Gordon Smith used to work in the studio at CDP.
One day the studio head gave him a piece of artwork for a finished ad.
The artwork was ripped in half, and the studio head asked him to repair it.
Gordon said, “What happened to it.”
The studio head said, “Frank just sold it.”
Apparently, what had happened was that Frank Lowe , then a young account man, had presented the finished ad to a junior client.
The junior client made the most of the opportunity.
He stroked his chin, narrowed his eyes and said, “I don’t think it’s quite there yet.”
Frank said, “This is the ad I agreed with your board to do, and we already have the space booked.”
The client said, “Yes, but I’d like to see a couple of changes.”
Frank turned the ad over, ripped it in half and threw it in the corner.
The client screamed, “What are you doing?”
Frank said, “Well you said you didn’t want to run that ad. Perhaps you can tell me what you do want to do.”
The client said, “I didn’t mean that.”
Frank said, “Of course, starting all over again means we’ll miss the copy date that’s already paid for.”
The client said, “Hang on, you’ve misunderstood what I meant.”
Frank said, “And the board will want to know why you’re not running the ad they asked me to do.”
The client began picking up the two halves of the ad.
“Look, isn’t there some way we can salvage this ad and still make the copy date?” he said.
“I thought you didn’t like it.” Said Frank said.
“No, no, I want to run it exactly as it is. Can you help me, please?” said the client.
“I’ll see what I can do.” Said Frank.
Which is why Gordon had to put the ad back together because Frank had just sold it.
Now that’s an account man.
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You were talking about creativity in previous posts and that is creativity at its best, something i doubt you’d find these days. Great stories.
Hi Dave
There seems to be a swelling consensus of opinion that creativity is thin on the ground these days. That
characters are no longer in abundance. Why do you think that is, if it is?
Could it be that advertising/design seems to attract the kind of social class that is too much university and not forged through adversity?
Could it be that not enough creatives are truly walking amongst the people to understand the people?
Liam. I agree, creativity doesn’t just exist in the creative dept.
Often it’s not even in the so-called creative dept.
As de Bono said, “A lot of people call themselves creative who are actually mere stylists.”
Creativity is quality in what you do, not merely a job title.
And John, the education system is run like a conveyor belt, so you’re right, it turns out conveyor-belt thinking.
Under this system you are punished for thinking differently and rewarded for accepting the concensus.
No wonder the products are safe, predictable, and commodotised.
Dave, I have really been enjoying your blog. And this story did not disappoint. I do wonder if a situation like this would end differently today ….
Hi Jane, I didn’t mean we should always beat up clients. I meant the best account man are always being creative with their thinking.
Doing whatever it takes to sell an ad.
Actually I have a more modern version of that sort of thinking from a female account handler.
I’ll make that another blog, thanks for reminding me.
I have heard Frank Lowe was a truly great account man. No doubt his stint selling carpets in New York didn’t hurt!
I’m not entirely convinced that it takes greatness to prevent a junior client from making changes to an ad that his board has already approved, but I do think we should big up account handlers more often. All they ever seem to get from Creatives is stick, and that isn’t fair. With your permission, Dave, I may write a post on this and link to yours also.
Scamp, please be my guest.
You’re always welcome to use anything on here without asking.
Like all legends, advertising or otherwise, there?s a central moral that still applies today.
And it?s about belief.
Frank Lowe was presenting a mech, genuine artwork, that physically was the ad that was going to run. Changes were made by hand, scalpel and glue. And that took time. Because of that, it was essential that everything, layout copy, typography, flyshit, was 100% right before even getting to that stage. Hence the drama of ripping the mech. Nowadays, you get a Mac visual. The problem is that everyone, client included, knows that if you want to see the logo 40% bigger, shift, alt, apple key and a few hits of the ?>? key and it?s done. Headline in a different font? Of course. Change colour? Be my guest.
If it?s not difficult to make these changes (be it ?just to see? or ?just fucking do it?) how much of a chance has today?s account man in resisting the junior client?s amends?
This is where belief comes in.
It?s even more important now than ever that we believe in the work we do. That we believe that the idea we?ve created is the best and most memorable way to communicate the strongest proposition to people out there. That the headline is the best/most succinct/wittiest/most shocking/fastest communicating headline that we could write. That the layout is the most arresting/beautiful/un-self-indulgent/cleanest evocation of the idea we could create. That the photograph or illustration is the most striking/original/stunning visual manifestation of the idea.
If we, creatives and suits, really believe all that, then whoever is selling the ad will be in a position to say ?No? to the last minute changes.
If we don?t, what are we doing trying to sell it?
And that?s the point. Frank Lowe didn?t rip the mech up because he didn?t want to do the changes. He destroyed it because he believed in the ad.