There’s Nothing as Consistent as Change

The ad world has always been about embracing change.  Whether it was the introduction of new media like TV (before my time I hasten to add) and digital, or changing attitudes to creativity and diversity.

Ultimately we have moved forward and changed for the better. On the biggest issues of diversity and inclusion there have been some leaps forward within the industry and within the work. Back in the day I remember one client having a rule on ethnicity when depicting their stores – 60% white, 40% black and only whites in the foreground. Now, as my pal (who is one half of a mixed race couple) said, ‘Blimey we are all the rage in ads!’ And as it should be. The industry has some catching up to do. 

The #MeToo movement has thankfully accelerated changing attitudes in the business but there is still a long way to go. Having been a victim of abuse at school I feel I’m more in tune than some. Back in my first agency I urged a young female art director to sue the agency for the treatment she’d received from here group heads. Fearing that would damage her career long-term she chose to remain silent.  And who could blame her? 

But let’s not pretend that’s all in the past. It isn’t. But at least we are moving forward. 

In terms of creativity there has been a sea change too. But not necessarily for the best. But I feel the ad world turning and quality coming back in vogue. Sound strategy that provides a platform for a creative leap should never go out of fashion. There are brands who think Strategy the answer and Creative the colouring-in. It is a shame when you see such waste, particularly when it’s a half decent strategy.  

I’ve worked with some really good, insightful Planners in my time and I’ve worked with the odd one or two who believe their word is gospel. Like the demise of the Creative Rockstar perhaps it’s time for same fate for the Planning Rockstar. Great work comes from great partnership and teamwork. 

My most recent example of that was working with Nested Estate Agency. They already had a decent brief at the chemistry session. So I staffed the business with two senior creatives (Richard Russell of Honda Grrr fame and Grant Parker of Harvey Nichols fame) and myself. We had ideas sessions with our clients every week for a month. Together we worked through how we use their brief as a springboard. Our clients listened when we said, “Only say one thing.” We listened when our clients said, “Go further, we want to make an impact.” What a joy….

The biggest shift has been agencies themselves. 

I set up my company for totally selfish reasons. That is that I wanted to find a way of continuing to do the type of work I love. I worked very hard to get into the very best agencies – BMPDDB, BBH to name a couple. My goal was to continue to offer work of that standard.

As the industry has changed agencies have just keep the same model but shrunk. Invariably it was creative and production that suffered most.

So starting a creatively led company is the inverse of traditional agencies. In order to get to great creative they have to sign up to layers of management too. 

Even when trying to streamline agencies only became slightly smaller versions of the same beast.  

Our clients get direct access, from the word go to the creative people who are going to work on their business. The byproduct of this is that clients save a good deal of money. But the sole aim of the company is simply to create the most effective creative work possible. As one agency owner said to one of my clients, “Neil A Dawson & Company? We can’t compete with them.”

All I’ve done is stay true to what I’ve believed in all my career but reacted to the changing landscape of the business. If you’re true to what you believe and clear about what you believe in you will attract the right clients. 

You shouldn’t be for everyone. After all that is exactly what we preach to our clients. 

When push comes to shove you just need to remember what you love about this business and be creative about how to be able to keep doing it. 

And as we sit here in lockdown because of the coronavirus, the one thing I’m looking out for is the positive changes it will bring when we get through this. We have been working in a very flexible manner since I started the company. My feeling is many more clients and agencies will see the benefits of this too. This is an opportunity to take a long hard look at the way we work and perhaps go back to a different kind of normal.