Creative Agency Secrets

There have been a few rather too public instances of private internal memoranda being leaked outside the originating company.  Loyalty and corporate discretion may be a thing of the past, but modern organisations need to be aware of the potential issues surrounding internal documents that get publicised.

A great summary of the three types of leaked memo has been written up by Jackie Huba at the Church of the Customer blog.

Type 1

1. The Rorschach memo.

The idea: Write a memo that explains how your company has lost its
way and must make big changes. Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz made
made news last week for his "Starbucks has lost its way" memo

Type 2

2. The Maguire Gambit.

The idea: Write a memo on how your company is
screwed up and must make big changes. The caveat: You’re not the boss,
so your job or career could be on the line like the fictional character [Jerry Maguire]
for whom the gambit is named.

Type 3

3. The Wild-Eyed Memo.

The idea: Write a memo that’s equivalent to jumping
on the bar with tequila bottle in hand, screaming how much you kick
ass. Oh, and how much it sucks to be jilted.

The last has strong relevance for creative agencies because it was written by the MD of Cramer-Krasselt a US advertising agency who decided they were insulted by their client, Career-Builder, when asked to re-pitch for the business.  See the long list of sites about them from this simple Google search. Including the Chicago Tribune and Adrants. 

Interestingly, their website looks like it’s entirely flash-built and so doesn’t come up well on Google…. but see the  new front page which is rebuilt to focus entirely on their Career-Builder adverts and a box at the bottom just about the bloggers who have had their say on the saga….. I suppose you can call this a positive (honest?) response to the publicity surrounding the memo that was leaked.  But I think it just shows crass arrogance of the advertising agency ego. Would you give them your business?

If you want more on this subject and how to keep your clients and win re-pitches, may I recommend Jon Steel’s book Perfect Pitch.  His underlying lack of arrogance and over-riding desire to come up with the best possible creative work for his agency’s clients comes through so strongly that I just wanted to hand him my business without a pitch.  His focus on the client and the client’s needs over the needs of the agency shine through.  I hope that hiring WPP is exactly like that for anyone who works with them.

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I cracked up reading this from the Economist’s "Management Reading" section this month.
this story ran in August 2005….. and it has made the management journals 20 months later.
Still, blogs are slowing going mainstream…. it’s just a question of how slow it needs to be before the intellectual business academics realise it’s out there under their noses.

Aside…. if this is happening to your company THINK before calling your lawyers!

Business Horizons (part of Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business)

Volume 50, Issue 1 (January/February 2007)

“When customers get clever: Managerial approaches to dealing with creative consumers”

By Pierre R. Berthon, Leyland F. Pitt, Ian McCarthy and Steven M. Kates

What should FedEx, an international delivery company, have done about the creative young man in Seattle who used hundreds of FedEx envelopes to make furniture for himself, and then told the world about it via his website? The company sent an ill-tempered cease-and-desist letter, which predictably turned the man into a cult hero in cyberspace. The authors of this paper, from Bentley College in Massachusetts and Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, argue that companies should think laterally—such “creative consumers”, who find alternative uses for products, can be valuable. Creatives may work with outdated products—witness those devoted to modifying Apple’s long-lost Newton personal organisers—out of simple curiosity, or to meet a specific need, or to look good among other hobbyists. Firms need to choose between encouraging creativity by letting enthusiasts fiddle with their products, in the hope of sharing in any innovation that emerges, or trying to protect their intellectual property in a traditional fashion.

hHere’s the link to FedEx Furniture Blog although rather historic.  But the Wikipedia entry is instructional.
This really reinforces the exclusion corporates are creating for their brand by avoiding collaboration with "difficult" customers. 

I am grateful to Ben Carter at The Accidental Observer blog for this bit of news.  Howies the third largest clothing company in Cardigan Bay, got bought by Timberland.

Here’s what I posted in commentary for his entry.

Ben

How sad…. I love Howies and I’m a huge fan of what they do but I always worry when I hear about multi-nationals taking over small enterprises.  Surely they get swallowed?

I first heard about Howies from Neil Crofts when he’s left Razorfish and was researching what is now his "Authentic" service and books.

My favourite Howies T shirt…."Nandrolone, the choice of  winners".

I give lots of people their T shirts because they are brilliantly irreverent!  I wanted them to do a special for me called "Work Hard: Row Home" but they told me how many I’d need to order before it became commercially viable… and even I don’t have that many rowing friends!

Favourite slogans from Howies T shirts of the past …..
"Baked Beans taste nicer outdoors"
"UK plc; a subsidiary of USA Inc."
and the best of the current crop, "Adrenaline is cheaper than cocaine"

They really should have an archive page of great t shirts from past collections….

I am working for two clients now on setting up a blog for their business.  One has one - but it’s not really hitting the spot and the other has just re-vamped its website and I have persuaded them to add a blog to the whole picture.

So starting from two different standpoints I have a tough job of work.  I want to prove to my clients in a very short space of time that I can effect changes that they will see in the day to day profile of their business.  One, I’ve stuck my neck out and am going to be in there weekly doing the stuff (plus additional hours when I am in my own office) and the other, I’m collaborating with someone else who will be working the content as I don’t know the subject area very well [they are in consumer PR and I am just a lousy, useless non-publicity-savvy consumer when it comes to celebrity and FMCG products.  It just isn’t my bag].

So, I need some help from you guys….
1 - I will be working on structure, links, content.  I am reasonably confident thta I can get this going BUT
2 - I need resources to explain to my client team, as the project continues, what it is that I am doing and get them to understand how blogging works, what it is not (e.g. PR) and what it will do for them.

