Memoirs of a Suit - in the Creative Industry post lockdown
I'll start this memoir that got me thinking of my life ambition while I was on a plane in 2020 pre-COVID for a "Spiritual Journey" to Ibiza ;).
“When you hired an accountant, you knew he or she could count. When you hired a lawyer, you knew he or she could talk. When you hired a marketing expert or product developer, what did you know? Nothing" ― Phil Knight, Shoe Dog.
That's what you get with a skilled Marketer full of experience, ambition, and a drive to thrive in an environment of bright lights, optimism, and business excellence to take on the world.
I write this while I sit in the UAE, overlooking the ocean and city life. Sometimes, and especially in these times post-lockdown, we can look back through the tough times and look forward to dancing again.
This led me to my role in the business of creativity as a "Suit", Account Director/Client Service Specialist in the creative industry.
We’re masters of orchestration, drivers of new business, and the bridge between the client, partners, and the organization, thus ensuring all stakeholders are managed to the nth degree.
We're also the inspiration for our creative studios and the executors, constantly planning and strategizing for the next meeting, project, or business deal to ensure we achieve our goals in the upcoming weeks/months and years.
We have an uncanny ability to see around corners and anticipate what's coming at us next. We lay the groundwork that earns the trust that gets clients to believe in the little bit of magic that we often propose and sell to land the big idea.
We regularly and fearlessly bring ideas to the table—ideas that could change a client's business model, ideas to sell their product in disruptive ways, and ideas to push the innovation boundaries.
After a successful pitch or presentation, we rally the troops, make a plan, and get ideas into production mode. Massive credit to our creative teams, who assist us in spearheading the Creative Concept and Execution; however, the output is only as good as your support team.
We're also the go-to person when outputs/executions do not go to plan or on time and have to deal with constant client pressure. This takes a high EQ mindset, skilled relationship-building skills, and the ability to tackle problems in an interpersonal and instinctive way. I tend to use this as an opportunity to further build trust with the client and, next time, knock it out of the park.
I've used my interests and passions to lead me with the brands I work with. I’ve inherited my hard work ethic from my late businessman dad and been lucky enough to work with Mavericks in the Creative industry who have inspired me to see what it's like to run a global advertising agency, use travel as a source of inspiration, influence people in meaningful ways, and, to top that off, create phenomenal creative work with meaning. Adam and Nate from GRID Worldwide, Thank You!
When working with brands, I tend to fully immerse myself into the client's world, subsequently always becoming a brand advocate for the business. It's in the interest of a prospective client's overall business of growth, coupled with the organization's service offering, culture, and vision for growth.
Account Management is about an effective proposal, effective communication, a good brief, and a very good contact report, coupled with financial management and account leadership. To me, the project plan is the holy grail of managing accounts and keeping the agency and client ownable, and that’s where I lead the projects I work on. This allows the CS team to lead the client with conviction and manage deliverables.
This leads me to my next thought: walkability and the development of CNN's newsworthy ideas, big ideas. I believe content creation is the new currency for influence, and the business of sports, entertainment, and music excites me. I look forward to disrupting the global digital landscape. We are now fully entrenched in the era of the sharing economy. This sharing is on two fronts. One is sharing things or services courtesy of an array of technologies or facilities. The other front is the information packaged and presented as content: thought leadership, entertainment, utility, or whatever else allows us to begin and continue the conversation among a group of people who wish to engage. Technology is breaking down barriers between brands and customers faster than when social-first operated as engines for connection.
Post lockdown, we've all had to gather our thoughts and rejuvenate a little, allowing us to break through personal and business barriers and communicate with our cross-country counterparts at the speed of light. I've been lucky enough to work in many countries/cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth (in South Africa), Qatar, and recently, the Maldives + UAE. The past 3 years have been a grind and I wouldn't want it any other way. To pick up a laptop, deal with your team members and partners all around the world. Adaptation is key, and building relationships is crucial, be it on Emails, Teams, Calls, WhatsApp, etc. A solid track record of new business/upselling and cross-selling on high-value accounts helps push your mental state for optimal performance.
Pick a Passion and make it work for you. Mine has always been Sports and Music, and luckily enough to be a House DJ in the entertainment industry and an amateur Sportsman, which has allowed me to use my personality to network further within the industry.
The End Product? It's always great to send off Media artwork on time and to see it live, where we know we have created and developed these pieces of Creative beauty. To top that, I saw a client who was as excited as ever seeing the projects live. Some of my highlights were seeing the work produced with the team at Grid Worldwide for PSG Football/Qatar Tourism “Where the Best Get Better,” which was displayed on global comms as a TVC and Perimeter Banners in the Stade de Princes was shared by PSG Football team members Thiago Silva. Along with the "Qurated for You" campaign across 16 airports globally. Or the FNB “Words Change The Game” campaign with TVCs and Billboards being placed all over SA. The rebrand of BetKing, where I project lead the BetKing Ethiopia and Kenyan Premier League rollouts. The above campaigns were managed with the "Investment Creative" / "Make it mean Something", GRID Worldwide. Most recently, my part in the DHL B+I Lions Creative across Digital, Abbott Social Media rollout and Three Ships Whisky Mash Tun, Influencer Campaign with the 'Immersed in Culture to Influence it', agency Have you Heard.
I'll finish this off with one of my favorite quotes: “When you make something, when you improve something, when you deliver something, when you add some new thing or service to the lives of strangers, making them happier, or healthier, or safer, or better, and when you do it all crisply and efficiently, smartly, the way everything should be done but so seldom is—you’re participating more fully in the whole grand human drama. More than simply alive, you’re helping others to live more fully, and if that’s business, call me a businessman. Maybe it will grow on me. THERE” ― Phil Knight, Shoe Dog.
I hope you enjoyed the read. I will be sharing some more, especially on my passion and take on the global Sports, Entertainment, and Music industries.
Cheers to us all taking on the global landscape, and I would be interested to know how have you adapted to your ever-changing industry/role.
Keep Safe, Rush!
Rush Bhana #RushBhana #Rush Bhana #Middle East #Qatar
