Suzanne wrote:
> >From my experience as an owner of an ad agency, I recommend that you DEMAND
> to meet directly with the creative staff involved with your work. Account
> representatives historically try to magnify their own importance of the
> process by keeping the creatives out of it. If you convey your needs only
> to your account exec, I *guarantee* that: 1) he or she will put his or her
> own spin on your input and 2) you'll never see some of the creatives' best
> ideas.
Yeah, I'm making them determine what it will take to allow this to be
possible as part of their RFP reponses . . . and failure to accommodate
means no consideration.
Have to admit, though, I'm not overly thrilled with any account execs or
creative directors I've encountered yet. I see a lot of peter principle
in action--people that started the firms or being bought out shuffled
into those positions. We can work around that, though, with the
contracts ;)
They must bring whole team to our offices as part of RFP process. We
want them all here when they do the song and dance, including people
they propose adding from remote offices. Boss likes that, and I (to be
honest) hope to see some long hair, ponytails and sandals in the crowd
*grin* One of the better triggers for my gut instincts is personalities
in the lower ranks, and watching their faces as the boss makes
promises ;)
They also have to agree to two other things--they will not be a sole
agency, but a lead agency. We *will* be outsourcing some of the work to
others, and we expect them to serve as team leaders in such instances
(meaning their people will *gasp* be working with managers from other
agencies); and anonymous channels to me from everyone (thanks to ideas
from Mike's suggested reading for the month). I want unfiltered, if
anonymous, access to the people who do the work to avoid people (re:
managers) unduly "putting their spin" on things, creative and
otherwise. Both are causing some stress in agencies I've approached
('tis good to be in charge *grin*)
Thanks for the input, though . . . helps me round out the approach. :)
I think we were on the same thread with other issues, just coming at
them from different long term perspectives ;)
Brett
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