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

Great work. It’s a term used by so many but – let’s be honest – there’s not huge amounts of it about.

Of course there’s some … work that literally takes your breath away … but in the main, it’s all a bit beige and blah.

But what’s interesting is who people are blaming for this situation.

Often it’s the ad agencies who cop all the abuse.

Claims of being … out of touch, selfish and arrogant, more focused on what they want than their client needs.

But frankly, all this feels a bit too convenient because the people and organisations shouting the abuse the loudest happen to be the people and organisations who are directly competing for the same budgets.

Hmmmmn, I wonder if that undermines their credibility a little?

Throw in they’re often more focused on optimising than progressing and make work that either says whatever the client wants to say – regardless of how tone deaf that may be in culture – or just talk at people with buzzwords and data points that have no value, resonance or humanity towards the audience they are trying to engage … then you start to realise this is more a shitty strategy, than a future of marketing play.

Don’t get me wrong, I think agencies have to take a significant amount of the blame for the situation they find themselves in …

Too many have sold creativity down the river.
Charge for the process they undertake rather than work.
Seek to beliked by clients rather than respected.
Focus on creating generalised answers not unique problems.
Underpay, undervalue and under-appeal to the best of the best – existing or new.

… but even then, it’s only some of the blame, not all.

And the reason for this is great work is a team sport.

Everyone plays a part.

Not everyone – to use a football analogy – will be the striker, but they’re all necessary to score the goal.

But too often, we’re in situations where it’s not played that way.

Where too many wanting the authority but none of the responsibility.

Taking the credit but rejecting the blame.

Handing out dour instruction but expecting amazing results. Even though they don’t even know what amazing is, because either they’re context is small or they simply think everything they do is great so it doesn’t matter what they say.

Hence they’re the ones who criticise the agency for not delivering.

They’re the one’s questioning their commitment and passion.

They’re the ones running to data and management consultants to subject society to communication that in cultural landfill, not cultural stimulus.

And that’s why Rick’s quote is so good.

Because it acknowledges the inclusive responsibility to making something great.

From literally how you deliver the brief – let alone the actual brief – to how you support, encourage and give feedback to the people you want to do the best work of their life to help you have the best time of your life.

Because the reality is, if you’re not excited about doing something great, why the fuck do you think anyone else will be?