The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]


You’re Only As Good As Someone Else Thinks You Are …
September 3, 2010, 6:35 am
Filed under: Comment

So each week – though the last few have been a wash out thanks to pesky client meetings – I do some training for the office.

Whilst it is supposedly about planning, the reality is that a lot of what we talk about can easily be transferred to many functions within the office … from how to manipulate a conversation through to how you can start identifying insights.

Anyway last Wednesday I ended up spending some time with Map – an absolutely fabbie suit we have here who is also a trained horticulturalist, though why I mention that is still open to debate.

Putting aside the fact that she pointed out I started in advertising the same year she was born [HOWTHEFUCKDIDTHATHAPPEN!] the thing I love about Map is her attitude.

One thing that really bothers me is how many people go into jobs focused almost exclusively on their pay cheque.

Actually what bothers me even more is that some people believe that because they went to university, they’ve paid their dues and are now entitled to the big salary.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge supporter of education but just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you suddenly have all the answers to the Universe.

But Map’s not like this.

Sure she would like to have more cash in her pocket and have more responsibility, but she wants to earn the right to get that so what she does is ask questions, explores stuff and basically has a go.

What this all means is that not only is she a fantastic person to work with, but she’s likely to go far because in the future she’ll be able to prove her value to an employer and/or client rather than just talk herself up and have it all crash down the moment she has to deliver on something specific.

Basically what I am trying to say is that I’m quite old school.

You see I don’t really care how long someone’s been doing their job or where they’ve done it … I’m far more impressed by what they’ve done, tried or failed which is why I tend to favour people who have lived [and live] a life, rather than just an advertising lifestyle.

So here’s to the Maps of the World, we need them more than ever.


47 Comments so far
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i hope to fuck map (map?) taught you some shit because the thought you were teaching her anything is too fucking frightening to contemplate.

Comment by andy@cynic

Map taught me a lot – but sadly all I can remember is that I’m an old bastard.

Comment by Rob

i like her more already.

Comment by andy@cynic

Andy…watch where you place your brackets lest you end up with another restraining order…

Comment by Rob Mortimer

does sponging off a more talented colleague represent earning the right to disgustingly wonderful amounts of cash campbell? if anyone should know you should know. parasite. you should be paying for this shithole restoration, not me.

Comment by andy@cynic

It probably does Andy which is why you should feel proud you were able to get away with it with me for so long.

Comment by Rob

you pathetic little fuck. you know the truth. we know the truth. parasite. pure fucking leech.

Comment by andy@cynic

and if you think no one can see through your elton john style rant on the penultimate paragraph, youre even more fucking stupid than we know you are.

you like freaks campbell, nothing more nothing less, and you like them because they make you feel normal even if theres nothing normal about a queen loving sandal wearing planner.

if you read this map, get out while you can though being a horticulturalist in adland might mean youre destined to work together. you poor fucker.

Comment by andy@cynic

no disrespect to Map, but rather than the elton john penultimate paragraph, rob, did you really write this so you could talk about the Maps of the World?

Comment by lauren

cheap joke lauren, thought you were of a better standard of cheap joke than that.

Comment by andy@cynic

hey – not my cheap gag. i’m shaming rob for it.

Comment by lauren

and hes a soft fucking target. what the fuck has happened to you? its being married to doddsy isnt it.

Comment by andy@cynic

that, and i realised that i actually like rob and should probably lay off completely annihilating him when he’s down. in the interest of not becoming a completely bitter and heartless bastard who only gets off on others’ unhappiness. 😀

Comment by lauren

Jesus – you make me sound like I’m a 90 year old fragile woman living alone in a bad area of town.

DO. NOT. ADD. ANY. FURTHER. COMMENT. TO. THAT.

Comment by Rob

And what do you mean you just realised you like me?

Fucking hell, talk about making me feel even more shit. Is Andy paying you for all this Lauren?

Comment by Rob

if anyone should be able to find their way around adland surely its someone called map?

thats the sort of high quality cheap gag i was expecting lauren. you need some more sleep or drugs. pull yourself together woman, your standards are fucking slipping.

dont know you map so dont take any of our cheap jibes and shit seriously, were pathetic fucks and if campbell likes you, you must be good because he fucking hates everyone even if he walks around telling people he loves them, 2 faced fucker that he is.

Comment by andy@cynic

Or that this is the first map he’s ever bothered to consult.

Comment by John

andy, that was fuckin’ awful.
but thank you for the concern about my standards. especially with the suggestion of drugs. that’s the standard of cheap care i expect with a gag like that. 🙂

doddsy, yours was better. but only slightly.

Comment by lauren

Damned with faint praise. Again.

By the way, I revisited the Alys show and enjoyed it.

Comment by John

He’s hoping that map will show him where the treasure is buried.

