The Hindu Business Line : Agencies run on emotions

Advertising is an exacting business that calls for "high levels of efficiency and commitment," says Ram Sehgal in 9 Secrets of Advertising, from Tata McGraw-Hill (www.tatamcgrawhill.com) . He sees the ad industry poised for "bigger and faster growth." To help nurture young talent for the industry, Sehgal distils his decades-long experience into nine chapters, each of which is about a key area.

Such as `managing yourself' that the book opens with, because advertising professionals are `so occupied with managing other people that it is time-out' when it comes to analysing themselves! "It will be rewarding if you can find time to introspect and discover your true self," promises the author, who is currently Chairman of Sreema Institute of Advertising, Pondicherry.

"Do not settle for a job you just happened to get, but find one that will help exploit your talent," he urges. "The sheer number of young people who find themselves in the wrong jobs is quite amazing."

`Secret' 2 is `managing creativity.' Heart of any communication is creativity; and the soul of business is the creative idea, says Sehgal. "It is essential that the agency lends its creative people the emotional support they need. They must have the freedom and space to explore all kinds of ideas without any interference." Account managers routinely kill creativity with fake or unrealistic deadlines, rues the author. "The former creates distrust and the latter burnouts."

The next lesson is to manage clients, who are becoming far different from those of the past. "Everything has to work on short term ... It is becoming tougher to maintain a long-term relationship," frets Sehgal. "Clients demand quick turn-around of ideas - fresh ideas - that can tackle market problems. Historical knowledge of their brands is not of great value, for the pace of change makes such knowledge redundant. What they need is complete revitalisation of their brands to address the new consumer."

Managing people is the fourth `secret.' In spite of being in the communication business, it is surprising to see how poor agencies are in their own internal communication, rues the author. "Internal communication can be used to share client success stories and the role the agency had played. It can acknowledge the role played by certain people and profile them." To help create a spirit of bonding and a focus, give your people `a clearly articulated mission statement', insists Sehgal. "Agencies run on emotions because it is a business by the people and for the people."

Fifth is to manage `account planning' - a task that aims to maintain "a meaningful relationship with consumers." Sehgal sees an identity crisis looming for account planners. "Are they market researchers, media innovators, account coordinators, or the creative department's best friends? There is a definite confusion on this score." He is of the view that planning team members should be drawn from varied areas of expertise, such as "anthropology, ethnography and psychology - to observe how people actually use a product or approach a problem."

In a chapter on `managing change', which comes after chapters on managing media and new business, the author warns the change-hungry that "without a sensible and forward looking vision, the effort of change can easily dissolve into a list of confusing and incompatible projects that can take the company in the wrong direction, or nowhere at all."

Managing finance is Secret No. 9. "I have found a distinct difference between a CFO (chief financial officer) who shows an interest in advertising and one who does not. The first kind begins to understand the operational issues and comprehends the difference between a cost and an investment." Wish we had more such CFOs!

Written in an easy style, with apt anecdotes in ample measure.

http://BookPeek.blogspot.com

D. Murali

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