SCABs

A lovely bunch of coconuts @JoeySare

by Joe Sare
Over the past week, the agency visits have somewhat reaffirmed my previous thoughts about the sort of agency I think I want to work for after leaving SCA. And although we’re not even at the start of building any work that would be considered good, let alone great, it’s quite clear which agencies stood out. Those were the ones that made me leave with a ‘fuck yeah, that’s for me, I’d love to work for them’. I very well may change my mind as I start producing work- but so far, I’m definitely going to try and follow up with two really standout agencies I saw, and see which other players have a similar mentality towards advertising and its future.
For me, it wasn’t the agencies with receptions the size of Texas or those with enough money for campaigns to fill an Olympic swimming pool, it was those who made it clear that their rallying cry is to deliver beautiful, meaningful campaigns that work. It was those who are always pushing for what’s next and know that taking risks on ideas, adapting and developing to technologies, and flowing into other media fields to seek inspiration is the way the Adland is going to go. It’s brains over bricks all the way.
That’s not to say I didn’t see the value in the other agencies we visited- the opportunities to work with some awe-inspiring clients, to travel the world and to have such a depth of knowledge and skill surrounding you that anything that can be thought up can be made is tempting.
Much of their advice given will be set in my brain. Some left me bouncing and slightly giddy once we’d left the building. Amongst the many scribbles in my notebook from many different people, I believe it was Blake Waters from Leo Burnett who reiterated the point that you should always strive to be bigger than advertising- something that I hope I will always refer to when creating work.
Meeting the ex-SCAers (Is that word correct? what a gross-looking set of letters) brought to home what SCA is all about- its sticking your neck out and always wanting to push to be better, so that you can get to where you want to go. They too gave some sound words of advice, both for SCA and about their agencies that were greatly appreciated. I really didn’t get the chance to get more than a few sentences out before we left, so I hope those of you who return will kick around after class for a drink.
I think that my own work needs to be honest and smart in a way I can see myself working in the future. I think we all just hope we find an agency who we’d happily give an arm and a leg to if it was asked.
I’m reminded of that old Monty Python song- I don’t think I’m looking for the big agency or the small agency: just one that’s as big as my head. That’s not meant to imply my ego, but my current mindset towards what advertising I love. Maybe then it should mean as big as my heart.

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