I am visiting NYC this week with a group of advertising students from the UO SOJC. It’s an incredible group of people led by an incredible professor (Deb Morrison) visiting incredible agencies in this incredible city. I’ve just completed day one and I’m already in awe of my surroundings. There is an indescribable energy in the air. It thrills you, intimidates you, and motivates you to do something.
Today we had the opportunity to visit and speak with Euro RSCG at their PR and pharmaceutical advertising branch. Check this place out – they’re pretty incredible. In 2009, Advertising Age listed them as #2 in the top ten best agencies. They do traditional marketing as well as some pretty incredible creative business ideas that develop a company or organization outside of its direct-to-consumer marketing.
The entire visit to Euro was fantastic, but there was one topic in particular that really stuck with me. A fellow student asked how we might better foster relationships between the account and creative sides of a campaign. Coming from a PR/planning background, I can definitely relate to the tension that forms between the creative genius and the logistical multitasker. Naturally, the advice offered was to work together. If the strategy is developed and/or discussed between everyone beforehand, each element can be more secure in what he or she contributes to the overall project.
Here’s the key point: you have to be confident in what aspect of the project you are representing. Our advice to planners was to not be afraid to discuss and suggest creative elements, and vice versa. Personally, I have a tendency to back down against someone who I feel ‘knows more’ than I do. Leadership and management roles have always come pretty natural to me, so I tend to disregard it as something easy in comparison to other more intimidating aspects. But you know what? Some people can’t get their shit together. I’m proud of my color-coded planners and will try to respect my coordinating, aligning, rearranging, constantly churning brain as a skillset that I can bring to the world. And believe it or not, I'm creative too. It just doesn't always express itself as boldly as others.
So thanks, people of Euro RSCG, for helping turn my neuroses into selling points. Because if I got them, I might as well use them for the better.
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