Specialize or die.

As of two years ago, Crispin/Porter+Bogusky's employee manual said "most people think advertising is magazine ads, TV spots, online banners, billboards and the like.  We think it's anything that makes our client famous.  Traditional advertising is important.  What's arguably more important is the stuff that orbits around the traditional stuff.  Like the message on the company voice mail.  The t-shirt we mail to every employee.  The idea for a great new product.  The bumper sticker every customer gets handed to them on a certain day.  The cool, new website flash page.  The letter to every member of Congress petitioning for a new national holiday. That's how brands are built."

Yep.

It's true agencies, more and more, have to specialize to succeed at a higher, more profitable level.  Especially small agencies in small markets with small clients and small budgets.  Salt Lake City, for example.  Richter7, for instance.  But I speak not of specializing in some facet of the overwhelming digital realm.  I believe we have to specialize in the whole idea of coming up with ideas. 

That's our future.  That's our heritage.  That's what clients can't do very well for themselves.  That's why Questar picked Faktory over us.  They liked their ideas more.  (Ouch, it hurts to say that.)  They didn't say it was about our knowledge of their business, or media buying skills, or research or our web savvy.  We had that in spades.  Instead, they were enamored with some ideas, created by idea specialists – creative guns for hire, who partnered with a separate group that had media buying skills.

Bottom line?  We have to be specialists in coming up with new ideas.  Grand ideas.  Frankly, in the long run, we might not do many ads –- we may find that events, or promotional activities, or concerts, or games, or reality competitions might be the best way to make our client famous.  Media agnostic – that’s a term you’ve heard before.  It must describe us.

As we know, one well-crafted idea that engages people, and has talk value, can take the place of a huge media campaign with boring ads.  And a good idea doesn’t have to cost a lot.  But people with talent do have to think a lot in order to come up with it.  Lack of time is the greatest deterrent to breakthrough ideas, I believe.  This baloney about waiting until a deadline forces me to come up with good ideas is just that, baloney.  Great ideas, and great ads, take great effort and time. 

These days, you might have noticed, anything is advertising.  That’s why to make change happen, creative people have to stop being the only people who think creatively.  Yes, the CD is still the curator of the ideas, but the ideas can come from anyplace – especially the media department.  Because unexpected ways to deliver a message are actually part of the message itself.  Hence, the media department has to be thoroughly drenched in every single possibility the digital world has to offer.  A web campaign (anything non-traditional) can’t just be an adaptation of the TV spot.  All that does is put a TV spot most people don’t want to watch on a website or YouTube.

If we start with an intelligent strategy, and any idea is allowed to emerge from that strategy, we may find it’s more effective to have a knitting competition than to run a TV spot.  Or we end up doing a TV spot about the knitting competition.  That’s how we should be thinking.

What we think are the new tools – the internet, viral, RSS, social apps, email and whatever else comes along that I can’t imagine at this moment in time, aren’t the tools at all.  The “new/old” tool is ideation. If we can’t specialize in doing that well, we’ll go the way of Kodak.

Judging CA's Advertising Annual - The Inside Story

Proof I was at CA's offices, since you probably don't believe me.

The truth, and nothing but the truth -- from my recent CA judging experience:

--judges joined me from Deutsch (LA), BBDO (NY), the Martin Agency, Leo Burnett, Arnold Worldwide,  Goodby, and Bailey Lauerman; all very senior.

--Patrick Coyne, the editor and owner, divided the judges into three rooms of three judges, with employees of CA laying out the work and playing the TV spots for us in each room.

--we reviewed roughly 300 TV spots on Sunday, many quite good.  Some were downright bad.  TV was the strongest category of the show, in my opinion.  Watching it was far more fun than watching Super Bowl spots, because the overall quality, at least of the best spots, was far better.

-- we also reviewed about 500 print pieces on day one.  Times that number by three and you'll get a feel for how much work was reviewed on day one.  Some of the print work was very classy, conceptual and well executed, as you might imagine.  Some were very easy to recognize as freebie, pro bono work that a client would never buy.  That work got rejected by the judges very quickly.  Much of it came from out of the U.S.  Some pieces were beautiful, but not geared to sell in the least, not even a website address on them; those were quickly trashed, too.  By the way, I could not judge any work entered by Richter7, nor could any of the other judges cast votes for their own agency's work.

--all the judges were very cordial, however most of the big-city judges tended to stick together; the two I judged with the first two days heavily laced their conversation with profanity -- lots of f-bombs; many went out for beers at the end of each day, no matter how late we went.

