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A thread to fellow advertising peeps
I've worked in advertising agencies for decades. Presented work hundreds and hundreds of times.
My partner is a marketing director and for the past year and a half, I've sat within earshot listening to her conference calls with her team
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I've worked in advertising agencies for decades. Presented work hundreds and hundreds of times.
My partner is a marketing director and for the past year and a half, I've sat within earshot listening to her conference calls with her team
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and her advertising agency. And over this time I've learned a very valuable lesson: Advertising agency people don't listen to their clients.
Time and again, after an exhausting call with her agency, the next call would be to her team that was also on the call, and the convo
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Time and again, after an exhausting call with her agency, the next call would be to her team that was also on the call, and the convo
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goes something like this:
Her: Yeah, can you believe that? It's like they think they know our business better than we do.
I know! I mean, they have great points but how do they think that concept that hits our (Hispanic) demo?
Yeah, that was a good bit in the script but
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Her: Yeah, can you believe that? It's like they think they know our business better than we do.
I know! I mean, they have great points but how do they think that concept that hits our (Hispanic) demo?
Yeah, that was a good bit in the script but
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I didn't like the way they pushed back with the whole, "This is the only concept so..."
This convo happens pretty much every other day. And it got me to thinking, "I was just like that earlier in my career, and whoa, what a shit I was."
Defensive. Sharp words. Being rude.
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This convo happens pretty much every other day. And it got me to thinking, "I was just like that earlier in my career, and whoa, what a shit I was."
Defensive. Sharp words. Being rude.
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Combative. My goodness.
Thankfully I am nothing like that now, or for years, for the matter. And I would wager that this kind of exchange happens every day, in every marketing meeting, in most agencies.
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Thankfully I am nothing like that now, or for years, for the matter. And I would wager that this kind of exchange happens every day, in every marketing meeting, in most agencies.
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Now, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy listening to the meetings, (silently laughing), and my partner is a very good communicator, and very patient, (I'm her partner), but if it were me, I'd lose my marbles every time.
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My advice: Use the two things that you have at your disposal so as not to get into these kinds of discussions: Your ears
Yes, we ads peeps know what we're doing. Yes, we know creative. Yes, we put our soul into the work. But sometimes, almost always, your client has a point.
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Yes, we ads peeps know what we're doing. Yes, we know creative. Yes, we put our soul into the work. But sometimes, almost always, your client has a point.
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It may go against what you're presenting. They may challenge your thinking. And they may be a little bit more critical than to your liking, but instead of hitting back with justifications, listen.
Listen. Because that space in between after you present and them speaking
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Listen. Because that space in between after you present and them speaking
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Will give them the sense you are giving them the respect of listening because you are actually listening. Then, (and believe me, this wasn't me), take their suggestions/criticism/comments and instead of going after them one after another, use them as discussion points.
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Really, really, really try to find out what they are really saying because 9 times out of 10, they don't mean what they just said to you. And the only way you can find that out is to trust in the process.
I know this because for the past year and half
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I know this because for the past year and half
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I've listened to this agency do the exact opposite. Sure, the agency generally gets its way but the damage they do to the relationship is immeasurable. So when the work gets completed the only people who are happy with it is the agency.
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As I said, I was one of those creative people who went looking for a fight over the work. Like a real fight. And thanks to hearing her meetings, when I present I engage the client even more than in the past and it has been pretty awesome. And so is the work.
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Got the inspiration from you mister @dereklwalker
