Can I Get A "Go Team!"

I just wanted to say that now more than ever I believe that tasks completed at an agency are a huge team effort.

I just worked on a relatively small task that somehow pulled in a whole bunch of people to complete it. It began with a focus group and a survey (well, really, it began far before that to get to questioning a certain group of people, but let's not get too big picture) - this task began with answers to a simple online questionnaire. I had coded the survey and was now looking at the results.

After I pulled several key quotes, I worked with a production person and a designer to talk about what we wanted to pull together. It was a simple quote book with the quotes from the survey.

The production person and I worked out the technical things like how big, how many copies, when is it due, etc.; then we went to the designer to talk about what we wanted it to look like, for whom (the client), by whom (our target), and what it should feel like. Along goes the quotes I gathered into something presentable.

With several points of approval (creative, planning, account services), this little book got looked over by about 10 sets of eyes. It's next to last stop was printing. Talking with the studio department, the correct format and layout was determined and 5 copies were printed out. More technical things like the type of paper used for the cover was a bit thicker than the rest of the book, the printed sheets had to be cut out, the spiral binding we originally chose was being scrapped for staples because the books were so thin, and a several person manhunt for the stapler in question all brought about these spectacular little quote books.

Oh, and did they dazzle - the client was so impressed that account services and planning decided we should print 20 more! I would say a job well done.

With all of the input from so many departments, it's hard to say that one person or just a few people were responsible for the wonderful end product. I have always respected each position within the advertising agency, but it's just so great to see it all in action. As I was leading the project and making sure it got from A to B, I really heard some of the things I wouldn't normally hear about what is needed during each step. I know I talked about this before but it is a great idea to get to know what each person does to get a project out the door so you have an understanding of the timelines, pressures, needs/specifications, and sometimes limitations of what each person or role can handle.

I also just really enjoyed getting to work with that many people in the agency and seeing something so great come out at the end. So as cliche as it may seem - go team!! (Oh no, that rhymed too - haha.)