The Immortal Life of Agencies

This episode features Omid Farhang, co-founder and CEO of Majority - Adweek's newly crowned Multicultural Agency of the Year. This is a fascinating insight into how one man very consciously transitioned from insecurity to market leadership.  From starting a podcast that became his personal 'business school curriculum', to purposefully connecting with the CMOs he most admired, Omid shares how Majority has redefined ‘multicultural’ from marginal to mainstream. As he puts it, "Beyoncé doesn’t make a different album for black people and white people. Why do agencies?" He also describes why it’s so important to dismantle formality in client relationships and why he encourages his team to have a very specific kind of 'bad meeting'.  Omid also beautifully fulfils the show’s promise of optimism - seeing creative problem solvers as his ultimate source of positivity, and how independent agencies are raising the creative bar for everyone, including network shops.  HIGHLIGHTS:  [03:26] The difference between being ‘multicultural’ and ‘for the culture’ [06:51] How a podcast became Omid’s business school [10:56] Cracking the CMO code [12:07] How formality harms clients relationships [14:44] When fear is justified  [16:52] The two kinds of bad meetings [19:19] Breaking out of the multicultural niche [22:38] Diversity isn’t a risk management strategy  [26:22] Why small agencies are thriving right now [29:00] How bureaucracy gets in the way [31:56] The hopefulness of creativity MORE ABOUT OMID: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/omid-farhang [https://www.linkedin.com/in/omid-farhang-74420566/] Website: majorityagency.com [https://majorityagency.com/] HOST SOCIALS: Linkedin:  linkedin.com/in/robinbonn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbonn]   Twitter: twitter.com/robonn [https://twitter.com/robonn%20%20] MORE ABOUT CO:DEFINERY: codefinery.com [http://codefinery.com]

“Running an agency is like doing a jigsaw with some of the pieces missing.” How’s that for candour from GroupM’s EMEA’s CEO Josh Krichefski? This conversation unpacks the joys and challenges of running an agency of international scale - from the inevitable cycle of client wins and client losses, to the increasingly transformational needs of modern clients.  Josh also offers his perspective on the trends reshaping the industry, including how AI is enhancing efficiency, redefining agency operations and emphasising the importance of human creativity and intelligence.  In his other role, as President of the IPA, Josh has made mental health central to his agenda. He shares his perspective on therapy, resilience and open communication. In particular, he explains how agency differentiation and new technologies can positively impact wellbeing as the industry evolves. HIGHLIGHTS: [02:16] How the industry is in fast-forward [06:30] Why AI is only part of the solution to pressure on agencies [08:59] The impact of AI on the billable hour  [09:50] Becoming more client-driven at group level [15:05] The impact of losing long-term clients  [16:40] What clients are increasingly demanding from agencies [20:20] Differentiating on people vs data [24:02] What agencies still need to figure out on wellbeing  [28:35] Connecting differentiation, winning and mental health [30:34] Taking the pain out of agency life MORE ABOUT JOSH: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/josh-krichefski [https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-krichefski-6828425/?originalSubdomain=uk] Website: groupm.com [https://www.groupm.com/] HOST SOCIALS: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/robinbonn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbonn]   Twitter: twitter.com/robonn [https://twitter.com/robonn%20%20] MORE ABOUT CO:DEFINERY: codefinery.com [https://www.codefinery.com]

“The best way to win the game is by not playing the game.”  How’s that for a hot take on the agency business?  It’s from Mischief’s fascinating and thoughtful Chief Creative Officer, Greg Hahn. In this episode, we unpack just how pervasive fear has become in the agency business - including where it shows up and what to do about it.  In a world where agencies have become so meek, he’s even heard clients say that their agencies are afraid of them. Clearly this is not the path to good work. This leads to what Greg calls ‘malicious obedience’ - where fearful agencies prioritize clients’ immediate wants over their long-term needs.  Since co-founding Mischief just four years ago, no wonder he’s worked hard to create a culture of safety. That goes a long way to explaining how they’ve created such impressive results in such a short time.  HIGHLIGHTS: [02:05] Client Needs vs. Client Wants  [04:40] How the Pandemic changed Client/Agency Dynamics [08:07] Freedom and Responsibility [13:03] Building a Culture of Safety  [16:06] Charging Clients and Valuing Senior Talent  [27:20] Fear in the Creative Process  [30:45] Advice for Young Creatives [32:06] Balancing Work and Life  [38:19] The Future of Agencies MORE ABOUT GREG: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/greghahn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greghahn777/] Website: mischiefusa.com/ [https://mischiefusa.com/] HOST SOCIALS: Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbonn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbonn]   Twitter - https://twitter.com/robonn [https://twitter.com/robonn%20%20] MORE ABOUT CO:DEFINERY: https://www.codefinery.com [https://www.codefinery.com]

