17 Rules To Make Ad Agencies Actually Awesome Places To Work

17 Rules To Make Ad Agencies Actually Awesome Places To Work

As told through the heroes of stock images. Because these people get it.

1. Keep every meeting size, project team and approval

process as small as possible. Layers of people are the enemy of good work. Just look how happy and efficient

this guy is in his two-person meeting.

2. Never squash an idea during brainstorming.

If you don’t like it, make it better. Or at least keep your mouth shut like this fella here.

3. Always assume there’s a way to make it happen.

Your job is finding creative ways to solve problems. So get on with it. And then celebrate

with hands raised over your head in an alternating fist-pump situation.

4. If you’re ready to make a decision, do it.As long as it falls under a domain of expertise

someone hired you for or trusted you with, don’t wait for approvals, coworkers or other extraneous puzzle pieces. Just give it the toothy-grinned thumbs up and

keep shit moving.

5. If you don’t know, say so.No one’s going to be mad at you for genuinely looking for help, but faking understanding or preparedness could seriously hurt a project and damage your coworkers’ trust in you. JUST LOOK AT THIS FACE OF BETRAYAL.

6. Come in when you feel like it. (But by 10am.)If you work better at 6am, by all means go for it. We’ll see you at

9:30ish, with our IV drip of coffee and cream attached beneath our rolled up suit sleeves while we

work on 2004 Acer laptops.

7. Leave when you’re done.Butts in chairs don’t create great

work. Happy people motivated by trust and freedom do. This rib-

tattooed woman is clearly enjoying her flexibility. Shouldn’t you?

8. Schedule all meetings between 10am-5pm.

Anything else and you might become the only reason someone has to be at the office. Which will result in your

coworkers feeling like this toward you. Which is unadvisable.

9. Never brag about working more than 40 hours a week.

Late-night and weekend work isn’t something to celebrate. It’s something to fix. Look how cute this lady’s house is.

That’s where life happens. Not the office.

10. Protect your coworker’s inbox like it’s your own.

Keep emails as short, functional and real-persony as possible. And for the love of god,

question every cc before hitting send. Either that, or you might as well be punching your coworker

in the face with novelty-sized boxing gloves.

11. Fight against phone calls.They’re disruptive by nature and

generally accomplish nothing that a solid email couldn’t. This woman’s

reaction? It’s not because she just got a GIF-filled work email. It’s because

her phone is actually ringing. RINGING. The audacity.

12. Never leave a voicemail. Ever. For anyone.

This lady is only smiling while checking her voicemail because she’s about to find out who she will permanently cut out of her

professional and social life.

13. Become friends with clients.

You’ll make better work if you love them, and they’ll trust you more if they love you.

You could even say it’s a circle of trust. GET IT?

14. Never dress up. Not even for clients.

Come out from behind that facade of client clothes,

friend. After all, you’re not performing surgery or going

before a judge. You’re pitching an idea about a pop-up petting zoo. You can wear

jeans for that.

15. Check your bad mood at the door.

You think this lady is ready to create great work and have fun

doing it? Attitudes are contagious and life is short.

Chin up, kiddo.

16. Always have music playing.Music is the easiest and most powerful

way to foster a positive, energetic environment. It may create a few

challenges at times, but everything will be A-OK in the end.

17. Have fun.Like this photo, the creative industry is hilarious and crazy and full of

amazing people who (also) never thought they’d never be in advertising. The projects you’ll work on together, the situations you’ll find yourselves in, the number of times you’ll believe you’re the only

sane ones on the planet...embrace it all. And when you can’t anymore, you’ll know it’s time to move on. Simple as that.

Help others run with their hands over their heads.

Share this presentation. It’s good for your soul.

XOXO,