Client or agency, you’ve been in this meeting: it was all going very well, and everyone had spent weeks nodding in agreement, ‘loving’ the direction of the initial design work. But now the tone’s changed, someone’s boss has asked why their thing isn’t in it, and in the cold light of day the idea doesn’t seem like what it was. As if it’s all been written on tissue paper, and now it’s raining. 

Or it might be at the point of sharing the idea itself: all that enjoyable back and forth around what the idea needs to do, the strategy slides that are full of potential; all of this thinking exists in infinite undefined possibilities, a Schrödinger's cat of creativity, which collapse into a single form as soon as they are turned into art and copy. And you can’t help but think: is it really what we wanted?

These are the times when you shouldn’t lose faith. It’s time to trust the process. This is how we see that process:

So, what process?

Having been a marketing manager, I'm fully aware that it can seem like your agency is spiralling into a world of its own, ignoring your well prepared brief to burnish their creds and awards chances. I'm also aware that as an agency creative it can seem that the client's job is to get in the way, shoot themselves in the foot and generally conspire to turn a glorious creative edifice into an unfulfilling compromise.

But if doing all this, on both sides of the fence, for 15 years has taught me anything, it's that neither client nor agency knows the full picture, and that’s why they need each other. We need each other most when it seems like the whole edifice is at the edge of collapse. It’s a time where defensiveness and ego is a blocker to good process. 

And that all of this process, this back and forth and mutual reliance - is fundamentally dialectical.

A dia-what?

A dialectic is the building to a result through opposing forces: I think this, you think that; we apply reasoned discussion, we come to a conclusion that could only have been reached by the push and pull between the two. 

It's inevitable that an agency and client are going to approach a problem in different ways. But it is also necessary. These opposing forces coming together, and solving for difference through reasoned discussion, are a prerequisite of good work. But it is also, by its nature, a clash that can bring disharmony and conflict. 

So, how do we make the clash work, and stop it from being, well, a clash?

The acceptance of wrongness 

We know that if you brief us to come up with some ideas, we will bring you options that are wrong. Hopefully not all the options will be wrong, but they might be. Understanding how and why they are wrong, and discussing how we address those points, are key to getting to the right thing. 

We reckon it’s better to present multiple options and risk being very wrong than limiting options and carefully attempting to stick to the path. That way we learn. The client also learns; if they know the answer for certain, they probably don't need to brief us. And in marketing, no one knows anything for certain. 

Strategic application of time

Creative thinking needs time. But how much time it needs can be informed by what process we're using and how the client is prepared to work with raw, versus developed, thinking. 

I often think the ideal time for a pitch is either four days or two weeks. Keep it really short and there's no chance for self doubt: the result is a bunch of raw thinking that has its first collision with criticism in front of the client. The discussion that follows can be super productive, if everyone’s in the right frame of mind. Give it two weeks, and we have time to editorialise the process and do some of the wrongness management ourselves; the result will be more developed and actionable. When we work to shorter time frames, we often actually come back with more ideas.

Both can work. What's best for what stage of the process?

Active discussion and open-mindedness 

If we're setting ourselves up for an exchange of views, we’ve learned we have to all be ready for the consequences. Creative discussions are, in my opinion, best done openly and in person where possible, applying a few behaviours to ensure not only that we come out positively, but that we can all be honest and "go there" if we need to. Assume positive intent, and follow the notion of “disagree and commit”. Let our discussion be a safe space. Maybe have a beer afterwards. Or in the middle. Oh and importantly: don't make this meeting too short.

Smushing and killing 

Ever been shown, or presented, three ideas, and ended up going with idea 4, which takes bits of two routes? This smushing together is perfect dialectical behaviour. 

Sometimes though we can keep nudging an idea around until it loses all meaning and magic. At that point, put it out of its misery. People in advertising often talk about bravery, to a meaningless degree; the bravest thing is to say, you know what, this isn't working. 

Spot brief changes and address them

The ideal creative process suggests the correct answer to the question a well-developed brief poses. In reality, teams on both sides follow ideas they like, and develop and build as they go. What this can lead to is an answer which is great, but to a different question to that posed in the brief.

At which point, it’s always wise for everyone to pause, and take a breath. Maybe this has opened a new area and in fact, the brief needs updating - then let’s do that, and make sure we’re all on the same page. Or perhaps we’ve wandered off topic: then let’s re-align. 

Maybe there is no single process

I’ll finish with this. Over the years we’ve made work we’re proud of: quickly, slowly, and slowly then very quickly. We have got to ideas through careful and laborious strategic process and through flashes of inspiration. We’ve made great stuff with clients where the relationship has been joyous throughout, and frequently difficult.

Ultimately what I’m trying to get to is: what wins is mutual respect. Hopefully the behaviours above help create this atmosphere, and the platform for good work, built off solid strategy, clear insights, and honest communication. Perhaps it’s more about rules of thumb, that help prop up trust, than “a process”. Feel free to build on that, and let’s see where it takes us. 

Got a creative problem that needs some push and pull? We’d love to hear from you.