Food for thought: The spy who sold out
Forgiving a pretty face
Facebook to agencies: how will people share your story?
Is “The Pitch” an accurate reflection of our industry?
Advertising advice is like handing Theseus a ball of twine before he heads into the maze to meet the minotaur. It somehow feels comforting, even though it’s probably delivered while you’re being donkey punched by stress – which is probably exactly why we’re so receptive to the message.
Receiving that one solid piece of advice is a rite of passage. Bring it up around the office. You’ll be hard-pressed to find an agency person who doesn’t have at least a one-liner they’re willing to share – even with tongue firmly in cheek.
We asked Grippers to share their advice. Here are a handful (from literally dozens) of submissions. Feel free to add your own in the comments section.
What advice has made the most profound impression on you in your career?
Partners
“A former boss of mine would say “Never confuse effort with results.” Sometimes for effect he would add “…since only one of these really has value.” I also have one that is not specifically business advice but one of my favourite quotes that can apply to business work ethic: “Somewhere, right now, someone is training while you are not. When you race him, he will win.” – Harvey Carroll, President
“1/2 the battle is showing up” – Jon Finkelstein, Partner, Creative
“If you’re going through hell, keep going. (I used to work for Winston Churchill.)” – Dave Chiavegato, Partner, Creative
“Always check for pee stains before a pitch meeting. (Not one that I was given, but one that I give.)” – David Crichton, Partner, Creative
Producers
“Just remember, you’re not saving babies.” – Kathy Herrera, Director of Production
“Manage yourself before you manage others.” – Norina Jones, Interactive Producer
“‘Always check your Managers office to see if they’re still there before you leave for the day. If they’re still there, always offer to stay and help without hesitating.’ Perfect advice to get first shot at bigger opportunities.” – Meg Norton, Interactive Producer
Account Team
“Undercommit. Then overperform.” – Lua Emilia, Account Coordinator
“Stay calm. Assess the situation. Deploy.” – Melissa Swinton, Manager, Business
“The day you get tired of delivering a message is the day a customer hears it for the first time.” – Grace Debrabandere, Associate Partner, Business
“Always, always, always double check to see if you’ve hit “reply all”.” – Niki Bartl, Manager, Business
“If you’re doing what you love, the money comes to you.” – Jessica Tran, Account Manager
Creative Team
“Don’t think. Write.” – Sara Vinten, Copywriter
“Don’t get good at something you hate.” – Matt Rogers, Associate Partner, Creative
“All you need to know is someone who can get you an interview.” – Warren Haas, Copywriter
“A creative person is constantly maligning themselves against the last work they did. The plight of being a great creative is that nothing will ever be good enough” – Trevor Gourley
Development Team
“Don’t take things personally! (I’m still working on this one)” – Zack Ginies, Interactive Developer
“I will only accept this change request through interpretive dance” – Justin Krinke, Director of Technology
Advergirling
May 3, 2011 @ 11:18 am
So far in my career, these have been my favourites.
“There’s no crying in advertising”
“Come up with a solution to the problem before talking to your boss, this way you have something to show first”
“Keep Calm and Carry On” – If it’s good enough for the British War Propaganda, it’s good enough for advertising.
Jon Finkelstein
May 3, 2011 @ 11:59 am
I also said: “Make yourself invaluable”. I think that’s the best defense against being outmoded.
Advergirling
May 3, 2011 @ 4:59 pm
Oh, and always spell check. There’s a typo in the first sentence.
Leilah Ambrose
May 4, 2011 @ 12:01 pm
@Advergirling Lol! Good catch. ;)
Jim Monteath
May 8, 2011 @ 11:48 am
Former boss (a Herb Tarlek clone): “Spend 20% of your time doing work and 80% of your time in self-promotion”. So I ignored that.
PS: “…being donkey punched by stress…” Really, Big Orange Slide? Really?
Ian Mackenzie
May 11, 2011 @ 11:43 am
“Never confuse effort with results.” Amazing. Words to live by.
Corey Dilley
May 23, 2011 @ 1:17 pm
@Advergirling Coming up with a solution before talking to the boss is a great rule to live by. It was one of the first things I learned as a junior the first thing I teach newbies.
A former boss at Mediacom Toronto told me this and it’s a great mantra to have when working at an agency or publisher: “We’re not in the advertising business. We’re in the client service business”.