“Creativity is our ‘special sauce’”. Really, though - is it?  This is the episode I’ve wanted to record for ages. I finally get to address my bemusement at agency leaders claiming that ‘creativity’ is their agency’s point of difference, and then delivering conference keynotes where they also say it’s the whole industry’s USP.  Thankfully, here’s Jo Wallace - the always eloquent Global ECD at Jellyfish and founder of Good Girls Eat Dinner. Her experience and wisdom - gleaned from her fascinating career path - helps shed some light on what ‘creativity’ actually does.  Jo explores how her job is to provide robust solutions for clients, especially when her agency is invited into the right conversations. She also talks about the consistency of client challenges and the opportunities that new tools offer everyone in the creative industry.  This takes us onto the subject of diversity, in all its forms - particularly diversity of thought. Jo unpack where the best ideas come from and how different lenses make all the difference.  Finally we explore the importance of taking a position on societal issues - whether that’s creatives, agencies or brands - and how we can all take responsibility for building a better world.  HIGHLIGHTS: [03.45] Why agencies are poor at selling themselves  [07.00] Seeking new tools to address client problems [11.50] How Jellyfish’s differences land with clients  [14.50] Defining ‘creativity’ more broadly  [16.45] The myths and misinformation around equality  [20.19] How inequality hurts the economy  [24.20] Why advancement of one group doesn’t mean another is being held back [26.35] Should agencies be doing more to promote societal change [29.35] Whether brands willing to stand on the right side of history MORE ABOUT JO: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/wallacejo/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/wallacejo/]  Website - jellyfish.com/ [https://www.jellyfish.com/]  Good Girls Eat Dinner - https://www.goodgirlseatdinner.com/ [https://www.goodgirlseatdinner.com/]  HOST SOCIALS: Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbonn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbonn]   Twitter - https://twitter.com/robonn [https://twitter.com/robonn%20%20]  MORE ABOUT CO:DEFINERY: https://www.codefinery.com [https://www.codefinery.com]

Just over a year ago, Common Interest burst onto the scene with the acquisition of former Coke and Airbnb CMO Jonathan Mildenhall’s fabled branding agency, TwentyFirstCenturyBrand. It was one hell of an entrance into the global agency space. Today’s guest is Anthony Freedman, Common Interest’s CEO and Founder. Together we unpack how he’s building a new kind of holding company.  Of course, we’ve all heard ‘new kind of…’ rhetoric before, but Anthony is unusually clear on how he’s looking to do it - in this case, to accelerate brand and business growth through creativity in popular culture. Check out his response when I challenged him on his ‘brands in culture’ proposition. He’s definitely serious about being different.  There are so many learnings on offer here. From why specialisation matters and how risk aversion hampers innovation at scale, to unhelpful agency conditioning and how to avoid like-for-like comparison with your competitive set.  For Anthony, being different is a commercial imperative. So if you want your own agency to create lasting standout, then you’re going to love this episode.  HIGHLIGHTS:  [02:32] What makes Common Interest different. [05:48] Why CMOs struggle with cultural relevance. [08:48] Redefining the concept of holding companies. [13:05] A new model for cultural relevance. [19:56] The distinction between agency positionings and value propositions. [21:33] Why so few agencies are genuinely different. [25:05] Avoiding the race to the bottom. [29:01] His inspiration to be different.  [36:30] Being right for some clients and wrong for others. [38:20] The power of being the only choice for your target audience.  MORE ABOUT ANTHONY: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/anthonyfreedman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyfreedman/] Website - commoninterest.co [https://commoninterest.co] HOST SOCIALS: Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbonn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinbonn/]   Twitter - https://twitter.com/robonn [https://twitter.com/robonn]   MORE ABOUT CO:DEFINERY: https://www.codefinery.com [https://www.codefinery.com]