What I learned in my first 100 days at Buzzfeed
Simon Veksner joined BuzzFeed Australia as creative director in December last year. Here, he compares his new role to his adland days, where free biscuits were banned and ‘argument with creative director – 1.5 hrs’ never showed up on the timesheet.
After 20 years of working in ad agencies, I have now spent 100 days at BuzzFeed.
So what’s different?
First of all, the pace. The joke we used to trot out in one of my previous agencies was “we may be slow, but at least we’re expensive.” At BuzzFeed, we’re completing projects in days, not months.
Sounds like purgatory.
Enjoy the unwarranted smugness all Buzzfeed employees adopt as much as you can before you lose all your previous friends who can no longer stand your listicles and boring bragging about unlimited snacks mate.
Great article. Couple of comments though.
For someone so infatuated with data you should know there’s likely to be a significantly higher number of horror stories after ten years some place than after three months. So not really comparing apples to apples, are we?
So you’re saying they hire base on the applicant’s genitalia and skin colour? Nice.
No haters? Except for white people of course. Oh, and men. And conservatives, duh. Yeah, no hate there. And no actual diversity either then. But whose counting?
Using data the way you guys use it is killing creativity. How about using it to document actual effect on brands (effect on sales from all those likes and shares you get from the brilliantly tweaked headlines (i.e. lists)).
Seems to me your view on data and diversity has something in common. Superficial and deceptive.
Wow, you found people like puppies pizza, dating and shopping. You are geniuses after all, aren’t you?
I honestly cannot think of a more horrible place to work, being bossed around by a bunch of authoritarian millenials. Simon, you’re like a newly-wed. Three months in you’re still in love. Fair enough.
I give it a year. If you’re still in love, you have officially been institutionalised. And if that can happen to an intelligent Gen-X: abandon hope all ye who enter Buzzfeed.
@The Devil’s Advocate
You sound like an absolute douchebag. The guy is clearly enjoying himself and you try to tear him down.
The media industry has moved on from that attitude, maybe you should just move on in general.
@The Devil’s Advocate– Where do work? Need to ensure we’re never in a room together with a client.
Hmmmm…I think the two previous commenters, despite their complete inability to respond to any of my points, may have a point.
I’m being too harsh on Simon here. I’m sure he’s a nice guy and glad he found a job he liked.
Sorry Simon. Honestly.
Buzzfeed is still an indoctrination camp though.
@newguard
Next time you find yourself in a room with a man who makes you feel out of your depth….it’s probably me.
What was that? Narrow it down you say?
@ TDA
Judging by your comments comments, I’d say we are looking for:
– A white male, aged 40- 50
– Potentially clean shaven, bald and sporting black, thick rectangular glasses (Moby style)
– You are jaded from his many years in media and claim a LinkedIn title like ‘media professional’ – even though you are anything but
– You will try to appear relevant and assimilate with your much younger (and probably more driven and successful) peers – eg – wear Converse sneakers and Nudie Jeans – although all you really want is a warm cup of tea and someone to hug you and tell you everything will be ok.
– Despite your wannabe ‘cool older guy facade’ you cannot deny your age and and the stereotypical 70’s attitude – e.g – you will often whinge that people are to easily offended, people are soft these days, diversity is a waste of time, ‘in my day’ stories, etc
– You will continue to troll and harass people on Mumbrella, believing that you are edgy and funny. The reality is you do no work, get no recognition in your role and generally ‘just exist’ in the middle rungs of agency land – safe and anonymous.
Finally, can you prove that I’m wrong and give your name, rank and title?
The funny thing is that you, with your simplistic, stereotypical view of the world, got it so wrong.
I bet I’m better than this than you.
You’re one of those people who get really offended when other people resort to ageist, racial and gender stereotypes.
One of those people who, if I talked in the same condescending way about, say, black females aged 20-30, would climb up on your moral high horse, absolutely outraged.
One of those tolerant, compassionate people who, if I told you who I was, would gather all your cool, liberal friends and bully me out of the industry.
One of those people who are pathologically incapable of constructing a single argument on your own, resorting instead to ad hominems (managing, in the process, to be ageist, sexist and racist).
One of those people for whom an apology from one’s opponent will never suffice, nor does it ever occur to them to give one themselves.
Because if you admit to yourself that you’re wrong about even the most insignificant detail, your entire ideological house of cards will come crashing down over you.
But deep down in that tiny brain of yours, there’s the tiniest tinge of an itch…”what if he’s right”, it says.
I hope you keep nurturing that itch by exposing yourself to comments by people wiser than you.
(Or, you just have a small penis)