Life IS different on the agency side
After spending the first (23) years of my career on the vendor side of media sales I was ready to embark on a new challenge and one not borne out of desperation or promises of greener pastures mind you. In April of 2016 I left a great team, company and high level media sales position to join AMDG. I was energized by jumping into something that I THOUGHT I knew; though, I knew I had a lot to learn if that makes any sense. The opportunity to truly be on the front lines of creative ideation, strategy and client decision making was too enticing to pass up. Plus, maybe I can finally wear those skinny jeans to work and those cool, hip, designer glass frames I’ve always fancied!
Truth be told I can neither fit into skinny jeans nor will anyone confuse me with being “hip” or “cool” (just ask my 3 teenage daughters) however it didn’t take long to begin realizing the incredible amount of accountability and importance that an advertising agency assumes for their clients. If you’re a parent you’ve heard the expression, “when your kids hurt, you hurt.” That’s the way I would explain our relationships with our clients. These are driven professionals, owners that have a lot of people depending on them to run a successful business. Simply worrying about posting a schedule or meeting your weekly amount of face-to-face calls pales in comparison (though each have their level of importance). Coming from the television side I used to think watching other competitors’ commercial breaks was excruciating; however, it just might be worse on the agency side because the creative part of your brain is fully engaged – 100% of the time.
Ultimately life on this side has stretched me beyond my wildest dreams; pushing me to think far more creatively and strategically than ever before. It’s like learning how to play the guitar…at 45 years of age! It can be frustrating in the early stages but once you begin making music you know the journey was well worth it.
by Rich Thomas, VP & GM