By Christine Smith

I want to change the future of advertising. 

So far I’ve worked at 3 different agencies in Denmark. At BBDO Copenhagen (6 month internship), at a small agency – O&O (2,5 years junior AD) and latest at Black Rabbit – a part of the biggest agency in Denmark, Kunde & Co (4 month Creative/AD). I really enjoyed learning a lot from the industry and the amazing people in it. And I’m really happy for the opportunities they gave me. Without them, I wouldn’t be at SCA.

While working there, something kept crossing my mind. Something was missing.

Maybe its because of the financial crisis but I think many agencies are holding back their best creative ideas. Or maybe not presenting them. It feels like they’re trying so hard to not lose their clients that they forget what everything is about. Forget their passion. Forget taking risks. Forget to challenge the brief. Make themselves a part of it. Make things matter more than “just a job”. 

Not many people get to do what they really love every day. As the Buddha said very wisely on one of the first days at SCA – we all get the chance to choose in every single situation. 

Actually we – as creatives – choose what the client gets to choose between. We just have to make it easy for them. Make our crazy ideas the obvious unexpected answer. 

I know that there will always be some fear involved. We are choosing the future of THEIR precious baby. They’re afraid of the fact that we could kill it before it was even born. They would always ask WHY and think about how much return on investment it would be. 

So…when the day comes where we have to present THE ‘dream-idea-no-one-thought-was-possible-because-it’s-so-amazing-but-YOU-actually-created-it’ idea. I think we should talk the clients language, which is not abstract or funky but serious, business minded and simple. Tell them they have to invest in this idea not only with money but with the creative currency – courage. With feelings and hope. 

Don Draper go home. 

I want to be at SCA because I want to make those ideas. Make them for real. Make brands famous. Add value to peoples lives. 

But also, I think it’s my turn to give back to the industry who already gave me so much. By keeping the good ideas alive. By showing them a new way of making the advertising industry better for the future. Not just for the brands but also for the people. By paying in a creative currency – courage.