A former coworker recently contacted me to gain some insight on a project she just started. She needed to create an award constructed out of sheet metal. It was really just, “do you know of a vendor that could help me out”, as she was finding nothing but dead ends.
With my natural ability to butt in, and my background in fabrication, I offered a few other approaches to production that could better meet her timeline and budget.
It got me thinking about my “extracurricular” activities and the skills I’ve acquired outside of advertising—and how much I rely on those skills to develop advertising for my clients, acquire new business and keep myself fresh to generate new ideas.
In a past life, I was in the automotive aftermarket industry, customizing cars, installing electronics, paint and body…just a lot of general fabrication. It involved an array of materials and skills. Acrylic, wood, fiberglass, metal, leather and vinyl…using them to mold, sculpt, weld and upholster…in vehicles that light up, make sound, go fast or just look good.
My past experience, and current hobby, allow me to build a better trade show booth for my clients. I not only understand the materials, but how to choose the right one for the job, how they are assembled, their durability and so on…not just how to apply a logo to a piece of foamcore that hangs in front of a curtain.
It also helps that I can understand and relate to our automotive clients as a consumer, as an industry “insider” and as their advertising agency.
So I looked around the agency and saw how much extracurricular talent we have. Musicians and actresses, engineers and electricians, contractors and craft mavens, movie makers and more…the list goes on.
And I realize how much we actually tap into our diverse interests…in the interest of our clients.
We’ve been able to enhance our strategy and work in new business pitches by transforming our office into a nine-foot-diameter artery (constructed from PVC and fabric, courtesy of the plumber and seamstress) leading our potential healthcare client into the “heart” of the agency, complete with red and white blood cells (balloons)—truly immersing ourselves in their brand.
Our copywriter has a passion for acting and the theatre. I can see firsthand how her creative outlets bring more creative output to the table—everyday. Not only is she writing a script for the television spot, but also she sees the potential in an actor during casting to fulfill her creative vision more than anyone else could.
So, imagine a triathlete paramedic who moonlights as a lifeguard. That’s a pool I’d want my kids swimming in.
Now imagine how your agency uses their extracurricular skills to step up strategy, complement creative and raise results.
I’d like to hear about it.
-Marty
Tags: advertising, evok, New Business, trade show