Advertising Isn’t That Easy

So I saw this piece in The New York Post. Another agency bites the dust. Or did they just drink their own brand of luxury Kool-Aid and die?

This got me thinking about the current trend in cool, hip ad shops that are headed by talent that didn’t come up through the ranks of an agency, or even within a business – but that individual’s sheer awesomeness in other arenas (quite literally), and a whole lotta cash placed them smack-dab in the middle of decision-making that involves critical client direction and the lives (and incomes) of staff.

It’s all about disruption these days. (Another word that should retire.)

I wonder if any of those re-purposed stars give a shit.

As we always do – especially after The Boom – Cash may be King, but knowing what the hell you’re doing makes a difference.

Do you remember. .  . burn rate?

Being an athletic star does not an ad executive make. Visibility, profile, and cash really help when you’re starting a business. It’s easy to burn through cash. It’s much harder to convert it into more cash.

That’s the purpose of cash. It is an investment so you (and everyone around you) make more. And stay in business.

So you’re a star on the ice, or the field, or the court or OMG! the mega concert hall, and you (or your hangers-on, oops good friends) think that immediately translates into running an organization effectively; giving clients what they need while satisfying their wants, all while caring about how to make the next buck?

Running a business can be learned. But hubris is the swiftest path to bankruptcy. You have to be willing to learn.

None of what’s going on right now makes sense. And that leads me to think that there are people who have no business being in the ad business. Just like there were “investors” who had no business investing in complex mortgage-backed securities. And remember when Pets.com was a “viable” business model?

Then I read Ad Contrarian’s post today, which (as always) says it succinctly:

“Dilettantism: When dabblers get involved in an industry, it is generally not a good sign. You could sense the dotcom crash was coming when you were standing in line at the supermarket and the check-out clerks were talking about their tech stocks. We now have big shots working in the online channel who are proud to say they have no knowledge of, and no interest in, advertising.”

If you’re a die-hard hockey fan, and know all the rules, are you qualified to get on the ice for the Stanley Cup?

I rest my case.

I Guess It's English As A Second Language. Thank God It Prevents Myopia.

It's Friday, so I must share...

This Prevent Myopia Screen Guard Protector Film can protect your eyes. [Need I say more?] 

I bought a lovely new Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga. 

Okay for all you Mac folks, yes I use a pc, and yes I bought a Windows 8 machine, which is working quite well thank you.  (It takes a little time to get used to it)

By the way, being someone who loves ink on paper and the art of packaging design, I was impressed with the elegant box it came in. What can I say? I'm a designer at heart. 

So I bought a Lenovo case through Amazon the other day, and they sent me an email this morning recommending a screen guard.

These are the features - and you can read it for yourself here.

Features:

1. Great protection for your laptop and notebook LCD screen

2. Durable, washable, reusable with no residue during removal

3. As same inch, long and wide is different

4. That we will take our dimension for standard

5. This Prevent Myopia Screen Guard Protector Film can protect your eyes

6. With high anti-static performance, this Screen Guard Protector Film can remove glare, improve contrast

7. It is very safe to use and has no adverse affect whatsoever on your equipment

8. This will protect your screen from scratching and normal use damage

Happy Friday!  

Surviving Advertising

My last post was a bit depressing. About people yelling, and generally being jerks.

That’s no way to live. You probably spend a lot of time at work, so most of your waking hours are there with your colleagues. Work can be enjoyable – even fun. If you have a good group.

When you hear about friends or family who work in agencies or marketing departments, do they talk about all the cool stuff? Something they worked on that you’ve seen, heard or experienced? They’re proud – they worked their asses off. Long nights, then voilà it’s done. There’s the moment of accomplishment. .  . then on to the next project – and they’re ready!

Well, that’s the way it should be. It’s fun, exhilarating, and you love to go to work.

Dread doesn’t exist.

What I wrote about the other day was what happens when there are unresolved issues. A problem (or a problem person) that has been left unaddressed for some reason. And it grinds away at time, progress, productivity and morale.

A demanding personality is one thing – great work (albeit at times a grueling pace) gets rewarded. You receive the fuel you need, then rest-up and prepare for the next assignment.

But what is it when the demands are unrelenting; direction unclear, demands come over the transom – from every angle – NO ONE IS IN CHARGE.

