16 March 2009 VIEW on Advertising AGENCY OUTLOOK J ust as America is the great melting pot, so now is the great Amer ican advertising agency. No longer the stereotypical stomping grounds portrayed in AMC’s show Mad Men, today the ad agen cy is a hotbed of talent, whose members span every generation, nationality, race, creed, color, not to mention clients who have become colleagues. While individuals are defined by their personality, an agency is defined by its culture. Like a mini United Nations, today’s agency must represent and respect everyone’s viewpoint. Building an Agency Culture Creating the right culture for today’s agency means knowing how to choose and combine this eclectic blend of talent. Mixing fresh young talent with seasoned performers; blending spicy creative with robust account service; finding that perfect combination of talent, one that has never been assembled before. Just as preparing the perfect meal starts with an expert chef, creat ing the right culture also starts at the top. Agency leaders, like chefs, need the experience and patience to make sure these fine ingredients work in harmony and won’t spoil the culture an agency has established, or the work it creates. Agencies can take a page from the cookbook of Wolfgang Puck, the worldrenowned chef and entrepreneur who has been called one of the most successful immigrants of the 20th century. Puck built a brand and a worldwide empire by combining cuisines in ways that had never been done before; he surrounded himself with a team of people he knew he could trust, and allowed them do what they did best. By doing this, he not only created a brand that is unlike any other and second to none, he also engendered undying loyalty from his staff and built a fam ily atmosphere that has defined his company. Making a Lasting Impression But achieving this type of chemistry isn’t easy; it never was and never will be. Just as there will always be another trendy restaurant to lure customers away, there will always be another boutique ad agency waiting to whet the appetites of hungry clients. This basic fact of free enterprise, coupled with a volatile global economy and increased regu lations on pharmaceutical companies, is having a profound effect on how clients choose to do business with advertising agencies. Agencies that want to succeed in this mercurial landscape must adjust the way they do business to win and retain clients. It is an ever changing recipe that must be constantly refined. For example, the responsibilities of the creative talent have changed dramatically over the past five years. Creative team members still need to focus on coming up with the great idea, but now they are also held accountable for the financial side of the business; great work brings in great numbers. Finding the balance between the functional reality of finance and the emotional passion for creating great work is where we find the cul ture of the agency. It is the lifeblood of the agency, and it is as tangible as the facts and figures on a spreadsheet.Those who truly have a pas sion and love to create will acquire a taste for finance, because they know something sweet will emerge, and they are the ones who keep an agency’s culture alive. The bottom line is that business can be won or lost based on this cultural chemistry. And it is something that you cannot fake. It is obvi ous to clients during pitches and meetings. Just as word of mouth spreads either good or bad reviews about a restaurant’s atmosphere, food, and service, so it does about an agency’s culture, creative, and ser vice. And that can make the difference between savoring the sweet taste of success…or eating crow. Bon apptit. COMMONHEALTH is a network of highly specialized healthcare marketing companies all aligned to build brands that dominate. For more information, visit commonhealth.com. The New Melting Pot Scott Watson EVP, Group Chief Creative Officer, CommonHealth Michele Moss SVP, Creative Director, Carbon, part of CommonHealth While individuals are defined by their personality, an agency is defined by its culture. Like a mini United Nations, today’s agency must represent and respect everyone’s viewpoint. CommonHealth

Download PDF