QUALITY HUNTERS vs. BEAN COUNTERS

In my everyday life at work, I frequently come across people in advertising agencies and client’s companies in important positions not really up to the challenge of their jobs. I often wonder how they even got there without anyboday noticing their incapabilities. It makes you wonder…

Especially nowadays, during times of change, where everybody seems to be demanding new ideas, new approaches, many of my customers are simply not equipped with what it takes to succeed. They lack a sensitivity for the needs of their consumers, creative understanding as well as visions!

This may come down to quite simple reasons. Most of them learnt what they found necessary to master their lives and professions at school and during their apprencticeship or through studies at University. Their knowledge is mainly standardized, very strongly generalized and – by the time they intend applying it within their jobs – partially out of date. And, what is more, even if it wasn’t, it would not be sufficient.

Because, what they forgot, was to attend some seminars in the school of life, where true insights are on offer and the practical side of things actually unfolds. A birth-school-work-death approach of life and work doesn’t help exactly nourish creativity.

So, there they are, the general managers, the marketing and communication directors, the brand and product managers. Their consultants, researches and statistics often hold bad news and demand actions to rescue, maintain, retain oder expand business. Sadly for them, statistics don’t come up with solutions, you see.

What next, then? They turn to external agents to come up with the goods. Ok, so far, so good. But, here comes the next problem. For even if they request the “right” agents, how will they ever be able to judge the results their consultants come up with? How will they know, whether an approach is really new or tailor-made for their consumers needs? I regard most of these people as: bean counters.

Sadly, it is these people who write the briefs my colleagues and I receive and eventually it is also these people who judge the ideas we deliver. They will constantly demand creative, inspirational campaigns but won’t have the talent to recognize it as such once they come across one. Believe me when I say, that everyday all over the world great ideas are being suffocated, hampered with, modified, and revised by uninspired, non-life-educated people until the ideas are stripped of profile, spirit and relevance . The results are mostly boring.

I regard myself as a consumer’s lawyer, or, in opposition to the bean counters, as a quality hunter. And I know that there are a lot of us. We know, what quality is, because we care. We care about people, we care about their entertainment, their well-being, their attitudes and opinions. Our caring coupled with our constant interaction with people helps us understand the phenomenon the business calls relevance. Our education is non-standardized, open and never ending. We have no problems admitting, that we still go to school, everyday.

Maybe it is about time companies and agencies gave us more credit for what we think and what we are trying to achieve. Maybe it should even be considered giving us more influence on their decisions and spendings. Unless they decide to give all future marketing budgets to charity, culture and to the poor.

When that occurs, I will rest my case. But, until then, I shall continue to complain.

Yours

Brian B. Ashes