Free Big ideas.
The most sought after advertising agency commodity is the “Big Idea”. Those that can stand up to Nike’s “JUST DO IT”, Gieco’s “FOR 15 MINUTES SAVE 15% ON CAR INSURANCE”, or the long list of incredible viral ideas that agencies have developed for companies like Mini Cooper, Skittles and Apple.
Sean Scogin (co-host of the WeWereThinking Podcast) and I were talking last week about some of the big hurdles with big ideas. Not that either of us don’t agree they are the life blood of a successful agency, but that they come with enormous weight. To be honest, I really didn’t think to much about it until I had pitched a really great idea to a client. They agreed it was great, but didn’t want to invest the money it would take to make it reality. I bitched to my wife and she made a statement that changed the way I will think about big ideas for good. “If the idea is so great, quit bitching about the client not buying it and do it for free, put your money where your idea is.” So right she was. This conversion was the beginning of what is now a mental hurdle in the way I think about new business and that critical “Big Idea”,and something I want to explore more. It’s a statement that agencies need to think hard about and take into consideration each and every time they pitch any idea.
Big ideas - great ideas - usually come with a big price tag. Small Clients or start-ups without the huge million dollar budgets are short changed and sometimes ignored when it comes to being contenders for that agency crack “the big idea”. They are typically assigned junior teams with little experience and are turned into an execution style client and not allowed the agencies big guns (or their big ideas). Agencies protect their big ideas like the Mason’s protect their secrets. And my question is why? To me, a big idea is like holding knowledge and power. If it’s shared, it helps things thrive, helps people in the agency and at the client grow. Sharing ideas shows everyone that you are smart, driven and passionate about what you do and not scared to throw it all into the ring.
We are given the challenge of creating great work for our clients, and sometimes we hit on something that’s much bigger than the client asked for. We can’t just sit on that idea, we have to share it. In sharing we can come off as putting our time and energy into that big idea and leaving the “in budget” ideas nothing more than a sour note to our clients ears, as we have already shared the truly great idea with them. It’s a real catch 22. We forget sometimes that the client has a limited budget, limited time line. We expect our clients to step up to the register and pay up for an idea that may or may not work.
So what now? I think agencies should be willing to put their money into a big idea, or maybe the idea is not so great after all. What can a client do if you are willing to risk your agency’s time and money? If they say no, then they truly don’t want the idea and maybe they shouldn’t be your client and maybe the idea should be taken to someone who does. If they say yes then guess what, the person putting up the cash for the idea gets to control it. Yes the client has some rights to protect themselves, but the agency should remain in control of the project from start to finish. You hear that agencies: YOU STAY IN CONTROL. No watering down of your ideas, no client cutting your budget mid stream, no problems with time lines. Agencies invest all they want, and want to get it done on time because their money is at risk. It is a win win for everyone.
How can giving away ideas for free work? This works no different than an investor believing in a product so much he is willing to put all his money into it. So passionate about its success that they are willing to do anything to make it happen. This is how agencies need to be about their clients business. Willing to invest in them and then reap the returns. This is where the idea starts to unravel a bit. Client’s have to be willing to share in the success of an idea, they can’t keep it all for themselves anymore.
If an agency has an idea, and a client to invest, the client then will share in the profits of that ideas success. Clients must be willing to give up a percentage of profits to the agency in order for the agency to work for free. Seems pretty straight forward to me. So who will do it first? Will it be your agency? Are your ideas so big and great you are willing to put your money where your idea is? If not, someone will. Its a business model that will make someone a fortune.
