Why Am I the Oldest Person Working On [name whatever it is]

I was researching my post about Rob Strasser and found this post on the adidas internal blog – their History Project – the post was written by the ‘Godfather’ of the project: Peter Moore.

Feel like you’re the oldest person on the project? Have a seat.

As a native Oregonian, and way back when I was a graphic designer, always looking for a cool assignment, I paid attention to the folks at Nike and adidas. I had friends there and occasionally did a little freelance work for them. So the fact that they were – and still are my contemporaries seems somewhat odd.

I still think of them as 30-somethings. I’m surely 30 in my head. 

What struck me was what Peter Moore, the Godfather, had to say about his age:

“Finally, the reason I am the “Godfather” of this project is simply because I am, by far, the oldest person on this project (and most every adidas project I work on).”

I’ve written about ageism, as it applies to advertising, and perhaps it is a young-person’s game. There’s a lot of changing technology, things are moving faster – or so everyone seems to think. Well, information travels faster, and therefore marketing a product must be immediate. But even more importantly, it must be relevant.

We’re not too old to work on your project. But why do I always feel like I'm the oldest person in the room? 

Oh, that's right. Because I am. What good is longevity in an advertising career if we can't apply and share all those lessons learned?

The process itself (any process really) does take time. To do things well and thoughtfully, and make them truly relevant, does take skill, experience and thorough consideration. Why is it that we react just as quickly to the unimportant [some celeb’s drunken escapade], as we do to the tragedies [Boston Marathon bombings]?

I think that we all need to step back from our media-filled frenzy and decide what is truly important for our clients and, even more, for ourselves. Faster isn’t better. It just gets you there faster – which may have been an unnecessarily rough ride.

React to what’s important – you may not be the most experienced to determine what that is. That's where us old folks come in handy. After all, responding quickly to the emergencies in advertising is what we seem to be about these days. The passage of time fine-tunes our personal GPS. We know how to get there quickly, but we have the experience that allows us to sort the celeb disaster from the real disasters.

Time to have a chat with your resident ‘sage’ – and pay attention. They’ve been there. Done that. You’ll learn a lot. And they are willing to share.

Slow down to be better.​

Rob Strasser's Vision

                   ​adidas original samoa

I’m originally from Portland, Oregon, and remember very well the birth and growth of Nike in the ‘70’s (their world campus is five miles from my old neighborhood). And I also witnessed the birth and growth of adidas America in the ‘90’s – the office of which was originally in the same vicinity. (Curiously, adidas America is now located in a former hospital – where both of my children were born – weird, I know.)

So having these two huge companies in your backyard makes it more personal. I had (and still have) lots of friends and former colleagues working for one company or the other. Both companies take good care of their employees, and are good stewards of their environment – not to mention how much they give back to their community. Thank you for all the jobs by the way.

But this is about Rob Strasser who was the first CEO of adidas America. The people I knew who had the opportunity (of a lifetime) to be with that company at the beginning were truly inspired by Mr. Strasser’s vision and passion.

So my husband reminded me of a list that Mr. Strasser wrote when starting adidas America. Legend has it that he wrote it on a napkin (where all great ideas and inspiration start), and that it’s on a wall at a brewpub in Portland. (If you know anything about this – please let me know!)

Here’s the list:

Unique
Simple
Interesting
Unexpected
Understandable
Meaningful

Rob Strasser became CEO in February of ’93, and died in November of ’93. A few months to inspire everyone in the company – the inspiration still lives on today.

We all should take note of the list in everything we do. Every day.​

Ageism in Agencies – Does it Exist?

There was a discussion in one of my LinkedIn Groups about age. Here’s the question and below that, my response:

"Q: At what age does a HR, CEO finds the candidate not employable? late 40s, 50s, 60s...be it creative, client servicing..."​

The idea of too old depends on HR and the hiring manager. HR usually vets incoming resumes for open positions; and if they’re worth their salt, also actively follows talent they would like on their team.

Age shouldn't be an issue. At all. But it is.

Just because someone is pushing 50, 60 or even 70, doesn't mean their talents are dusty and they are void of current knowledge.

The problem becomes one of perception. HR, the CEO or hiring manager may be well under 40, may not have experience working with someone ‘older’, and their idea of an individual in that age-range resembles their parents.

If a person in a position to hire has had the awesome experience of working their way up through an agency with a mentor who is in that age-range, they may consider hiring someone ‘that old’. A perceptual shift.

However, I’m seeing a lot of ‘hot, young agencies’ comprised of 20- 30- somethings who are successful – but the learning curve is steep. Lots of time and dollars wasted ‘re-inventing’ what the seasoned ‘ad man’ (and woman) already know. Bill Gates said, “Success is a lousy teacher.” He is right.

Buoyed with an experienced team member, the young shops can get where they want to go faster avoiding common pitfalls. This translates to more time to work on great creative, thus eliminating unnecessary costs in time and materials.

