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Imodium

by Kevin Glennon
Tuesday, August 22, 2006. 10:54PM
509 Views 5 Comments

The last gig I ran, I was both Creative Director and Head Producer for a HUGE, HUUUUGE international brand -- but because I had to report in to a Creative Director for the middleman agency, everything I said, did, and started, was subject to his approval.

Every-ee-theeng--awesome--died.

This is advertising life. Those can can do, wait. Those that can sell, hang!

the best idea you ever have could NUKE everyone in an agency, but it will die on the spot. The WORST idea you ever have could accidentally land into a CMO's lap, and become some of those terrible Ford ads.

So yeah, I'm going to stop screwing around. I'm going to pitch Imodium. I'm going to pitch WD-40.

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Comments

 5 shown
Monday, September 4, 2006. 07:23AM by EXIT3A .com
Sounds like you ought to pitch Prozac.
Saturday, August 26, 2006. 11:01PM by Kevin Glennon
I don't see it as ego so much as incompetence. And yes, that's harsh, but those that can make decisions DO! When you're a contractor (which is what all ad agencies are, really), you need to listen to your client, and give them what they asked for. Too often there are so many other ideas going on that what needs to be done falls to the back of the line, while agendas, egos, and safety zones are set instead.
Friday, August 25, 2006. 08:25AM by Kim S
Doesn't that just make you want to puke? I am always amazed at why people in decision making positions don't just get over themselves.
Friday, August 25, 2006. 12:18AM by Kevin Glennon
I hear that. It kills me when I sit in on those "Come to Jesus" meetings thrown by the client -- where *everyone* has flown in.
For example, my last BIGBIG project, I'm in PA for IKEA. There's one dude with a Swedish accent, four folks in IKEA marketing who are co-dependent, my middlemen to whom I report (and they've told me I have to say I'm a full-time employee with them -- nothing like honesty with your clients), and the other agencies IKEA has for their other stuff, one of which being Deutsch NYC.
I present the first part of my stuff, Mr. Sweden gives some feedback which is awesome then leaves. Moments later, everyone else becomes instantly retarded and trashing not just my ideas, but the ideas Swedish IKEA VIP offered.
To me? Business as usual. To any exec on the board? A great reason to fire everyone involved.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006. 08:41AM by Kim S
The middleman has to justify his / her existence some way, otherwise they're on the street. Too bad some of them don't have the brains or the guts to accept new ideas. I don't think it serves the client to be making those decisions, they should at least let the client see the pitch. We have an NBA basketball team (the Kings), the management team gets hit with all kinds of ideas, and they shoot most of them down. You want to know some of the ones that worked? The ones that actually circumvented management and somehow got to the owners!! Yes, the Maloofs can actually make decisions without a team of people!!

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