The biggest cock-up I made in business
In this guest post, Chris Savage urges agency staff to live the brand.
I still shudder when I think about how incredibly stupid I was when I made the biggest stuff up of my career. And then, 18 years later, I did it again. Do not make this mistake with your clients. Ever.
It was 1992. Grant was the most relentless and eager client I ever worked with. He was the marketing manager for a Unilever margarine, Becel. He lived and breathed the product. And as a good client guy and agency man, so did I.
Then I invited Grant and his wife to my home for dinner. Grant and his wife arrived. Hugs all round. And the first thing Grant then did? He walked straight over to my fridge. Opened the door. Excitedly looked inside. And then… his face drained of colour. He literally withdrew in horror. In my fridge- a brand new tub of – no, not Becel, but its mortal enemy… Meadow Lea!
He was heart-broken. Devastated. And so was I. I had blown it. I was not using his product.
ALWAYS use your client’s product if humanly possible – certainly in front of them.
Yes – I know you know that. But do you do it? Always? Truthfully?
David Ogilvy said it was simply good manners to use a client’s products. And he’s right.
I promised myself that day that I would never make that mistake again. Roll the clock forward to 2010. I was having a great ‘get to know you’ lunch with our PR agency’s largest client- the local PR head of a major software company, with her new Singapore based boss. I was on form. Charming. Amusing. Insightful. “You’ve still got it, Chris,” I told myself smugly, having been a bit worried that I was going soft in my corporate head office role, and was not as ‘client fit’ as I used to be . Then, for my final flourish, I asked if I could order them a cab. I took out my mobile phone. They looked at me in horror – all warmth and goodwill evaporating. Dead silence. The air was still.
“What’s up?” I asked, bewildered.
“Your mobile device does not run our software,” they replied. “It only uses a competitive product.”
I was horrified. I had no idea. But I should have done. And I should have been using a device that used their product. They were genuinely upset. I knew I had let them, and my team, down.
Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. (Now- I might have got some of the details wrong of that anecdote, but you get the point).
In both cases my clients were generous enough to forgive my blunders. But the message is clear.
USE YOUR CLIENT’S PRODUCTS. It’s simply good manners to do so. And you break their hearts if you don’t (and seriously undermine the relationship.)
PS. I am SO GLAD we’re working with Moët et Chandon…
- Chris Savage is the COO of STW Group. This post first appeared on his blog Wrestling Possums
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large. He returned to Mumbrella as Publisher in January 2025
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A good advertising professional can sell a product regardless of their personal preference or usage. That’s what we’re paid to do. Does a doctor have to like you to treat you, or a lawyer believe you’re innocent to defend you? A surprisingly naive and fatuous position IMO. I’m happily loyal to the coin, not the cause and could just as easily sell a client’s competitors product if I’m being paid. And the contents of my fridge wouldn’t change!
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Pretty infantile for a client to expect the staff at their agency to slavishly purchase their products, regardless of said products appeal or suitability. Especially in an era when many large clients happily choose to keep several agencies on a roster.
I naturally preference my client’s products whenever possible, but I’d hate to think that purchase was mandatory. Shouldn’t we all be a little more grown-up than that?
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I think it’s important to show your client you care about their products – after all, they’re your client. And I agree with Chris that you should live and breathe the product.
Of course, there’s a line – a tub of margarine and a mobile phone is easy enough to buy – but if my client were Rolls Royce.. that’d be a different issue.
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What’s Becel? Never heard of it. Advertising fail.
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He’s right. I once worked on Huggies so I used them. Had no kids but.
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I agree Chris. The old cliche of ” don’t show a client how much you know, show them how much you care” comes to play her. And as DO said, it’s just good manners. I get very annoyed when my staff don’t follow your lesson.as for Mercenery, he who follows the coin will ultimately be found out as your work just won’t be as good as the guy who gives a shit. One day you will see this.
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I would (and have) be a be bit more quick-witted (and usually honest), explaining that I’m benchmarking competitors.
No red-faces and much kudos for being alert to competitor activity from consumer perspective.
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Can’t wait until they win the Tampax account.
Might bring more life to the margarine vs butter debate too.
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I know how it feels. This time it was a Meadow Lea faux pas after a well attended media launch in the early 80’s when the client congratulated as he left
me “on an extremely successful event…but SHAME ABOUT THE BUTTER” which was stylishly placed on each of the tables. Have never forgot it.
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I worked on a tobacco account once, now I have cancer…
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I worked on a Maccas brief once, now I have diabetes…
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Can you imagine how bad it is working in a food company, having STAFF eat the competitor product in the lunchroom??? Bite the hand that feeds you much?