-- best TV: All-State Mayhem, VW, New Era with Alec Baldwin, P&G's ode to mothers, Jet Blue, Coke, Whistler Film Festival (my personal fav featuring a bear rug), and Geico.

-- the videos used to present integrated campaigns are quite elaborate; mini case studies mostly done in Prezi or in AfterEffects; moving type and art elements, big-time music tracks, with results mostly talking about impressions and likes, but, sadly, not sales and share increases.

-- QR codes were mocked.

-- discussions with the other judges in our off-hours leads me to believe the big agencies are struggling with monetizing social, and how to prove its value -- just like we are at Richter7.

-- distressed type is way too common and cliche.

-- we judged lots of gimmicky social media and non-traditional ideas, and they appealed to very small audiences; even with their pass-along numbers - judges called that failure. We wondered how they could justify the creative production expense just to get  "likes."

-- there were very few conceptual print ads -- many were just design decorating a tricky headline; the strong, simple concepts really stood head and shoulders above the others, and the we really appreciated them.

-- very poor work in trade and collateral categories.

-- the remaining print pieces, after finalists were pulled off the tables, we're simply slid into a big garbage can at the end of the long row of tables.  Ouch.

-- yes, there was a lot of corny humor in TV; subtle, well-acted, classy humor was rare.

-- the Coynes are very gracious hosts, and very nice people; they're struggling, like all other magazines, due to severely reduced subscriptions, and wondering how to monetize online readership.

-- CA's offices are very much industrial elegance -- renovated warehouse style with cement floors and lots of skylights; staff of about fifteen, plus two dogs.

-- Patrick very complimentary about R7 work; judges are selected by region and by having previous ads featured in CA, and by their recognizable, national work. Also, Jean Coyne likes to include a few women (on principle).

-- the judge from the Martin Agency (Steve Basset) is a very pleasant guy who's headed Geico's creative  for ten years; he prefers to live in Virginia because of the lifestyle; he hires mellow types who are easy to work with, he says--only wants to work with nice people.

--I discovered it's wisest to enter print work as hard copy because it is more carefully scrutinized by judges – and when shown digitally it washes out.

--Roger Baldacci from Arnold Worldwide indicated that writer and AD's are teamed together for radio, as well as for print and TV…as that seems to make better, more conceptual spots.

--one night at dinner, the judges all agreed that most of their young staff members (Millenials) all seem to have an attitude of entitlement, and therefore don’t work that hard. Also, they don’t know how to figure out problems on their own without constant direction.

--there was some very smart non-traditional work, but much of it seemed to be apps, or games (not true non-trad work). Some was very gimmicky, or only appealed to a very small audience…and, once again, didn’t justify the expense of production.

--Surprise, CA will begin to hand out trophies next year.

I'll report additional CA judging tidbits at the New.Bold. site.  Check it out.

What I Learned From a Really Bright Guy Named Rishad Tobaccowala

First of all, I hope I learned how to spell his name correctly.  He deserves that.

Rishad is Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer for Vivaki (part of Publicis Groupe), and he was the keynote speaker at the recent Advertising Marketing International Network (AMIN) conference.  A very, intelligent, mild-mannered, well-read man, indeed.  He gets up at 4 AM every day to study and learn from the Internet -- trends, blogs, news, product announcements, etc.  That's a dedication (and sleep schedule) I cannot match.

The first thing he said: The internet is not about technology -- it is about connection.  Get on and connect, and learn how others connect.

He also stated, "If an ad agency cannot deliver creativity, they should cease to exist."  Creativity is the currency is today's global economy.  Creativity is not copying.  Creativity is to surprise and enthrall.  Creativity is connecting the dots -- often in new ways that resonate with  people and culture.

The new creative palette is the social medium, the mobile medium and the API medium.  We're living in an increasingly data-infested world -- get used to it, he noted.  It leads to data-driven marketing.

He emphasized something we have long preached at Richter7:  People choose with their hearts and justify the decision with numbers.

He also emphasized "the only way to stay relevant is to change."  That's hard.  I like consistency.  Unless you yourself get better, your organization (marriage, family, club, company, church, etc.) cannot get better, he added.  To which I add a quotation that hangs on my office, and stares at me every day:  "Can we not appreciate that our very business is life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves?  To break our own records, to outstrip our yesterdays by our todays, to give as we have never given, to do our work with more force and a finer finish than ever before -- this is the true idea: to get ahead of ourselves." (Thomas S. Monson)

Advertising is for the Birds, and Strange Bird People.

