Just Do It
news
Agency News
Published by
Charles Vallance
Date
17/06/2024
There is a widespread lament within the ad village that our industry is beset by low morale, falling relevance, a broken business model and slipping standards.
These claims make headlines and may have some truth to them. But they are seldom backed up by concrete evidence. They tend to rely on assertion more than metrics.
And the metrics, in my experience, tend to paint a different picture. For instance, notwithstanding a claimed decline in relevance, we're doing surprisingly well as an exporter, with annual growth running at 17% (according to UKAEG). As industry business models go, things could be worse. And, despite the headlines grabbed by the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting, the employed base of the industry is growing rather than declining (2022 vs 2023 IPA Census).
As for slipping creative standards, well, this is inevitably a subjective call. But to those who call it, can I suggest they remedy the problem by producing work they can applaud rather than disparage? Sometimes physicians need to heal themselves.
From the admittedly singular perspective of VCCP, I can confidently say that creative standards have never been higher. And I'm not just talking about the work we produce for our Clients. We are lucky enough to be part of a vibrant competitive set of a dozen or so agencies worldwide, all of whom keep us on our toes, all of whom keep us improving, all of whom are producing excellent work on often demanding pieces of business.
One of the things that characterises this close competitive set, is that it tends not to run the industry down. Instead, it welcomes the opportunities presented by the cavalcade of new technologies, new platforms and the new creative vehicles now at our disposal. And where there is a problem, eg social mobility or the north/south divide, the instinct is to try to find a solution - such as Upriser or our Stoke Academy (with plans to replicate in the US).
Something all successful enterprises have in common is a clear north star. A profound grasp of why they exist, the agenda they are here to set and the creative vision they will accordingly deliver. Charles Vallance, Founding Partner and Chairman, VCCP
Something all successful enterprises have in common is a clear north star. A profound grasp of why they exist, the agenda they are here to set and the creative vision they will accordingly deliver.
Sometimes, before anything is produced, they write their manifesto, the goals they want to set and the vision they want to live up to. It's a very useful discipline, not least because it acts as a record against which you can check future decisions and avoid possible compromises. It is also a declaration to all stakeholders of what you're about and the values you uphold.
Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with the one that Rooney, Ian, Adrian and I wrote when we started out (you can anyway find it on our website), but I was intrigued recently to see the original manifesto Phil Knight typed out in 1980 as he founded Nike.
What intrigues me isn't the first couple of points, because you might expect them from a go-getting athletics brand (1, Our business is change. 2, We're on offence. All of the time). The points I find most revealing have an almost universal relevance. They could apply to virtually any creative enterprise, not least because they are about the 'how' more than the 'what'. A kind of instruction guide for achieving exceptional results.
As you might expect from a founder, they're suitably obsessive and demanding - 'Assume Nothing'. 'Perfect results count - - not a perfect process'. 'This is as much about battle as about business'. 'Your job isn't done until the (underlined) job is done'.
Two things, in particular, leap out under point 8, which lists the dangers the business will face. One of them is 'Energy takers'. The other is 'Knowing our weaknesses'.
I think the reason Nike's founder highlights these twin dangers, is the damage they can do to the spirit of collective endeavour. It's very easy to sap the energy of others by pointing out their weaknesses. But you won't achieve very much by doing so. On the other hand, if you emphasise the strengths of those around you and nurture their potential, they may just find their greatness. It's a lesson that the village commentariat might do well to heed.