Ageism is alive in advertising. And actually, everywhere. Those of us over 40, or 50, or 60 have a lot of knowledge. And we’re ready to share.

So to answer your question: there is not a ‘too old’. An individual doesn't fit if their experience, skills and talent are not relevant to your needs.

What do you think? If you’re ‘over 40’ have you experienced shift in your ability to get hired in your field; regarded for insight or sought-out for opinion/advice?

If you are ‘under 40’ do you find those who are older are less or more creative, capable or relevant? Would you hire someone over 50 or 60?

The Remote Workplace & Yahoo!

I work from home. I have done so as an employee, as a freelancer and consultant.

So I know first-hand, the benefits of working from home – and working in an office.

Marissa Mayer, a new mom/CEO/and-everything-else-awesome, sent out the word that Yahoo! employees must now work in the office.

Now all this talk about open-concept offices and so-called ‘collaboration’ has me railing from time-to-time. You just can’t force collaboration, and I believe that employees need quiet space/time to concentrate.

However, collaboration isn’t as easy if your colleagues are working in different geographical areas. And all that crap about GoToMeeting being THE collaboration tool. I used it for years. It’s okay, but nothing beats being in the same room with your co-worker and being able to call him out on texting his friends about this lame meeting.

For Yahoo!, and Ms. Mayer, the ‘backlash’ has started. They’re talking about how it ruins families reduces productive time by 5 – 7 hours a week!, Ms. Mayer is trying to be more ‘male’, blah, blah blah.

Get this: I love working from home. I wear sweats, and no makeup. My days start early and end late.

Working from home gives me the option to work 12 – 16, or more hours per day without a problem. And did I mention that I hate to drive? I think the daily commute is the biggest waste of time we have in our daily workday. More on that later…

But, having worked remotely for an employer, I can say that when you have daily contact with your colleagues, you have a much better sense of how to work with them. Management has a better sense of you as a person. Those things keep you employed. You'll have a much better sense of expectations because frankly, you can’t hide.  An added bonus – you will develop enhanced radar and be able to detect when ‘changes are a comin’. Such as a corporate edict on working in the office. 

Yahoo! evidently has a big problem with flabby employees. Or so the articles elude. People call in, turn in work-product, whatever – and get a paycheck. Easy. Others pour themselves into their 16-hour day. Both are equal in the eyes of management. This change will shake-out the slackers, and I’ll bet, flexibility will still be on the table.

The article from Time states:

“Eliminating the ability to telecommute eats away at the core of what Yahoo, an Internet pioneer, and Mayer, a new mother, would seem to be all about.”

Sure, working from home is what Yahoo! is all about.

…and closes with:

“Technology has revolutionized the workplace, allowing people to do their jobs while still caring for a child home from school with the flu or on weekends and vacations when urgent matters surface. Yahoo has a respected place in history as one of the enablers. Turning back the clock can’t be the answer.”

Sorry, but there are two different points here. The ability to take care of a sick child and working exclusively from home are completely different. Just about every workplace recognizes the former as a part of having employees – with lives and families. Working remotely is not, in any way, the only way to achieve that basic flexibility.

I have watched this stupid debate for years. We work, we have families, and we continue to work. I have first-hand experience in this area and don’t see this change in Yahoo! as insurmountable.

I was a single-mom with two very young kids and worked as a freelance designer/illustrator. I tended to their needs and tried my best to do my work. From home.  It was either spend time with them during the day and work at night – or start and stop continually while trying to get just a half-hour of undisturbed work in.

I had to come to terms with reality. I had to work to make money so my family could survive. That meant I had to focus on work. I put my kids in – GASP! – daycare. I could no more afford an au pair than I could afford to jet off to Paris. So my two little ones got up early every morning and were delivered to a wonderful Grandma-type lady – who raised nine kids of her own. She was wonderful. I was lucky.

So in that environment, they lived, and so did I. They learned to socialize with other kids, had organized activities, were loved by their caregiver, and brought home the flu and pink-eye.

The downside during those years was the drive. I put – literally – at least 1000 miles a week on my car. I spent a lot of time in my car. Therefore I hate to drive now.

So as an experienced work-at-home person and work-at-work person all I have to say is: Go to work. Quit whining. Your kids will survive – your family will not die. Hone your radar.​ And if you don't like it, prepare your resume.

Laid Off

A good friend of mine was laid off a few weeks ago.

He received notice via email. After-hours. On a Friday.

The email said, “Please see the attached about your employment status.” The attachment was a letter said that “we are restructuring…”

Talk about spineless.

My friend is a brilliant strategist, awesome creative, and the type of guy who consistently performs beyond expectations.

He left a secure position at an agency that was well established and growing. He was recruited away by a smaller agency with the opportunity – and promise – to build a department to his vision.

It seemed to be the right thing to do – at the time.