One of the benefits of working on the Hogle Zoo account at Richter7 is attending the annual Zoo Rendezvous, where you see birds, and people pretending to be birds or other strange creatures.  See for yourself.  (Be patient with my bad videography.)  

A Secret Weapon to Create Brand Distinction.

Ever heard of Dipak Jain?

Who?
He’s the former Dean of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. A high and mighty calling. He’s had more than 50 articles published in leading academic journals. Hence, you might think he’s a left-brained stiff.

Not so.

Dean Jain has apparently been a long-time proponent of the importance of exquisite design in the marketing and branding process.

A lot of his preaching and teaching has dealt with how companies can, and must, create brand distinctions – which leads to his claim that in this age of me-too features many companies are using design to differentiate their products and services.

It’s nice to see some support for that theme from the intellectual realms of academia. Richter7’s battle cry suggests essentially the same theme – that aesthetics are crucial to effective marketing, to successful brands, to creating likeable style and personality (which, in turn, translate into sales).

The size of the type matters, the photo style matters, leading and kerning matter, the logo treatment matters, the color palette matters, the number of words in a sentence matters, and so on. Advertising is brain surgery, after all. It influences the preferences, thinking and habits of consumers – when done with aesthetic taste and cerebral creativity.

Every single visual element of a message matters when you’re trying to create meaningful differences in the mind of today’s sophisticated consumer.

And, thankfully, at least one very credible fellow from Northwestern University agrees.

This Message Brought to You by Procter & Gamble

Not long ago, the President and CEO of Procter & Gamble, Robert McDonald, spoke in Salt Lake City. He’s a U of U alumnus, by the way. Several things he said stood out to me.

First point. “Choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong,” he stated. He applies that advice to the business world, as well as to his personal life. It’s a mantra that came from his Marine Corps training.

“Don’t treat others as you would want to be treated,” he noted, “Instead, treat them as they would want to be treated.” That’s a smart twist on an old piece of philosophy, and very applicable to interactions with my clients.

“Put the needs of the organization above yours. Your ambition should be for the company’s success, not your own,” was another pearl he offered. It’s a principle he practices and asks all those who work at P&G to practice. Here’s another principle to which he subscribes: “Leaders should clearly communicate their company’s goals and values, simply because people prefer to work for consistent leaders with vision, values and goals.” I hope I'm not guilty of being too quiet about such things. 

He also said, “Organizations must renew themselves. Change is crucial. Diversity leads to innovation, so avoid becoming a homogenized organization.”  (Sometimes the diversity thing is hard to do in Utah.) 

And one last tidbit from Mr. McDonald that was interesting to me as business owner: “Make sure you have the right people on your bus, and in the right seats. My greatest regret is not adhering to this advice strictly enough.” I believe we have the right people on the Richter7 bus, but I hope they will speak up if they're uncomfortable with their role. 

A Relevant Blast From the Past

I keep a file of interesting ADWEEK, CA and AD Age articles that goes back to the late 1970's.  At least I deem them interesting.  I like to review them now and then.  I should do it more often, frankly, as the wisdom of earlier decades often remains very relevant to my efforts today at Richter7. 

In the 80's and early 90's there was a certain "red hot" agency that was frequently written about, much like CP&B is constantly covered now.   One of the agency's founders was my "copywriting mentor from afar," although he never knew it.   His name was Tom McElligott, and his agency was Fallon McElligott & Rice -- now simply known as Fallon.  Perhaps they've lost their way of late, from a creative standpoint -- but they're still a formidable shop.  

One particular article about them appeared in ADWEEK's April 27, 1992 issue, and detailed the attitudes and philosophy that fueled their stratospheric growth. I thought the insights were ever-so-applicable to me, to Richter7, and to our industry as a whole -- an industry that now spends a lot of time talking about new media, rich media, lay-offs and CRM strategies, but not enough time talking about the bottom-line benefits of intelligent creativity. Here are some of Tom's comments:



"Competitors rap our agency for being all creative execution and no strategy. We're delighted with that because we're able to keep an element of surprise. We go in as this creative agency, and then we knock you backwards with our business insight."

"Ads can be powerful and memorable and offend a lot of people. I surely want our stuff to work. But I prefer to do it with charm, and a sense of integrity. I'd rather overestimate the public's intelligence than underestimate it."