Comment by John

Call Saturday Night Live … I have some comedy writers for them. I don’t find that show very funny either.

Comment by Rob

thats a compliment coming from you.

Comment by andy@cynic

Old reform school more like. And is Map getting all this praise because she proofed this post?

Comment by John

She still missed the ellipsis error though.

Comment by John

Good on you Map.

Do you remember that precocious 20 year old we had come in and wanted a starting salary of USD$100k because he’d come top of his class in marketing? Wonder how he is enjoying working at BK.

Comment by Pete

Since they just got bought by private equity, he’s probably been let go.

Comment by John

or he’s working for them and suggested it.

Comment by lauren

Indeed I do … he was the one who was shocked when I said I’d pay him 200k if could explain how he was going to directly bring us another 2 mill in revenue.

I can still see the stupid, confused look on his face. I should have let Andy at him … big regret.

Comment by Rob

i only destroy highly paid fuckwits, i leave the peasants to you.

Comment by andy@cynic

Bloody hell – quite a few comments to wake up too.

OK first things first – no more pisstaking. I know it’s all good-natured banter and I am very glad/impressed with Andy’s clarification, but apart from Map being lovely, she might not get our twisted “humour” so I don’t want her to get upset or confused if she reads this … which I’m hoping she won’t or her cleverness is not nearly as good as I thought, ha!

Comment by Rob

I am sure Map is smart enough to realise that she is not the butt of the jokes.

But to be serious for a moment, it’s good that you are not one of those bosses who resents questions. There are way too many of them.

Comment by John

of course he doesnt resent questions, otherwise no one would ever fucking talk to him at all.

Comment by andy@cynic

And don’t get me started about entitlement.

Comment by John

Go on … let it out Mr D.

Comment by Rob

Have W+K hired someone who hasn’t started working with you yet?

Comment by The Kaiser

No, but you can be sure as shit she won’t be working with me for much longer.

Comment by Rob

Agreed. So many people think getting in is when the effort stops, quite the opposite in reality.

Comment by Rob Mortimer

For the record, Map has seen this and said to me that it really touched her till she read the comments and then she got confused. I tried to tell her you’re all a bunch of evil, sick, sarcastic shits but I know she’s not quite sure so if you have ever thought about publically admiting your shame, now would be a good time.

Map, we all think you’re great – even the people who have made weird comments – so keep doing what you’re doing because it’s wonderful.

Comment by Rob

After reeling from the Andy’s dubious use of brackets in the first comment, reeled some more from what poor Map must be thinking after being dragged into The Sick Underbelly of Planning.
On the other hand, Rob must have been deluded if he ever thought the direction for comments was anywhere but the deepest recesses of Hades, so ultimately the responsibility is his – you wouldn’t put your best friend in a cell with Hannibal Lecter and then moan when he ate her nose would you?

Comment by northern

On the actual point of the post, you know I totally agree with the sentiment. The twat creative director I suffered at TBWA for the last six months or so never contributed a single useful thing. He just banged on about the false god of single mindedness and reminded us he used to work at Chiat Day.
It’s always funny to watch folk with big agency and brand stuff on their CV and try and throw their weight around when they decide to move Up North for a what they think is a quiet life, only to find not everyone is an inverted snob or amatuer and has actually managed to do some great work on small budgets and unfamous clients.
As Mickey said to Rocky, “The worst mistake you ever made was get civilised” I think you have to hate success much more than failure. A healthy hate of ‘advertising’ is actually useful too come to think of it.
That said, a healthy lack of respect for titles and backgrounds can get you into a lot of trouble if you work at TBWA, ironic for the ‘Disruption Agency’
As you might be guessing, i have a lot of frustration and nervous energy to get out my system, tomorrow’s bastard swim has been postponed for a month.
God help the people in this afternoon’s creative review. Feeling rather dangerous I am.

Comment by northern

are you saying the fuckers up north have enough dosh to actually make advertising worth doing? learn something pointless every fucking day.

i worked at chiat a long time ago. so long time ago that clow had a fucking goatee and you didnt spell it tbwa. thats when you can feel good, not when those french fucks bought it and turned every campaign into a lucky fucking dip in quality.

Comment by andy@cynic

Christ you’re old

Comment by northern

Indeed Andy. It’s not all flat caps and pies.*

*It is mostly though.

Comment by Rob Mortimer

and yet i look so fucking young.
sucked fucking in demi fucking moore.

Comment by andy@cynic

My name is John. And I read Campbell’s blog. There I’ve said it. I have shared my shame.

Comment by John

dont worry map, we think youre great, its your fucking “trainer” were bothered by.

Comment by andy@cynic

Thanks Andy, I’m sure that helps Map a great deal!

Comment by Rob




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