We've all been there. You have briefed your agency, waited for what seems like forever, and finally it is the day when you will see this amazing work that will propel your brand to greatness. What follows is a big blur and the next thing you know, you are saying in not so many words, "All of this is crap, go back and give me some more ideas."
No matter how charming you are and how nicely you said it ... I can pretty much guarantee they hate you. And by the way, it's probably your fault, not theirs.
I have been fascinated over the years to watch my agency partners do a fantastic job of appearing to like someone on my team that they really, really don't like. It's their job. And it's not hard to see why. Their job is to make work. So they need to find a way to get to the finish line. Thus, the great coverup. I have known people who quit the whole industry over one person.
One person. Please, make sure that person isn't you.
So like in a good poker game, you are looking for tells, and sometimes you are going to have to look hard. I am a firm believer in the fact that everyone who interacts with you is assessing you and what you will buy. And like buying a pair of shoes, they are thinking about whether you are a sensible loafer girl or a Converse girl, and their work will reflect it.
This is hard. Really hard. So while I'll never be sure that my agencies don't secretly hate me (I have worked with some really good poker players), here is what I have learned that I think has helped make me a better client.
1. Tell your shop your problems
You have asked for their help for a reason, so why would you pretend you know the answer? They are problem solvers. And creative problem solvers, which you probably are not. In my experience, many brand people feel they are failing if they don't have all the answers. In the boardroom you need to look like you know your shit. But with your agency team, you should be honest. And what the heck, why not be totally crazy and actually ask what they think?
2. Let your shop help you define the brief
You know that no matter what you give the agency, it changes when the the creative team is briefed, right? So don't worry about the template, the boxes and all the window dressing. Just get to the seven to 10 words that the creative team is going to create from. Sometimes a creative brief is right on strategy but not going to net good ideas. Look the creatives in the eye like you're Larry David and make sure they actually like it. The brief for the now famous "Gorilla" ad for Cadbury chocolate (which grew the business by 8%, by the way) was "Make me feel how I do when I'm eating Cadbury chocolate." And it wasn't even on paper.
3. Get to know your creatives personally
Let's admit it: Creatives are way cooler than we are. They can wear shorts to a creative presentation. They probably are part owners of a craft brewing company. You live in the suburbs and take your kid to soccer practice. Don't
4. Tell them what you actually think in the meeting
Make sure you find a way to give creatives clear direction. I repeat: Clear direction. This means pick a couple of horses early in the race and don't make them go back and work on everything. Figure out if there is a grain of a good idea that may have been executed wrong. If you don't have this intuitive sense yourself (you may not -- that's why we don't work at agencies), find someone on your team who does and listen to them. I have several times been in a situation where the most junior person liked an execution that no one else did, and it ended up being the winner.
Oh, and for God's sakes, give them your gut reaction. React, laugh, grimace, anything. Do not give them a prepared polite response. If you say "I loved No. 3, hated No. 2 and think No. 1 has potential, they will come over and kiss you. If you don't know, say it and say why. Someone once told me the best clients are the ones who, if you walk into the room, you wouldn't know who was the agency and who was the client. Strive for that.
5. Pick your battles
Once when I started a new assignment, I learned that one of the media plans had 45 changes made to it within the previous six months. Another agency partner told me that someone on my team sent the agency back 40 times for a few lines of copy for a Facebook post. Forty times. Probably enough to quit the whole industry, right?
One last piece of advice: Enjoy it. You have the best job in the world, even if you don't get to wear shorts to work. You are actually part of creating something. And that's pretty cool.