"FM considers itself a family in a family-oriented town. Children and dogs are often underfoot; no one blinks when art director Bob Barrie walks into a meeting with Fallon carrying his napping one-year-old son."

"Pat Fallon is one of the few account people who is as insightful and sensitive about creative as the great creatives in the business."


"People pay us not to let them rationalize about their business."


"There are two kinds of research: the kind that tells you what to say, and the kind that tells you how to say it. The kind that tells you what to say is terrific. If you don't do it, you're probably going to regret it. We'll test strategies till the cows come home, but we reserve the right to use disciplined imagination to find extraordinary ways to say it."


"The rule, pretty much, is to break the rules. If you break the rules, you're going to stand a better chance of breaking through the clutter than if you don't. The smaller a company is, and the bigger the competition, the more crucial that advice becomes."

A Little Piece of Positivity

I recently heard Alex Bogusky say that every day in advertising seems to come with a kick to gut. That was his summation statement after discussing how difficult the ad business can be -- especially nowadays. That's why he tries to practice what he calls "dilusional positivity." I suppose that's his way of saying that regardless of the often trying circumstances, he endeavors to put an upbeat spin on things. It's a good philosophy.

A man I respect a lot, named Gordon B. Hinckley, was always preaching optimism. "Have faith, be believing, and things will work for the best," was how he put it once.

I'm trying. But after Richter7 has had to reduce pay, lay off people, and cut others back to four days a week, it's been an uphill battle. But I'm really trying.

It helped to stop by one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth last week while doing some filming on behalf of the Polynesian Cultural Center, a Richter7 client. The accompanying photos give you a glimpse of this tranquil place of contemplation. I've always had a soft spot for all things Asian, since living in Taiwan for two years while serving as a missionary. So this place, called the Byodo Inn Temple, brings back wonderful memories -- and helped me focus on the positive. There are certainly worse places to have a client than in Hawaii.

Taking Detours, Back Roads & Byways

Back in 1928, as I understand it, the Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming was studying bacteria under his microscope and noticed something odd. A strange mold had appeared on his samples, disrupting his experiment. He then noticed something even more intriguing. Bacteria wouldn’t grow near the mysterious mold. Completely by accident, Fleming made one of history’s great medical breakthroughs – he discovered penicillin.

In advertising, especially during my 15 years at Richter7, I’ve seen that same experience repeat itself over and over. You head off in one direction searching for a solution -- be it creative or strategic -- and a smart, fresh solution suddenly appears while taking a side road in the thought process. (The photo in the accompanying Harley ad perfectly portrays what I'm saying.)

I’ve found, however, the side road doesn’t usually appear until after traveling the main highway for while. Sweat and effort typically precede any magical moments I have had in the creative realm. This process was reinforced by a paragraph I ran across in the Harvard Business Review. It was written by a former Disney V.P. who is now co-chairman of a company called Applied Minds. It went like this:

“Everyone knows that innovation is risky, and it’s rare that you arrive at your expected destination. But maybe that destination isn’t so important. Maybe what you should be paying attention to are the little detours you take along the way: It’s down those back roads and byways that the real payoff usually is found. Maybe, in fact, the biggest risk in innovation lies in sticking too closely to your plans.”

Good food for thought in a business based on creativity.

How Not To Do Hawaii

The business trip began with a six and a half hour stamina test on a germ-filled jet with less than ample legroom. I arrived in Honolulu, having added four hours to my day, and immediately hit H-1 traffic as fierce as I find in rush hour on I-15. That shouldn't be the case in laid-back Hawaii, should it?

Upon arriving on the North Shore, I checked into what is lovingly referred to as The Roach Motel. No explanation needed. I then spent the next eight hours, until four in the morning Utah time, reviewing the client's new night show -- in order to write knowledgeably about it for upcoming ads. Long day.

The following day was spent in meetings, in a well-chilled conference room without windows. I then departed for my red-eye flight home, losing four hours of sleep in the process. It's not the way to see Hawaii. Nevertheless, there are far worse places to have a client. (For example, I once had a client in Parowan, Utah -- 180 degrees from Waikiki.) On the road back to the airport, I was able to pause and make use of my iPhone photo capability. So all was not lost, as the following photos will verify. The visit was on behalf of the Polynesian Cultural Center, a Richter7 client since the late 90's. Hence, over the years I've had plenty of chances to enjoy Hawaii the way is should be enjoyed. This particular trip was payback for those previous pleasant excursions.

