Pic credit David Stevens, w+k planner and photoman
Well. It’s all a bit different here.
Maybe it’s just me, or perhaps it’s simply the sweet sweet air of Spitalfields, but everyone here seems to have a bit more of a spring in their step. Sure, there are the occasional finishes at stupid o’clock (the most stupid being 3am), the odd weekend in the office, and the fact that we have one toilet per fifty people (roughly), but when you’re enjoying what you’re doing these trivialities don’t really matter that much (as long as the loos remain clean, of course – a dirty bathroom frankly ruins everything). Everyone seems to be passionate, motivated – and, well, very good.
I’m loving being closer to ‘the work’. Working in a media agency, no matter where or on what, you always feel one step removed from where the action really is. Rightly or wrongly, but it’s true. It’s a great feeling being able to go to the client with an idea, have it approved in hours then work closely with the creative teams to bring it to life. That is, really bring it to life – not commit it to powerpoint and farm it out somewhere for someone else to realise. And I’m pretty sure this is why I got into the industry in the first place.
I left a great job, in a good agency, with a team that I loved. Luckily it appears the new role is even more awesome, the agency is as exactly as it’s brand would have you believe, and the people equally great. We’ve even started a soup club, which as I write seems awfully twee. But it’s not. Honest. And as if to ensure it didn’t become so, ‘blog lord’ Paul Colman complained that the inaugural soup – a wonderful tomato and basil effort crafted by Ms. Sophie Piper – was too ‘tomatoey’. He was wrong, but everyone’s entitled to their opinion.
I’m only six weeks in. There’s plenty of time for everything to change. But at a time when we’re all grateful to simply have a job, to have one that’s so dynamic, stimulating and motivating in such an amazing environment makes me feel very fortunate indeed.
Is that all too sickly?
hector 
February 11, 2009 at 9:37 am |
No – it’s brilliant when people love what they do, so good for you. And great that somewhere with such a reputation (in a good way) lives up to it. Happy it’s all working out so well.
February 11, 2009 at 11:20 am |
I prefer to be removed from the work, thank you very much. It plays into my love of obfuscation and deniability.
February 12, 2009 at 9:03 am |
No. You deserve it. Onwards 🙂
February 12, 2009 at 1:49 pm |
Thanks guys. Even Robertson 😉
February 12, 2009 at 2:38 pm |
Yep that’s all too sickly.
Everyone is passionate and motivated? Even Colman? Every time I see him he’s miserable and stand-offish.
February 12, 2009 at 2:46 pm |
Colman’s the most motivated. I think he just practices at hiding it well. (Except on storage related issues. Then it’s open season)
February 12, 2009 at 5:16 pm |
I think he’s dedicated. And sometimes that comes across as grumpy and aggressive. I could be wrong, he once threatened to break my jaw.
February 14, 2009 at 1:19 pm |
eh? redesign? now you have no blogroll my pathetic views total will decline still further :-(((((
I also notice you’ve gone minimal, probably stealing my awesome template.
February 14, 2009 at 5:45 pm |
I just imagine a very big, very studenty basement. With Colman as Vivian.
February 14, 2009 at 8:14 pm |
i’m with you dude – working daily with creatives and other folk who have energy, passion and belief is amazing.
clearly, it would be even better if media planning just pulled away from media buying and went back in with full-service agencies… (leaving media buying to be run by a computer alogrithm or a call centre floor of people in places where office space isn’t so expensive, like the north or the midlands or something.
February 14, 2009 at 11:24 pm |
@smimarchie don’t worry, blogroll and stuff will return. just arsing around with templates. this is all temporary
@will that’s pretty much it. probably nearer to bottom mind
@gagey yup. and it’s probably not too far off either. recession allowing, of course
February 17, 2009 at 6:52 pm |
I agree with you about being removed from the process while being in a media agency. I started off in a buying agency and was even more sheltered. I then moved over to a boutique planning and strategy agency and felt at least I was involved in the planning process at an earlier stage. However, given that media is no longer ‘media’ in the same sense as it was 10 years ago, it makes more sense that ‘media’ planners are becoming more involved in the process before the creative has been determined.
It’s great to hear that you’re still passionate and appreciative of the work that you do … it’s quite refreshing!
March 10, 2009 at 9:15 am |
yeah I miss working in an agency where you have an idea and walk over to the supposed ‘creative’ department and shoot the shit over the table tennis table for twenty mins and call it a meeting.
It created a culture that creative can truly come from anywhere
I sometimes have the feeling that media agencies can be like libraries, with the old lady or man screaming at you when you say something
should be interesting to see how CHI’s new venture goes