The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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Carl Hopkins

Dear uncle Carl...

By The Drum, Administrator

May 7, 2009 | 6 min read

Dear Uncle Carl,

I’m at a big, networked agency but feel like I’m constantly up against a glass ceiling. I don’t know whether this place is so big that my work goes unnoticed or if there’s just too much competition, but I don’t feel my career is progressing and the company seems to favour bringing in big names rather than promoting from within. Would I be better looking for opportunities with independent agencies?

Perhaps you haven’t hit a ceiling but your confidence, passion and talent have hit a wall. Please don’t blame the place for being ‘too big’ though; what a load of tosh. Are you a likkle person who wants to work in a likkle agency? If so, then sod off and do that then you can blame them for having no ambition when you hit their ‘glass ceiling’.

Do you know those ‘big names’ they keep bringing in? Well, guess what, they weren’t ‘made’ as big names; they earned their big names. They had the talent, the passion, the drive, the ambition and they probably still do. They didn’t blame the distance between the walls or the height of the ceiling. They worked longer, studied harder, communicated more, listened more, experienced more and then went back and worked some more. Look to add value in everything you do and – here is the secret to being a success – make yourself invaluable to others and you will become a big name.

Dear Uncle Carl,

I work at a PR firm where three people are due to go off on maternity leave in the next month. We’re not a big team as it is, but we’re only bringing in one freelancer to cover. I’m happy to take on more work, but wary of what statement this move sends out?

You could say it’s prudent planning by the powers that be and a great way to reduce your costs at a very ‘overhead’ sensitive time for a short while at least. Or alternatively, you could say that the three ladies in question were not very good and didn’t do a lot and can be replaced by one person; depends on your mood and point of view really.

I’ve had staff that, at a push, could have been effectively replaced by a photocopier and a kettle and they would have added more value.

Dear Uncle Carl,


I think the creative director dislikes me. He never passes any of my work, seldom gives me advice and never buys me a pint at the end of the week. I think my work is good and so do my colleagues... What should I do?

Having counted the ‘me’s and ‘I’s in your question, I have concluded that you will never be a ‘good’ creative as you obviously do not have the first clue of how to put yourself in your customer’s shoes. If you put yourself in your customer’s shoes and you can create something that answers their needs, or their perceived needs, something they wish to buy, not what you wish to sell, then you will truly be a great creative. Your creative director knows this and is, in effect, acting as your customer so, unless you fulfill his needs, you are screwed.

Let’s pretend you respect him; he has the experience, he may have accolades and, at the very least, he has the title and the final say. Then make sure you have a good brief from him and then answer the brief. Stop looking for solutions to allow you to be ‘creative’ and start looking for solutions that are themselves creative.

Dear Uncle Carl,

The time has come to say enough is enough. I’ve had fun running agencies over the years but the spark’s now gone. Mind you, it’s a bit daunting moving on after so long. How did you do it?

It’s the fear, or rather the facing of the fear, that’s the hard bit. The fear of the unknown, the ordinary and routine things you will leave behind which themselves, a long time ago, were once ‘unknown’; that’s what’s scary and it stops people moving on.

But you will have skills that will be of interest and use to others. You may have a creative background or be a strategic thinker, or a fantastic ‘get things done kinda guy’. You may have strong experience in one sector that you can now concentrate on or simply be a great orator and be able to inform, educate and entertain.

You need to get out there and find out. When the Romans invaded England their leaders took them to the cliff tops and showed them their boats burning on the beaches and simply said ‘we have to win now’. Burn a boat or two, if you are serious.

Dear Uncle Carl,

My agency has done well so far this year, and while I’m not sitting back with a chunky cigar yet, I believe there are still good things happening. But when and how will we really start to see an overall turnaround in the economy?

Good for you. It is hard out there but it’s not bad for everyone. The more stable your business was going into this storm, then the ‘easier’ it will be for you to ride it out, plus you may be in good shape to pick up more business as the other agencies ‘sink’.

If you were on top of your debt or even debt free, if you were on top of your salary bills and had employed the right people doing the right things for your clients needs, if you hadn’t overstretched yourselves on rent and rates or geared up your lending, then you will be light years ahead of most agencies.

The sensible businesses will survive and hopefully learn lessons from those who crash and burn. The not so good agencies, who were playing at it or didn’t understand their business, will disappear and the agencies that believed their own PR and grew too fast, acquired anything or borrowed as they were ‘living the dream’ will be having a nightmare.

As for recovery, ask me again at the end of Q1 2010.

Are you troubled? Don’t be. Send all your questions for uncle Carl to dear.carl@carnyx.com or, if you wish to meet with carl to talk about your business, email him on ch@kloog.ch

Carl Hopkins

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