There is a well-known story in the advertising industry :

Piyush Pandey goes to the client’s office, and when he’s just reached the gate, the client knows a great idea is on its way. This happens, because they all respect Piyush Pandey and also because Piyush Pandey respects what the client really wants.

Today, it’s 2018, with 8 months gone. Advertising is evolving faster than you can imagine. There’s digital advertising, new platforms, new means of communication, new ways to interact with consumers, and new mediums to execute creative ideas

But somehow the clients can’t keep up. They are never convinced that the ideas suggested by the agencies are great for their brand. It’s because the clients are too accustomed to playing it safe. Somewhere, it’s also the fault of agencies that did not battle hard and gave in. Of course, everybody has bills to pay. Whatever the reason, a majority of clients don’t trust risky ideas. And the lack of trust has its root in the lack of respect. It almost seems like the clients outsource the work to agencies for lack of time and not talent.

To create good campaigns, we need good ideas. But to create great campaigns, we need good ideas, good execution, good client servicing leaders, smart marketing agents on the client’s side, and above all, MUTUAL RESPECT among all the players in the game.

Of course, no good idea truly ever dies. Agencies have a way of morphing it and selling it to other clients. We usually call it recycling. But it’s the client that is too timid to take risks that ends up losing.

You could argue that not everyone is Piyush Pandey. To that, the only counter argument is: Piyush Pandey didn’t become who he is by playing it safe. And the brands he played got bigger by the day because they believed in his big ideas.

So as an agency if we don’t have the client’s respect, if we give them whatever they want without making a strong argument, we are only limiting ourselves from becoming great advertisers.