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I worked on the Kodak account once. Now I have bugger all.
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well written article, a good read. Not always possible to use a client’s product but wherever it makes sense, why not? Agree with the core sentiment – you can’t build a brand unless you live it.
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To ‘The Ugly Truth’:
I “Give a shit” about the advertising being effective. That’s all a client cares about. And therefore what makes me money.
You’ve got to drink their Kool Aid to be able to do your job? Really? How limiting – so many brands you cant work with because you don’t have them in ‘your fridge’. Or do you stock your fridge based on your current client base? How weak. Please grow some prunes man, your better than that!
I’ve never met a client who didn’t think their product was the best things ever. I tell them that’s good because I can sell shit products too. Because I’m good at my job. Try it. And will everyone stop kissing client arse so hard. It’s fucking embarrassing.
Peace out.
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Couldn’t you just reassure them that you are keeping abreast of the competition and point out the limitations/weaknesses of the obviously inferior product and why you now not only know but have first hand experience that their product is superior? Besides a holistic approach is always the best one.
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I know for a fact that just a few years ago all ads for Dell were being produced in the studio on Macs. I’d say this might be the case with a lot of computer/tech brands… And I don’t really see that changing…
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A few years ago landed a new client and did a massive launch campaign for a
new version of artwork software. Of course the artwork for the new campaign had to be created using the new software. The art director hated it and complained it was full of bugs but said he would very reluctantly use it. We ended up having some trouble with the final files that caused delays in showing the client final proofs. The client said she understood perfectly and wanted to meet me at the trade house to sort it out.
To her horror and mine we found the artwork had been created using her competitors software. We got fired on the spot! Youch!
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Of course it’s vital to understand and appreciate a clients product and brand in their competitive context – and often the best way is to use it.
But is there not value on behalf of clients to also bring the ‘disinterested view of their audience’ as Alfred Marcantonio used to say?
Always remember an old client, the Marketing Director of Salomon, wearing competitor apparel – his refreshingly honest view was they made the best skis and boots but not the best apparel and until they did he would remind the team of what their competitor benchmark was.
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Think that’s bad? Check out the stencil cafe thing that was in crikey. Talk about business cock up.
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Here’s a beautiful old letter from the 1950s on this very subject:
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2.....s-you.html
When asked if the flavour of the products were as good he replied:
“In my book there is no taste or aroma quite like that of bread and butter”
Mac
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I like the cut of the jib of the (former?) Marketing Director of Salomon.
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I like even more the sentiment and Mad Men anachronisms of Leo Burnett’s memo.
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Hey Happy. Why so extreme? Surely, we can all understand the lesson in this article: It makes clients feel good if you use their products.
No one’s saying you can’t sell a product without using it. And the words you use make it sound like you’re actually against using client’s products. I cannot imagine any suit worth their salt believing that.
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I disagree a little with this, although I applaud your point. It depends if you want acquisitions or loyalty?
The more familiar I am as a user of the competitors product, quite often, the more I’m smack bang in their target market. And if I can work with them to convince myself there’s is the better product – without even having to try it – the more the ad will sell by the bucketload.
Being a user of the competitors product also means you’re aware of all the flaws, which can come in handy when you’re trying to find a ‘unique selling point’ in a ‘me-too’ market.
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sorry theirs not there’s… damn illeeteracy (sic).
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To be totally honest in this day and age when relationships between agencies and clients is driven by a huge race to the bottom I think the ideology that you should live and love your clients brand is outdated. This is a job, and most agencies (or their holding companies) would have no problem taking on a direct competitor if the revenue they could write off it would be significantly larger.
Clients need to stop being so sensitive, its not as if you were out promoting the competitions phone. I could understand the premise if they gave mobile phones with their software on to the agency team to use – and you still chose to use a competitors device, that is understandable.
However just because as an agency you are able to effectively understand and communicate with the target audience of you client, it does not mean that you are one of them. Clients need to stop being so sensitive and realise that they employ agencies to shift their product, not to use it.
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Probably explains why all obstetricians are women. Hang on, what do you mean they aren’t?!
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Chris speaks the truth and those of you fighting it are kidding yourselves
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Hang on. You had a client inspecting the contents of your fridge? In this situation I can think of at least two issues more prevalent than your lack of margarine.
I have lost count of the number of products I’ve had to help advertise that I’d never heard of prior to the brief or used while on the brief: and I actually find that a benefit, because now I’m precisely in the audience’s shoes and can ask myself the question: what would make me use this? Sometimes I’d continue to use the product, other times not.