Yuck, Yuck

Due to readership demand (that's the one person that occasionally visits my blog -- typically by mistake), I have included a few more of my favorite ad world cartoons. My collection is sufficient to include many more, but I won't inundate you at the moment.

By the way, these cartoons have proven to be a hit Richter7 PowerPoint presentation about advertising -- for students and professionals alike. Frankly, they're a much more interesting way to introduce key topics that the usual deck of charts, graphs and boring verbiage.

Enjoy. (As usual, you should be able to click on them for enlarged viewing.)

What is Heaven?

Heaven is a place where you write advertising about baseball. You therefore combine the two most enjoyable activities known to mankind.

Okay, that's a slightly biased belief. But it's my belief, so live with it. Once upon a time at another agency, I wrote ads promoting Major League Baseball. A swell gig. Spend a week in Florida during Spring Training filming players, then swing over to Arizona and do the same thing. I played catch with Ozzie Smith, interviewed and recorded Cal Ripken, and the list goes on. Picked up a lot of autographed baseballs in the process.

So, not long ago, I went to heaven again -- even if it was just for a few pro bono posters to promote the Salt Lake Community College baseball and women's softball programs. No budget. No access to players. No new photography. Didn't matter. I was writing about baseball. So with the help of ACD Dave Larson and illustrator/intern Destin Cox here at Richter7, we prepared several posters -- designed within the college's brand style guidelines that features drawings, handwritten type and a dusty gold color palette. (Click to enlarge.)

They're simple. But they're ads about baseball. And that means I went to heaven.

Practice What you Preach

Normally an ad agency promotes itself via direct mail and trade ads, if at all. It's always been surprising to me how few agencies actually advertise themselves. Don't they believe in it? Some might scoff at the thought of using outdoor billboards, with their broad audience reach, to promote an agency. Richter7 has actually had fair success using the medium. It was particularly valuable when we introduced the agency's new name several years ago, and continues to elicit feedback and phone calls whenever we've posted since then. Here are two that were recently posted along the I-15 corridor of Salt Lake City. We created landing pages with the featured addresses, which link to our website. And even if someone doesn't remember the oddball URL, we wanted them to realize that Richter7 offers considerable web marketing skills.

To Write Is To Live

I'm a Peter Principle kind of guy -- promoted beyond my usefulness at Richter7. So every now and then I steal a chance to do what I enjoy most -- writing ads. You are hereby subjected to the end result. This is one in a series of posters for an exhibit of 18th century Native American art. Too bad there are so many little logos at the bottom. Ah, the visual compromises inherent in working with a sponsored exhibition.

Peace, be still.

I believe inspiration comes in peaceful settings.

Words such as quiet, secluded, still, and peaceable have always been, in my experience, associated with clear thinking and imaginative writing. Little wonder, writers in ceiling-less, wall-deprived office scenarios wear headphones and earplugs. I visited CPB in Boulder last week and while walking through the hallways at 9 PM noticed so many of the creative staffers hunched over monitors with headphones on. Noise blocking out noise. It's too bad offices -- even small ones -- with doors can't be provided to everyone, but that's not the trend these days.

I recognize all writers may not feel the same way. And I realize that walls and doors cost money. I tried to deal with an open-office setting while working for Cole & Weber, and even earplugs didn't always create sufficient quietude. When they did, I couldn't hear my phone ring. Not good. I feel badly for our writers at Richter7 who face the same predicament. When offices were originally assigned, I should have been more wise -- even if the offices they should have received weren't as "cool."

The world grows increasingly noisy. I fear the trend won't abate. As I understand it, the first order issued by a commander mounting a military invasion is the jamming of enemy communication channels. Call it "black noise."

In today's world of communication overload, there always seems to be a TV on in the background -- sometimes the foreground. The radio, or an iPod, constantly blares. As anyone with a teenager will admit, Guitar Hero is not an eardrum's best friend. My son is savoring, at high volume, a YouTube video on a nearby computer as I write this -- or try to write this. I'm just not tough enough to mentally focus when there's non-stop noise all around. And I'll bet I'm not unique.

For me, and many others, solitude and quiet are particularly conducive to idea generation, inspiration and creativity. Since the ad business is built on those precepts, it seems rather critical to orchestrate moments and physical environments that are noise-free. Op-ed over and out.

Advertising Creativity Matters. A Lot.