You’re expected to execute on everything equally. Then the CEO or Partner put you on the line for a Big Project for his or her buddy, or the Last Minute Pitch (they didn’t know?) comes in. You get little input and impossible deliverables.

Priority? Everything is a high priority.

When you can’t deliver, there’s an error, it doesn’t make sense and you ask for clarity – you’re met with contempt.

Contempt is the absolute worst because it infers you are just plain stupid. Incapable of ever really being a part of their world.

I’ll let you in a something – their ‘world” consists of making the next sale, doing the next favor, pulling a rabbit out of their hat – because they want to look good.

They only look as good as the project they rammed through the agency or department.

It is never pretty. Successful outcomes often have dark stories behind them.

Just like in a cool agency, once the project is done, you prepare for the next. Except there is no fuel, rest, or preparation for the next assignment.

Can you change the agency? You can try. How amenable is management to improvement? If they actually see room for improvement, have ideas ready. Complaints don’t work. If they feel this is the way business should be done, the problems are their fault – they won’t change. Look for another job. It may take a while, you’ll find one.

You deserve to work in a cool place. Not all of them have free lunch, flexible schedules and Beer Fridays. But you’ll have an opportunity to work with a great group of people who own the philosophy that their job is to do great things for their clients.

Then you’ll wonder what took you so long to make the change.

I'm here for you. charlotte@charlotteblauer.com

Despondent In Advertising

What a shame to write about this. But it happens so often. People are assholes to one another.

Yeah, I know it happens in other businesses, but for some reason, my ad colleagues think it’s okay to dress-down their peers, their staff, their peers’ staff (wow, not acceptable on any level), or the guy from the local pizza place just trying to deliver grub for the latest employee "motivation" meeting.

Brilliant minds like these actually think it’s okay to perform their righteous act in public. Here's a little lesson for you, jerk ... public execution is just not cool. Went out with the dark ages, and so has your abhorrent behavior.

Chicago Cubs third base coach Mike Quade and Lou Piniella kick off the party in Wrigleyville honoring the University of New Orleans 30-year baseball reunion....

Lou Piniella giving a clinic on being a jerk in public. Unlike Lou, your colleagues aren't cheering you on. It looks ridiculous, doesn't it?

And get this; your HR department probably isn’t keen on the idea either.

What a hypocrite. Nurture great work and beat them down like serfs working the farm.

I guess when you have all that creative energy, and your mind is a well-spring of amazing, gooey ideas spinning around, it’s okay to yell at someone because they asked a question, or [OMG!] tried to explain their point – but you’re just too knowledgeable, and they really don’t know anything anyway.

Well, get this. They know more than you, because they’re the ones doing the work. Figuring out what you actually mean when given obtuse information. And they’re the ones cleaning up after you dismember the direction you gave last week – only to decide that isn’t what you really wanted. Or you’re seeing everything in a different, brilliant light.

Your rude, offensive behavior leads to worn out, despondent employees. Why would they ever want to work for YOU? Yes, they are despondent now, and they eventually become resentful, and one day, they leave. The ones who know how to get your work done - under the conditions you have. . . ah . . em, nurtured.

Congratulations.

From partners to the mailroom kids, no one has the right to yell, use foul language (I can hear all you ad people howling – because it’s considered part of the culture – like jeans and black t-shirts. And hoodies. And tats. And dogs in the office. And beer on Friday. But check in with your local HR person or state employment office and maybe you’ll find you’ve been violating about a zillion laws.

Those folks have no sense of humor when it comes to abuse (I said the word), and consider the point of view of a ‘reasonable person’ when determining if you’ve stepped out of line. A reasonable person could expect x, y, or z.

X, y and z do not include being humiliated publicly. And watch your language. It can be that freedom of expression everyone uses in a creative environment that will . . . Take. You. Down.

You have something to say to one of your staff? Take them into your office and find out why they did whatever they did. It's a discussion for cripes sakes. You need to reprimand them? Get your HR person on the phone and do it right.

You have something to say about your peers’ staff? Talk to your peer and get the “offender” into the office with their boss and talk about the problem.

When you yell at someone in the office, you are the one who’s wrong. You Are An Asshole.

Yes, I used a bad word.

You deserved it.

Nothing Will Ever Change

I spend a lot of time with folks in agencies who are dealing with their fair share of grief.

Well maybe it isn’t fair. Or are they getting what they deserve?

