With astonishingly fortuitous timing, Andrew McGuinness, Partner at the hugely successful Beattie McGuinness Bungay has just published an article through the IPA on the persistent rumours of the demise of the Account Man.
Needless to say, the idea that we Suits are no longer necessary (or even an 'expensive legacy') is not one that sits comfortably with me, and I'm glad to see Mr McGuinness refute these claims, as eloquently as you might expect from someone in his position.
It's not for me to reiterate or rephrase what he's said - all I can say is that it lifts my heart to see someone pour water on the fallacy. The problem (and I won't deny that there can sometimes be one) isn't Suits, who at their best can be the heart and soul of an agency (and, perhaps even more importantly, a key driver of revenue) - it's Bad Suits. And Bad Suits, like Bad Creatives, Bad Planners, Bad Designers, Bad Producers and Bad People in general are a scourge that have no place in our industry.
3 comments:
Chris Powell used to describe suits as 'impresarios'; they don't write it or star in it, or fund it, but without them the shown just wouldn't go on.
Always quite like that one.
I've only met Andrew McGuinness once. I know that his partner gets most of the press and the glory, but I was blown away by how good McGuinness is.
He commands a room, he knows how to get the response he wants, he's unbelievably insightful and he doesn't talk nonsense. There aren't many better role models for the position.
(I'm posting anonymously, so it isn't ass-kissing, right?)
I emailed him yesterday to share my support for his views, and received a reply - extremely unexpected, but the mark of a true gent (the importance of which is another post for the future).
I've heard extremely good things about him myself.
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