Early on, he found that management – that had admired his vision and courted him for over a year – didn’t seem to embrace changes. He brought something they really wanted, but for some reason, were unwilling to make the changes necessary to move forward.

Where he thought he’d be reporting directly to the partners, he found – after two weeks on their payroll – that he reported to someone lower on the chain of command.

That person, his ‘boss’ required that he run everything past her. And that’s where all ideas, innovation and progress stopped. He brought the issue to the partners, who told him they still supported him. And then his boss began to take issue with his day-to-day performance. So much for support.

At that point, all he could do was his job. And look for another.

Another job didn’t come before he got his email.

So this goes back to management. Do you want to make changes? Who in your organization is preventing you from moving forward? Your “most trusted” managers? Or perhaps...you?

In this economy, in agencies – or any business – your ability to grow, much less survive, is not only shaped by your vision, but by the agendas of individuals in your organization to whom you have given control.

You gave them that control and they can sink you.

My friend? He’s taking care of his family, looking for work and ‘living’ on unemployment. He is also over 50. Ageism is alive and well in advertising. But no one will admit it.

I wish him best of luck.

Beer Fridays: Ultimate Agency Culture

Since I've been on a theme this week about company culture, I’ll talk about Beer Fridays. Sorry it’s a late post, but I was out testing martinis yesterday. Really.

Drinking has long been a tradition in advertising. Three Martini Lunch. Cocktails with clients. Legends are born from these traditions.

Aren’t you proud.

In these modern times, we all have microbrews stashed in our mini-fridges so we can pop a cold one when we’re done on Friday at 3pm. Or something like that.

And often, those brews are cracked open at other celebratory times – when a pitch is won, a client lost, you’re pissed at your CD, or you just got something done. Woo hoo!

The best agency is one that has a smokin’ micro-brew account. Awesome beer – always free – on Friday and it’s fresh. In a keg. No bottles to testify to how much you all drank. Just one Red Solo Cup – refilled many times. Everyone loves that client.

Anyway, back to culture. How did we get from suits and scotch to flannel and beer?

Because of creativity.

Drinking doesn't go away in advertising because – get this – it enhances creativity! As if you were looking for a reason, a study published by the good folks at The Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago found that alcohol can help with creativity. An article in Psychology Today about the study summed it up nicely:

“Simply put, people’s ability to think about information in new and unusual ways can actually be hampered when they wield too much brain power. What Dr. Jennifer Wiley and her team have found is that one way to get around this is to have a couple of drinks.”
(emphasis added)

Channeling your inner Hemingway has never been more legit.

So now that you've got creativity down...how does the etiquette part work? Well, since you spend more awake time with your colleagues than your favorite partner – don’t get stupid. And we all know what stupid is. Been there or watched it first-hand. I do not have to give you bullet-points on what not to do.

In an agency, culture is nurtured from legend and folklore. The stories of the founders’ struggles and triumphs, magnificent creative, the campaign that changed everything – all seems so old school. It isn't.

Bottom line – whether you’re in one of the big old agencies that are a part of a Humongous Holding Company, or you’re working in The Hottest Digital Startup – the guys and gals who sign your paycheck have worked hard to get where they are. Many have put everything on the line so they could become successful and hire you.

Have some respect. Working in advertising does not give you the right to drink on the job. It is a perk that is part of the culture in many agencies. So imbibe wisely. And be nice to one another.

Don’t embarrass the boss or client, be cool with the alcohol and get your work done. On time. Thanks.

culture and your agency

The past couple days I wrote about my experience with reinvention, corporate culture and managing the changes triggered by mergers, acquisitions and the market’s love/hate relationship with your product.

Lengthy, but I had a point to make: Your company culture, that you so enthusiastically cite as the reason you are awe-inspiring, can define or destroy creativity, innovation, and your agency.

The companies I wrote about made and sold stuff. Computers, cars and clothes – tangible things.

But advertising is different. Or so we ad folks think. At the end of the day, we can proudly say that we created a fabulous idea so the guys mentioned above can sell more of their stuff – better.

We struggle to find ways to actually measure what we do, and lately, clients are demanding it.  

Ad agencies have a hard time working within those strict limits, because it interferes with their culture.

After working in and with many agencies, I have found that culture is all too often defined by work hours, office layout, foosball tables, wacky parties and beer Fridays. That is not culture. But neither are rules.

A good, strong culture doesn’t create an atmosphere of exclusivity, punish the outliers or stifle creativity. It also is not a free-pass to be different, just for the sake of being different.

Traditions, camaraderie, the inside joke (or stories of our past escapades, most of which we’d rather forget), the ability to rely on one-another – and ability to call-out each other if something goes haywire – these are things that create culture. We know what to expect from our colleagues and management. We know we can create and innovate and still be okay.

Having the word Advertising on the front door doesn’t automatically mean you have an amazing culture. It starts from the top – down.

Can you define your agency’s culture without using the words engage, brand or beer?