Things aren’t going well: things are late, over budget or wrong; disagreements, arguments, or the ever-popular passive-aggressive collaboration.

Finger pointing. Blame game. No one accepts responsibility for anything.

Email folders brimming with CYA and little bombs you or a coworker are just waiting for the right moment to drop.

Stop it. What a waste of time.

I will tell you what’s wrong. Lack of leadership. Lack of clear direction. Mixed signals. And a staff that has become so jaded that they. . . Just. Don’t. Care.

My ex used to say, “Not to decide is to decide.” Awesome insight from someone who didn’t have much initiative. And yet, so true. If you don’t make a decision to act, it will be done for you – in one way or another.  

If there’s anything I have learned in all these years is that things will change. If you’re not part of initiating change, then what you are about to experience is a result of it. Then you feel like a victim of it.

You have no room to bitch. Sorry. 

When you sit back and wait for everything to get better, it won’t. Your days at work will remain shitty. And you can just sit there and keep on complainin’.

So, when an opportunity comes along to do something to improve how things work, get off your chair and give it a try.

Do not tell me that it’s too hard, too much work, it’s been tried before, it won’t matter anyway. . .

And tell your manager to get on the stick. They have a job to do too.

Things will never change is a lament for losers.

And truthfully, nothing stays the same way forever. Be a part of making things better. The alternative is that you get fired for being lazy or the agency goes out of business because no one cares.

There, it was decided for you.

Are You Happy At Work?

I’ve been thinking about happiness at work recently. I dwell on this a lot actually. I dwell because I’m usually called upon to work with clients who are experiencing challenges. Projects are late, over budget, clients are beating up the AEs regularly (and the AEs are allowing it), and everyone is generally pissy.

pepsi commercial 1974

So I recalled an article I read a few months back on economywatch.nbcnews.com about Ken Bernanke tracking happiness.

What? He’s tracking happiness? Maybe he should stick to tracking the economy, gifts to banks – and bankers, and well, I don’t have to tell you…

From the article:

"The Federal Reserve chairman said Monday that gauging happiness can be as important for measuring economic progress as determining whether inflation is low or unemployment high. Economics isn't just about money and material benefits, Bernanke said. It is also about understanding and promoting "the enhancement of well-being."

So the article goes… "The Kingdom of Bhutan has been tracking happiness for four decades. The tiny Himalayan nation stopped tracking gross national product in 1972 and instead switched to measuring Gross National Happiness."

Just like out there in that big old world, when you get really local – like right there, in your office – there are measurements that must be taken and reviewed. It’s how you get the best out of everyone, eliminate (at least reduce) frustration, and just make it a better place to work. 

The article goes on to say:

“Bernanke's own definition of happiness might baffle anyone without an advanced degree. He called it a "short-term state of awareness that depends on a person's perceptions of one's immediate reality, as well as on immediate external circumstances and outcomes."”

Which also in itself a caution: don’t make it complicated. Happiness at work is simple:

Do your employees feel they have some control over the processes and outcome? And if not, perhaps it’s time to fix that.

And maybe start with: is anyone happy?

Of course I had to add kids and puppies. It's so simple.

This Blog Is Not About You - And It Is

Just like they say on Law & Order, ripped from the headlines. Well, not really.

I write about what I have experienced first-hand. Then I put it into the context of a functioning agency or department (actually how they should function if they’d just get with the program); how to make things better; what is unacceptable; and pretty much, what I think.

Basically the joy – and danger of blogging.

Every day, every interaction, every lame-brain thing that happens in an agency or marketing department is actually not about you specifically.

Really?

Well, there truly isn’t anything I haven’t seen - related to the daily trials and tribulations of an agency. So when I write about something, I may have been reminded about it by a recent experience. But I can guarantee, with absolute certainty, that I have personally experienced it. More. Than. Once.

What is utterly remarkable about my experience and what I write about is the fact that everything is unremarkable.

What is utterly remarkable about that, is that I see all this crap everywhere, and one would think we’d all learn from one another and not make the same annoying – and expensive – mistakes. Repeatedly.

So that’s why I write about stuff that you think is about you. Because it is. And it isn’t.

Go ahead, toss me a nugget. Tell me about something that is troubling your agency or department, and:
I’ll tell you if [that] I’ve experienced it
I’ll diagnose the cause
I’ll tell you how to fix it

Bet’cha can’t stump me, because after 35 years, there truly are no surprises.