We come across all sorts of successful companies every day but how often do we stop and ask, "Who is the person behind all of this?" Leo Burnett is now a well-known, global advertising agency, but to whom do we owe credit for all the great ads that came from it? How can one man lead to such great success with 95 offices in 84 countries? (Who has the energy?!) It takes a lot to do creative for a lifetime. That kind of dedication takes guts. Being creative, and succeeding in creative, means years of people saying, "meh" until you finally succeed. Burnett started his agency in 1935. In less than 20 years, the billings exceeded $46 million and the agency made top ten. After changing hands a couple of times, Leo Burnett is now a part of Publicis Groupe. The total billings have since exceeded $2 billion. To think, something that is now worth billions started off as just one simple idea from one mind.
In the beginning, there were three accounts: Minnesota Valley Canning Co., Hoover Co., and Realsilk Hosiery. The success grew from there! It wasn't the money or glamorous accounts, it was the culture. Working at Leo Burnett was never about personal wealth. It still isn't. It has always been about the beauty of a great ad. And with great ads, money follows. As do clients. Burnett was constantly working to get new clients. With each ad, the business grew. This is all due to one key concept: insight. Insight is all sorts of things. Insight is smart thinking, problem-solving, and an emotional experience, all wrapped up in one "Aha" moment. Imagine all the "Aha" moments that have happened in Leo Burnett offices all over the world over the last 83 years. All the people that have worked at this one-of-a-kind agency. And all the great ads that came as a result. And it can all be attributed to one man and his insight.
Ads are problems if you think about it. Each one requires great thought and a new approach. With little consideration, you'll never get the right solution. With a little insight, you can bring people to tears or make them laugh until they end up in the same place. A great ad can bring people together. It can make people believe in anything. An ad can be a solution to product problems, company problems, industry problems, and even world problems. A good ad can endure the years, and even advance society. Braniff Air (RIP) owed its success of differentiation to one woman at the ad agency in charge of their account. Apple owes its success to their 1984 Super Bowl spot. Corona was made successful in the states due to its advertised association with beaches. Ads change lifestyles. Maybe not always for the best (@ Carl's, Jr. models eating saucy burgers while maintaining a size 0 figure. Impossible!) but they can fill people with hopes and dreams. Really moving ads just keep getting better and better. Companies are tackling social issues, political issues, natural disaster relief, etc. Google's 2017 Year in Search ad is increasingly inspiring every time I see it. The Budweiser Someone Waits for You spot discouraging drunk driving is my personal kryptonite as a doting pet parent. All of these great products of advertising are due to creative people sitting at their creative little desks doing creative things day in and day out.
Not everyone is grateful for ads. But why not? Not only are ads created with insight, but they provide insight. I don't think I have ever purchased a product without first seeing an ad for it. And there are products I have decided not to purchase due to bad ads. Perhaps I have put Leo Burnett on a pedestal, but I whole-heartedly believe we can attribute the concept of a great ad to his work. Not every great ad comes from a Leo Burnett office, and not every ad from a Leo Burnett office is great, but somebody had to be the first. And I like to think it was Leo.
J. Jason van Steenburgh, Jessica I. Fleck, Mark Beeman, and John Kounios, Insight
https://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/leo-burnett/98551/
https://adage.com/article/news/world-s-top-25-7-bcom3-group/54910/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI4LHl4yFuo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56b09ZyLaWk
I like your perspective on how ads are beneficial. You are completely right, the ads do determine if I make a purchase. This changed my negative view on the constant ads we see everywehere.
ReplyDeleteI think that advertising would be one area where it is especially hard to be creative since so many products are similar. Not only do you have to be creative, you also have to think of something that no one has thought of to advertise a car or type of food before.
ReplyDeleteAdvertising is so interesting because its something that affects us for nearly the entire day, without a lot of conscious thought. Something that influences us that must absolutely takes a lot of creativity. This makes me think of the show Mad Men, and how advertising, like many other creative fields, has a lot of big personality and drama along with it, but ultimately unique products are made, which is cool.
ReplyDeleteIt's refreshing to see that putting the product before profit is truly the way to succeed. Too many companies today are releasing content or products that they know will sell well but garner a distaste from the fans or customers for a bigger payoff. Leo Burnett should visit and show these people how to really run a company!
ReplyDelete