From my perspective, agencies have only one meaningful thing that sets them apart.
Their standards.
By that I mean the ambitions they have for every project and the way they go about realising it.
Of course sometimes it doesn’t work out as everyone hoped, but I am still firmly of the opinion that if you are doing it for the right reasons and have approached it with the care and commitment it deserves, that is still more beneficial than dropping your price and chucking any old rubbish out.
Of course some agencies – and clients – prefer the quick and easy approach.
That’s fine.
But they will never have the influence high standards affords you.
Where you attract rather than continually chase.
Where you can influence culture rather than just continuously mirror it.
Where you can pioneer rather than be an almost ran.
Where you have the most interesting people in your building rather than the ‘good enough’.
Where you can charge more for your work than what the procurement department say you can charge.
The reason I say this is because I recently read an interesting article about the difference between Apple and other mainstream technology brands.
Yes, I know it’s been written about a million times, but this article captured something that I think lays the difference between the 2 brands bare.
It is not saying everyone else is a bad company.
It is not saying they are makers of bad products.
It’s simply saying that there is an emotional value, whether overtly realised or not, of handling a product that you feel – or know – has been sweated over.
Where little things you may never notice have been given the same love and attention as the big, obvious stuff.
Whether you agree that Apple have it and other brands don’t isn’t the point I am trying to convey.
What I’m trying – badly – to say is that a lot of people think ‘craft’ is justification for being a creative prima-dona.
Sometimes – in the hands of those who want to live up to an image rather than live up to a standard – it can.
But in the right hands, fighting for the craft isn’t about indulgence, it’s about caring. It’s about wanting to do the absolute best thing because you know that makes a difference … not just for the people who will eventually buy your product or service, but for the pride you have in your brand and yourself.
It’s something worth remembering, especially in these days where we are offered short-cuts at almost every junction.
Unfortunately for me, after that heartfelt plea, I am now going to look like a lazy bastard by announcing that by the time you read this, I will be on a plane because I am going away for a few days.
It’s not for work. It’s not because it’s a national holiday. It’s for me.
Yes, I know you all think I am permanently doing stuff ‘for me’, but this time it’s true and maybe at the end of it, there will be a bunch of new things for me to consider, talk about, rant over.
So in some ways, I’m kind-of making an investment in the continued content of this blog.
Yes, I really did type that.
And yes, I feel a bit sick too.
I – and this blog – will be back on Tuesday. That should just about give us enough time to recover from that ‘investment in content’ statement.
Maybe.
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If Bazza falls for this obvious attempt to get a freebie iwatch, I’ll disrespect him even more than I already disrespect him.
Comment by DH May 27, 2015 @ 6:36 amNormally I’d give you shit for having another holiday, but after all you’ve gone through this year I can admit you deserve it and likely need it. That doesn’t mean I’ll forgive you for the investment in content comment though. See you tuesday Rob.
Comment by DH May 27, 2015 @ 6:39 am+1
Comment by Bazza May 27, 2015 @ 6:42 amHe is not going on holiday. He’s doing something else. It’s exciting for him.
Comment by George May 27, 2015 @ 6:46 amWhat a waste of my generosity.
Comment by DH May 27, 2015 @ 6:59 amSex change?
Comment by Billy Whizz May 27, 2015 @ 7:33 amI won’t. Plus I know he already has one. And he paid for it.
Comment by Bazza May 27, 2015 @ 6:42 amYou mean he got someone to pay for it. It would never be him. #blagger
Comment by DH May 27, 2015 @ 7:00 amObviously I won’t comment on the Apple editorial you have written, but the part where you write about doing things to the highest standard for the pride you have in your own standards if nothing else is excellent. Everyone is in a rush to get ahead without understanding how important it is to feel you have truly earned it.
Comment by George May 27, 2015 @ 6:51 amI would have been happy to feel that I’d got ahead.
Comment by John May 27, 2015 @ 6:55 amdont fuck this up campbell.
Comment by andy@cynic May 27, 2015 @ 8:10 ammaybe you should. you make more fucking moolah doing the shit you do than any one doing a real job will ever see in a fucking hundred lifetimes. and you have mouths to feed now. and fucking wifi cups to buy. which i will never fucking forgive you for you sad, pathetic bastard. the cup. not the family.
Comment by andy@cynic May 27, 2015 @ 8:13 amAm I missing something?
Comment by DH May 27, 2015 @ 8:53 amyou miss fucking everything. campbell is trying to be a fucking teacher. lets hope hes not going for gym teacher or hes going to be in detention for the rest of his fucking life.
Comment by andy@cynic May 27, 2015 @ 9:26 pmIn that case Robert, good luck with whatever it is you are doing over the next few days.
Comment by Lee Hill May 28, 2015 @ 10:31 amThere goes the education system.
Comment by DH May 29, 2015 @ 2:57 amAn excellent read Robert. Whatever it is that you are doing, I hope it goes well for you. As others have said, you deserve it.
Comment by Lee Hill May 27, 2015 @ 12:19 pmLee, I agree. Excellence shows; like a really good coat, or a pair of Italian shoes, the product and the promo are totally connected. The company can promote itself eventually merely on the name alone: Coach, Chanel, Mercedes, Apple, Dior.
Im not in advertising, but I am involved with gaming (play, not write) and I see a LOT of crap out there that is buggy, poorly put together, and sold as the next Worlds of Warcraft…they spend all their energy on the cover, and the promo, and let the rest go to hell. This too is about advertising, and not bothering to make a product that lives up to the promise. 99% of it has hidden costs for the player, limited play for the free players, and most of the necessary features are worthless or buggy.
Ive only found one (two if you count the old WoW) thus far that not only lives up to its own promotion, it goes beyond that into truly caring about what happens to the players, and if you’re good at it, you never have to spend a cent to get where you need to go. I.e., if you have a problem due to a bug in the program, they offer to reimburse you for the game money you lost, no hesitation.
and the best advertising in the world is worthless if there’s no product that lives up to it. Yeah, yeah, I know. obvious. Sit down, lady. =)
Comment by judyt54 May 27, 2015 @ 10:21 pmGreat advertising is the quickest way to bring down a mediocre product.
Comment by Lee Hill May 28, 2015 @ 10:30 amDo does no one get away with typos at W PLUS K then
Comment by northern May 27, 2015 @ 4:25 pmAre you trying to be ironic?
Comment by DH May 29, 2015 @ 2:58 amfor once intended typo
Comment by northern June 1, 2015 @ 9:27 pmHow did it all go Rob?
Comment by Pete June 1, 2015 @ 6:38 amNot sure mate. Let’s leave it at ‘interesting’ and see what the next few weeks brings.
Comment by Rob June 1, 2015 @ 9:56 am[…] can demonstrate the standards of the brand … the quality of the product or the stupidity of the ad agency amongst countless other […]
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