I have found one great resource from Guy Kawasaki "How to Evangelise a Blog" But sadly he recommends 120 days to do this…. I should have read it before scoping the project!

Any other suggestions?

I had a delightedly excited phone call from Emily at BCP yesterday - they have won the Grand Prix award for their region from the CIPR for the second year running!

Naturally, since I work with them, I want to claim my small part of the credit…. but that’s useless posturing.  They did it themselves fair and square.  And I’m delighted for Emily, Sam and the team.

They also told me that they have just won a high profile new client and are working for OC Events, part of Ellen McArthur’s company, OC Group.

Now how exciting is that?

The IPA has
just published its 2006 Agency Census which shows that there were 17,367 people
employed in 258 IPA member agencies on 1st September 2006.

The last record of
the advertising industry being at this level is 1970 when there were 17,231
people at 280 agencies. The highest recorded figure for the survey is 1966 when
there were 19,958 people employed at 272 agencies. The lowest recorded figure is
11,096 in 1993 at 225 member agencies.
Full report

This is the future….I love working with interesting people who challenge me and push new ideas out for testing to see if the idea will improve whatever we are working on.

This applies at work and in my leisure (rowing) life…. and at home too.

I have worked with great people who have helped me along the way Honor Chapman, Pip Errington, Mark Adams,  Richard Sheahan, Adriana Lukas,  Marianne Grand, Julian Wells [where are you now?], Vyla Rollins [ditto].   

I have also worked with great people who have NOT helped me along the way.  Sad but true.

Time for payback.  These people are GREAT.  They have skill, ability, strategic thoughts and they are very generous with their ideas.  And so here is my manifesto.

The Advice and Guidance Manifesto

Ever noticed how great, talented peoplet are free with advice and guidance?  Why do they do it?
1.  Because they aren’t threatened by sharing their ideas
2.  Because even if I could use every idea they tell me today there are dozens more they are formulating which will keep them ahead of me for a while yet
3.  Giving for free brings payback multiplied many times over (client referrals, new speaking opportunities, new ideas, building reputation….) 
4.  Because someone helped them when they were starting out and the responsibility cascades down the generations
5.  So start doing it yourself - TODAY!

I know this.  It happens here, on this blog.  As I write 9.72 unique visitors read this site daily.  Who are you?  Delighted you are visiting.  Presumably one or two are re-visiting - particular thanks to you, the faithful.  Wow.  Cheers.  Pass the message on. 

A thought for you as you plan the last trading month of 2006.

How’s your cashflow? 

Take a look at thte past 3 adn 6 months data.  How are debtor days?  Cash in the bank?  What’s the overdraft like?

Check the trend against all these figures.

A couple of my clients have seen these rise recently.  The reason may be that the economy is growing and cash is the first to show signs of strain.  Or maybe your clients’ sector is suffering.  Or maybe you are being taken for a ride.

I hope you are all trading fine and this isn’t an issue!

I will do this from time to time.

What I’m reading in Business:
Naked Conversations - Robert Scoble / Shel Israel.  If you are a PR Company - read chapter 7.  Apart from a great slating of Edelman (we all enjoy a cheap joke) it should make you scared.  Better than the Ogilvy game ‘destroyyourbusiess.com’ which Rory Sutherland and I played in the ’90s with Peppers and Rogers.  [it even mentions a client of a PR firm client of mine…. and slates them too!]

How not to Come Second - David Kean.  The book given away at JFDI at their New Business Workshops and New Business Academy days.  [if you don’t know what the initials stand for… ask!].  Pitching and every excuse ever made about why you didn’t win the business.  Plus how to overcome the hurdles and WIN.  I bought this on Amazon and mailed it to a client.  He had it sitting on his desk when I visited.  Not even opened it out of curiosity.  Would you wonder why I’d sent it to you?

Whatever you think, think the opposite - Paul Arden.  Bollocks.  Nice pictures, catchphrases and good typography.  Don’t buy it - but do leaf through it when you’re next in the bookshop coffee store. It’ll take you 5 minutes to read and get the idea.  There is only one idea, by the way.  Not what you’d call deep!

Key Account Manager’s Pocketbook - Roger E. Jones.  Great little read of good tips.  Used this in coaching session with a client recently.  Busy lady, working Mum, perfect book - short and to the point.

What I’m reading in Sport:
Consistent Winning - Ronald Sandler and Dennis Lobstein.  How to write training programmes that enable peak performances.  I got this from Harry Mahon.  Great.

What’s beside my bed:
My life as an Edge - Richard Lawrence.  Fun, quirky view of the world by a little-known rower.

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini.  Great novel (can’t bear for it to end) and it echos my time in Peshawar in 1986 with Nicholas della Casa

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson.  Has sunk to the bottom of the pile next to the gardening books.  So don’t think I’ll ever finish it.  It isn’t my copy anyway, I picked it up in the committee room at Tideway Scullers!   [OK, Mr. Chairman - I confess, it was me.  But it had sat there for over a year gathering dust along with Tracey’s tantric sex guide that everyone else had borrowed.]

Cracking India - Bapsi Sidhwa.  Recommendation from Nabeel Sarwar who has bought the film rights of another of her titles.  Just started this.  Good opening of child memories of Lahore.

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Speaking sense.  You know it when you read it!

A couple of my clients have staff resigining or getting itchy feet at the moment.  It’s normal.

But what you do about it matters.

Read this and use it to help you make a decision about those key workers and the impact they have on your business if they stay or if they go.

From The Houston Chronicle

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