Don't ever, ever, ever feed me that false, yet oft-repeated advertising motto, "It isn't creative unless it sells." The bold-faced fact is, it won't sell unless it's creative -- simply because it won't get noticed. Period. Exclamation point.

In support of that premise, I wrote a nationally distributed booklet titled "Why Creativity" that offers research-based facts touting the cause of intelligent creativity. (Email me at Richter7 for a free copy.)

It doesn't include, however, findings from a relevant, new study published in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Advertising Research. I shouted hosanna when I read the title: "Advertising Creativity Matters." The study was conducted by three professors at the Stockholm School of Economics. Here are just a few, quick excerpts:

“Brand interest was significantly higher among consumers exposed to more creative advertisements…revealing a more significant effect on purchase intention.”

“...an extra degree of creativity may send signals about the advertiser that rub off on consumer perceptions of the brand. In our experiment, more versus less creative advertising signaled greater effort on the advertiser’s behalf and was taken as proof of the brand’s smartness, and ability to solve problems and develop valuable products. As a result, consumers became more interested in the brand and perceived it to be of higher quality.”

“Our analysis reveals that more versus less advertising creativity produces a signal of marketing effort that is similar to advertising expense. This is good news, as this revelation implies that the advertising does not need to spend excessive amounts of money to signal confidence in the product. Instead of spending money on bigger advertising spaces or more frequent campaigns, the same effects may be attainable by increasing creativity instead. Thus, the study provides compelling evidence that creativity could be a way to produce greater results per advertising dollar.”

“This study shows that high versus low creativity works as a signal for familiar and established brands…they need to stay interesting to consumers even when they have nothing new to say. Creative advertising does increase consumer interest in brands, not by communicating a new message, but by communicating the same message in another way.”

In short, the authors confirm that advertising creativity is a powerful, positive signal when promoting familiar or unfamiliar brands. Too many creatively inept agencies cop out by saying, "We don't care about creative awards, just about results." In my opinion, that's a cheap excuse for poor ability and/or laziness.

Another research study, quoted in the booklet mentioned above, suggests creativity and effectiveness are inseparably linked, and specifically declared, "Award-winning advertising is four to five time more likely to reach client goals than non-award winning work."

In reality, awards send a clear signal that the work stands out, is memorable, and is meaningful. Any other kind of advertising is a waste of money. In today's economic environment, where fewer dollars have to work harder and where it's increasingly difficult to differentiate brands, that would be a crying shame.

The Forgotten Value?

While perusing the advertising column in a Communication Arts Illustration Annual, penned by Luke Sullivan, I was struck - with particular force - by the final sentence. It read, “Being great on paper is never as important as actually being a good person.” His comment was in reference to some famous ad people he knew who were insufferable, arrogant egotists. Luke happens to be one of the most honored ad writers in the world. His refreshing opinion comes with some degree of clout.

One of the more memorable advertising experiences I've had was the opportunity to enjoy a meal with Tom McElligott (co-founder of Fallon McElligott), one of my heroes in the business. It wasn’t so much what he said that was impressive, it was the fact that he brought along his teenaged son and obviously enjoyed being with him. He was quite deferential to the teen while also being very polite and cordial with those of us who surrounded him. Pretty decent, I thought, for someone who was king of the hill.

Luke Sullivan wrote about an art director with whom he worked named Bob Barrie. Bob may be the most decorated A.D. of all time. He had every reason to be a high-falutin’ jerk, but instead, Luke says, he would quietly keep cranking out great ideas even though the client was killing them all. And, according to Sullivan, he never whined. Ever. Instead, he combined unlimited resiliency with class (and a whole lot of talent).

I worked for Bob Love (co-founder of Harris & Love) once upon a time. He had that same kind of decency and class. He was kind and gentle even when he was red-lining my ad copy to smithereens. Maybe that’s one reason why his agency survived and prospered so long. Even when he played the role of "chief judge,” he was a pleasure to work with.

There’s a moral in all of this somewhere. I assume you can figure it out. Whatever it is, it’s probably reminiscent of a beloved corporate value that Richter7, the ad agency at which I'm employed, espouses. It states simply:
--WE VALUE GRACIOUSNESS.

I'm not sure I can think of a corporate, or personal, value that deserves to be ranked higher than that.

Ad Life, Through the Eyes of Cartoonists

Considering the present economic pain we endure, and the resulting doldrums which beset the business world, maybe a smile or two would be in order. To that end, I offer several favorites from my Richter7 vault of advertising-related cartoons. Enjoy. (Click on cartoon to enlarge.)