Insights

Chemistry Wins Ad Agency Pitches

Peter · October 15, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Here is an excerpt from a chapter on the importance of interpersonal chemistry in winning new business from my book on pitching, “The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book Win More Pitches.”

Interpersonal Chemistry Wins Pitches

By now, you’ve seen that there are many ways that an ad agency can win or lose a pitch.

However, there seems to be one aspect of pitching that keeps coming up over and over and rises to the top of almost everyone’s list (especially within the advertising agency search consultant world). That is the idea that agencies ultimately win or lose based on interpersonal chemistry and corporate culture alignment.

My fear with the chemistry thing is that it can appear to be something that just is vs. something that can be managed and created. There is a school of thought that says that you either gel with the prospect, or you don’t. Sorry Ms. Agency Business Development Director, it’s all about a chemical reaction, and that’s why it is called chemistry.

Yikes.

After weeks preparing preparing a smart, tight presentation, are we ultimately at the mercy and vagaries of some mysterious and unmanageable human thing? Pheromones, anyone? [Read more…] about Chemistry Wins Ad Agency Pitches

Ad Agency: Why No Sales Methodology?

Peter · October 7, 2014 · 4 Comments

I came across the revealing ad agency business development infographic below on the RSW/US website. The infographic highlights some of the findings from RSW/US’s 2014 Agency Marketer New Business Report.

The infographic sucks. Um, no. The infographic doesn’t suck, but it points out one critical agency fail that… SUCKS!

According to the RSW/US report, 66% Of Ad Agencies Have No Business Development or Sales Methodology

What? 66%! Having run ‘sales’ (sorry, it is sales) at Saatchi, my own agency and two Internet companies, I know that a company that has something to sell in the B2B marketplace cannot succeed without a biz dev plan and implementation methodology. Cannot, full-stop. No methodology means no plan and no plan means no growth no growth means lower income. So, let’s solve this problem. [Read more…] about Ad Agency: Why No Sales Methodology?

Dissecting Design @ Portland Design Week

Peter · October 6, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Food, Fashion, Photography, Helmets, Advertising @ Design Week 2014

Do you live in Portland (you know, the western one)? If so, check out the intro video below, say, “Damn, I better go to this Design Week gig” on October 8 and sign up for Dissecting Design before it is sold out. My fav? The Nutcase story and Rachel on fashion.

Tickets are available now through the Portland Advertising Federation website, at this link…

Who is sharing their secrets?

(Food) Julian Rose: award-winning French-Canadian Master Chocolatier and Director of Research and Development for Moonstruck Chocolate Company
(Fashion) Rachel Gorenstein: Creative Director/Owner/Buyer of moulé fashion stores in Canada and the U.S., and Fashion Designer of the innovative/classic Rachel Mara Collections
(Bikes / Sports) Michael Morrow: former Nike designer and branding agency founder, the Founder and CEO of globally popular Nutcase (bicycle) Helmets
(Photography) Derrin Battles: Sports, Lifestyle and Product Photographer, and Co-Owner of Polara Studio s
(Marketing/Advertising) Steve Luker: Former Weiden & Kennedy Creative Director, Co-Founder/Partner and Executive Creative Director of cutting edge Mutt Industries

Yo Portland… I know you do things last minute. –> But, get on it now.

How To Start A Creative Advertising Agency

Peter · October 4, 2014 · 8 Comments

I am occasionally asked…. “How do I start a great advertising / design / digital agency?”

Here are some videos that help to answer this question. There are more out there but these three videos should get you on your way.

Thanks to Source and Mirren.

The first is from London’s Steve Harvey. Here is how he talks about himself (hmm, Agency of the Decade, not too shabby):

Steve Henry was Founder / Creative Director of Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury, the agency voted Campaign’s Agency of the Year three times and Campaign’s Agency of the Decade in 2000.

Next, we’ve got Sir John Hegerty. Shabby? Not.

John Hegarty is one of the world’s most awarded and respected admen. Over six decades he has been at the forefront of the creative advertising industry from the early days of Saatchi and Saatchi to Bartle Bogle Hegarty, the global company he runs today.

In 1982 he founded Bartle Bogle Hegarty with partners John Bartle and Nigel Bogle. The agency swiftly became one of the most talked about and awarded advertising agencies in the world. BBH has won every Agency of the Year accolade and every creative award possible and has been at the forefront of the industry for twenty nine years.

Finally, here is Chuck Porter. I saw him speak at Advertising Week last week (along with John Hegerty) and he is rather, um, on it.

Chuck Porter is an American advertising executive, marketer and author. He is co-founder and chairman of the advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky and chief strategist for its holding company, MDC Partners.

My numero uno take on starting an agency?

Be distinctive as illustrated by a cartoon from my book, The Levitan Pitch. It demonstrates a key issue facing new and used agencies…. Sameness.