I like to think of how fortunate I am to have worked in a creative agency in the past. Today, I am considered a client as I currently work as part of the marketing department for an FMCG company. No doubt, I've had the best of both worlds in that sense. As soon as I graduated from college, I was excited to start my career--applying left and right to agencies and brand-related job openings. As a student, I just knew in my heart that I love brands. And I wanted to follow that.
So am I happier as a client or in agency? Definitely, these two are different. Each has its own pros and cons, and I'm pretty sure a lot of college students are wondering which path to take. In this post, I'll be sharing what I think of working in an agency and as a client. Just a caveat though: these are all taken from my work experience, and nothing is really the same for everyone.
THE AGENCY SIDE
In working in an agency, time is of the essence. Needless to say, agencies can't live without their clients (whether it's a big agency or not, they need their clients). So it's important we meet client deadlines. There are times when the client would give us very limited time to accomplish a task--and let's face it, brilliant ideas don't just happen overnight. Agencies have to work with whatever time the client gives them. If there's a pitch or presentation, we have to work within their time frame. When dealing with any client deliverable, my Managing Director would joke, "Russian or Argentinian?" (which sounds in Filipino as "Rush yan or Urgent Din Yan?"; translated in English: "Is this Rush or Urgent?").
And yet, Agencies have no sense of time. How so? Work also includes the weekends; Holidays here in Manila are pointless for agencies. Rather, these supposed holidays tend to be days for finishing materials. At times, our Creative Team together with Strat. Planners (see my next article on the basic structure of agencies) would stay overnight working on a project. I recall vividly how our Creative Director and members of his Creative Team would come to work after lunch. Or worse, leave work after lunch. Or worst of all, leave the office after 3 consecutive nights working in the office. It's no wonder some would come to work wearing dark-colored shades and our constant reliance on coffee.
THE CLIENT SIDE
For Clients, especially into FMCG, time is important. For FMCGs, it's critical to get our finished goods in trade on time, which is why we are always wary of meeting deadlines--such as budget approvals, finalize artworks, mock-ups, color approval, pre-production, production, pipeline to distributors and more. Any delay has a domino effect--it affects other departments, other deadlines and ultimately, our entire plan for the brand.
Clients can manage their time better. Clients work under the usual work hours--say, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm--unlike agencies. Lunch time is typically an hour, so you can expect clients to be unreachable clients from 12-1 pm.
THE AGENCY SIDE
I find that nothing beats the office of creative agencies. They're meant to be conducive for creativity and inspiration, which is why it's meant to be fun. Obviously, it's stylish. In the agency I worked for, not only were the office furniture stylish but also expensively stylish--as in, Philippe Starck furniture. Admittedly, in spite of our seats being expensive and stylish, it did not feel entirely ergonomic. In the end, the atmosphere is--for most agencies I've been to--fun, playful and comfortable. We had our own game area, a sleeping area and more! It practically feels like home, especially with our kitchen. And you may or may not notice this if you've been to an agency office, but they always have a shower.
THE CLIENT SIDE
Client offices are typical--it's designed to be utilitarian and simplistic. Most, if not all, have a so-called "War Room" (thanks to Sun Tzu's infamous "Art of War"), and you can expect a boardroom or two. Seats are comfortable, and you will find the usual cubicle and office desk set-up. Somehow, the environment feels very rigid and stiff if not for a co-worker cracking up a joke.
THE AGENCY SIDE
Without a doubt, personal fashion and style are embraced in agencies. Casual attire can be acceptable. Especially for those working in the Creative Team, you are free to dress in whichever way you want. Of course, when meeting clients they do have to be a bit more professional. In the confines of their office, however, they are free to wear whatever they want, be it slippers, shirt, jeans, etc.--as long as their superiors are alright by it.
THE CLIENT SIDE
Clients are obviously dressed in business attire. Here in Manila, it's acceptable for men to wear polo and slacks. No one really wears a necktie or suit unless mandated by their company. As for ladies, we typically wear skirt or slacks, high-heeled shoes or closed flats, and a decent blouse or polo. You can be fashionable even in business attire, but only to a certain extent as showing too much skin is unacceptable. On the one hand, some companies do have their own office attire. Take for instance, with my current employer in which we are supposed to wear our Company Shirts on Mondays and Fridays.
- BRANDS MANAGEMENT VS. BRAND MANAGEMENT
THE AGENCY SIDE
Agencies handle multiple brands. If you really want to have experience handling multiple brands, agency would be the best way to go. You all have access to the multiple brands handled by your agency. Big agencies such as Ogilvy and McCann have their own compilation of case studies for brands they've handled. It's only made privy to current members of their company though. The more global the agency, the more access you have for information that can help you better make decisions (for Planners, that is).
THE CLIENT SIDE
As far as being a client goes, if you're a manager for a brand then that's all there is. Of course, it's a different matter altogether if you're a Marketing Director handling multiple brand managers (and thus, different brands). But you get the picture--you only see as far as what you have. Your only source of information in making choices would be the data given by research agencies, your knowledge of handling other brands in the past, and your gut-feel. If your team handles Brand X, then expect the rest of your days constantly working on Brand X.
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So in the end, is one better than the other? What's interesting is that agencies are quite the opposite of client-side, as I'm sure you've found above. In pursuing your career path, it would be best if you already know what you want from the start--whether agency or client. But it's not too late to make that switch if you feel like you could do better somewhere else. I've done that, and I have no regrets. There are times I miss being in an agency, but I find personal fulfillment being in the client-side. It's that simple for me.
