on your imagination or your will to succeed; only you do. It can’t keep you from smiling, or patting someone on the back. Move around your office and talk to everyone at least once a day.

Take a few minutes and give it a read. You’ll be glad you did.

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Chasing the Answer to an Identity Crisis

At some point in time, every agency has likely been faced with this question: What kind of agency are you?

Darryl Ohrt, founder of Plaid, takes a swing at answering that very question from a small agency’s point of view on the Ad Age Small Agency Diary.

From his piece:

When people ask about our agency, I often struggle with an industry categorization. I’d never use the term “traditional” to describe our operation, yet I don’t believe that “digital” is the best descriptor, either. For that matter, do traditional agencies even call themselves “traditional”? Probably not.

It’s a worthwhile read, and an interesting take on the question.  Take a few minutes to give it a look — I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to some, if not most of what he has to say.

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Howard Marguiles on the Creative Brief

Recently, I came across an entry on the Ad Age Small Agency Diary from Howard Marguiles, associate creative director/copy at Palio in Saratoga Springs, NY.

This particular piece was titled “What Are You Packing Into Your (Creative) Briefs?” and was all about — you guessed it — the value of a good creative brief.

An excerpt from Marguiles’ piece:

DiNoto has it exactly right. When writing a brief, you must fully commit to an idea:

  • This is the time to fall on the sword. Commit!
  • Refrain from peppering the brief with ideas; a little bit of this or that. Layering ideas in a painterly way is dishonest. Commit!
  • Say one thing, and say it clearly.
  • Don’t try to outshine the creatives, don’t let your cleverness show; keep the language simple and clear.
  • Anything resembling a tagline should be deleted.
  • Support, amplify, clarify, stay on message.

If you have doubts that you have chosen the right path, find another. The universe has an infinite supply of paths; choose one.

It is a faulty assumption to believe that a killer ad campaign was the product of an unusually imaginative creative brief. Quite the opposite is more likely to be true. It is also not inevitable that any given campaign would result from any given brief. This is a deterministic function of the zeitgeist, the talents and disposition of the creative teams, the openness and receptivity of the target audience, and the ability of an agency and client to celebrate the power of a great idea and run with it.

The Goodby, Silverstein & Partners award-winning “Got Milk?” campaign was based on a powerful, single-minded insight: People wait until they’re out of milk to realize that they need to buy more. The campaign’s scenarios were highly entertaining, but the core message was: “Milk enhances the enjoyment of many foods. Don’t wait until you’re out. Buy some today.” In Goodby’s hands, advertising history was made. At another shop, the spots might’ve sounded like infomercials for the ShamWow!

A truly motivating insight is a secret bit of knowledge that you have about your target audience that you can exploit to make them do your bidding. Don’t squander it.

Regardless of whether you’re on the account side, the creative side, somewhere in-between, or none of the above, take the time to read the entire piece.

Then go practice, practice, practice.

You (and your clients) will be glad you did.