Australia’s Ad News is running a piece on the value of a good “suit” by Chris Kay, Head of Account Management at BMF, which is one of the country’s most creative shops.
The ability to spot an opportunity where no-one else can, to build the nub of a thought into a fully grown idea, the drive to lead a team from good to great, and the nous to maximize all revenue opportunities; are the characteristics of a hard working “creative entrepreneur” which you could argue seems like a better summation of what is needed from a modern account man.
It’s this expertise alongside their more strategic and creative partners that an account man brings to the agency holy trinity – or the less grand-sounding “project team” as we call it at BMF. Although I would argue – and clearly being one myself – that it’s the account person or aptly titled “creative entrepreneur” who drives this core project team with their creative and planning brethren to make the type of work that becomes admired the world over.
We all know how the creative team loves to be “driven” by a suit. Argh.
Yet, someone must lead and if/when that person is deeply committed to “the work” and seeing it get produced as envisioned, then the creatives and everyone else will follow this person. Over a cliff, if necessary.