Today it was announced by Adweek that Crispin, Porter + Bogusky landed creative duties on Open from American Express. A moment of respect and praise for CP+B please. I think the industry agrees that Ogilvy has done great things with that account ever since David himself won it back in 1962. That must have been a dogfight.
I've been waiting for the appropriate moment to say something about Crispin... Lots has been written regarding their innovative use of media, their philosophy about what advertising is, and their creative success in general. But what I admire about CP+B most is their work ethic.
I've never worked there, but I can feel it from 1,000 miles away. Like many of us, I've heard stories. And reading their employee handbook confirms this. (It's great, and if you haven't seen it, go to their site.) I believe the thing that sets Crispin apart is that they will simply out work you. Stay up all night. Spend the weekend. Work over Christmas. Do whatever it takes to find the solution. I don't want to take anything away from whatever creative ideas they brought to AmEx Open (which I'm guessing were great), but I'm betting they wanted it more and worked harder to get it.
These days everyone wants to know things like: Is viral better than TV? Should we be blogging? Podcasting? Using bluetooth messaging? The answer: Probably all of it. But that's not what agencies and marketers want to hear, because it means more time and more work. Pat Meeley and I have discussed this in depth: There is no magic marketing bullet. You want to be the best? Work harder. Stay later. Redo things. Come in on Sunday morning.
I worked at Deutsch from 1997 - 2003 and was fortunate to experience the fantastic ride they had as five time "Agency of the Year" from Adweek and AdAge. A big part of that success was that no one worked as hard as we did. The team was working all the time, and the success that came from that was awesome. The folks at CP+B have been experiencing that for a few years and that energy and confidence and pride probably won't come around again.
Advertising history says that it won't last forever for Crispin... but it also doesn't say when it will end. So enjoy it, because when you look back after it's all over, I promise, from a career perspective, it will be worth it.
Cheers.
While I will admit that I have printed out the Crispin employee handbook for inspiration, I have not read it. I have followed the successful run that the agency has been on for quite some time and it does seem like they have a competitive work ethic and a natural spirit to do their very best for every client. Like all good competitors, once you win and get the taste you never want to be on the losing end. I'm sure that helps light the fire every time they get up to the plate.
But, I have to wonder - are they successful in new business because they work harder than everyone else, or are they winning these big new pitches because they are the NOW agency? There is tremendous hype surrounding their every move and if I was a company looking to hire an agency I would see the benefits of being on board their train as a way to add coverage to my marketing investment. They have a swagger and a confidence that can convince the smartest marketers that they can do no wrong. And whether their strategy is on target or not, it is hard not to be a believer when you consider their current brand status. They are the most talked about agency in our industry right now and unfortunately that gives them an advantage that it impossible to defeat - no matter how hard you work.
That spirit is hard to maintain when everyone is telling you that you are the greatest. The big question is - Are they going to be like Britney or Tiger? Let's hope they continue to be "Tiger Woods" like and keep up their pace because it does make everyone else around them work that much harder to be better.
Posted by: Allen Jones | July 18, 2007 at 10:33 AM
AJ, a good thought. Personally, regarding the NOW agency, I definitely think that helps, especially when creating the short list. How do you NOT put them on the list of contenders for a review? You almost have to because they are so hot. Then it comes down to conversion, which they've proven they're great at. I'm with you on hoping for the Tiger Woods.
Posted by: John Drake | July 18, 2007 at 06:10 PM
I really enjoyed this blog because it strikes a deep chord with me. Everyone wishes that it were something else that made Crispin as successful as they are. What's easy to forget is that in 2000, almost no one had heard of them. They didn't have any big accounts. It was hard work, really smart creative ideas (Mini, Molson beer labels, etc), and a little luck. Yes, the fact they are the NOW agency helps them today, but it's not what made them the NOW agency.
Posted by: Pat Meeley | July 19, 2007 at 04:48 PM