I agree with others: if the client is also willing to only buy my agency’s product, we can talk loyalty and understanding. Otherwise it just comes across as sycophantic.
It’s one thing to support the product where possible, but I really don’t think I should be pondering the career ramifications of my preference in OJ.
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Don’t you get free samples then?
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Reminds me of the time we were pitching to a US PC Manufacturer and plugged in a rivals laptop to present. The chap across the table said “…turn it off you are making me feel phyiscally sick…get him one of ours to present on…” Awkward silence in the pitch room and then a couple of us cracked up laughing becuase there was no way back. Oversight on our behalf. Over reaction on his. And the bugger never threw up once.
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As someone on the client side I wouldn’t expect to see only our product used by the agency however I would expect discretion if they weren’t.
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@ I Wonder….given the transcient nature of so many clients doesn’t this present the agencies with a purchasing nightmare to continue refreshing the outward appearance of the brands they use. Perhaps the agency’s didn’t think too much about the client’s brand when they purchased their competitors brand and this is all part of the reason they may have chosen another agency in the first place.
Or are agencies expected to be the lapgogs for every brand that arrives when they may have made a considered purchasing decison for their competitor and be more than happy with it.
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Chris a temp secretary at Holt PR left a can of coke on the tv in the Pepsi marketing manager’s hotel room, where they got changed for a product launch. After 7 years I nearly lost the account. Those guys still are that passionate so I back up what you are saying!
I worked for Moet et Chandon and I can tell you do not even have a whiff of orange V in your office.
We were at Beppi’s one night and a US Pepsi exec. left this card on the bill tray, “May we suggest that you change your soft drink to Pepsi….call this number” I ran the cola wars in this country for 10 years and the battles and skirmishes made it fun! ps my flatmates drew the line when i told them i was offended that they had put coke in our share house fridge! I kid you not. It still tastes better.
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i agree that the default position is to support your client product when you can. In my experience it’s a no-brainer as you often get a great deal (or a freebie to make it even easier). Plus it will ensure you have experienced the product beyond the client brief.
In a couple of cases we’ve openly used competitive products where performance was not there for the client product……..the clients who are narrowly slavish to their brand in spite of its shortcomings are the scary ones, or those who question your use of a product in a completely different category because in their mind it’s in the competitive set, freaks.
I too like the attitude of the Saloman client described above.
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Unmitigated tosh. Typical PR / Advertising Tosser talk.
I use what i want, when i want. If anyone doesn’t like that, tough.
Client or no client.
PS. I would have told him off for going to my fridge anyway. And what is Becel?
Sounds like a headache tablet.
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I worked on the account of a client who was brutally tough. Whilst working on the account (and ever since) I have actively avoided using their products. Unless you’re an agency director, you don’t earn enough to go out and buy a whole range of new products, just because it’s your client’s. You can guarantee that the clients get their products for free or heavily discounted anyway. Offer me the same discount and I might consider it!
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I agree with you 100 per cent Chris. I get so annoyed when PR agencies don’t use my product (I provide it to them for free too).
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Imagine you visited your client, in their office or home, and lying on the coffee table was a book about your fiercest competitor. Not yours. How would you feel?
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‘Look at it this way’… you speak as if the scenario you paint is some crazy theoretical construct.
Many clients happily have a roster of agencies, and often aren’t shy in playing us off against each other. So, how would I feel? I’d feel it was business as usual.
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Off I went to my client’s 4 day sales conference. It was an important one: new Marketing Director I hadn’t met, plush resort, plenty of playtime. Introduced to the new Marketing Director. From the moment of the handshake knew I was going to break the Golden Rule. Sure enough, before dessert was licked from our teeth we were up to my room in a scene that made ‘Fatal Attraction’ look like slow motion. After what seemed like forever as she sighed and cried, and you guessed it, almost died she spotted the condom wrapper on the bedside table. ( I was surprised she could even focus) ‘Get it out, get it out now’ she shrieked. I obeyed of course, hell hath no fury like a multi-orgasmic client who has spotted a condom wrapper that wasn’t her comany’s product. She tore it off and flung it over the balcony. What happened next I hear you ask? Decency prevents a detailed answer but let me say this: had young Monica been that good she would have a ranch in Alabama and a lifetime supply of cigars by now. We kept the account. She is a grandmother now, and every few years we go back to that resort, (now a little tired) and reminisce. The kids think its disgusting but then they never worked in advertising.
The moral of this story? If they don’t like you using a competitors product screw them. Gently, firmly, considerately. it could change your life.
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I have seen a freelancer have their contract torn up in front of them for bringing a Coke into the office of Clemenger when they had (and may still do for all I know) Pepsi. It was around the time they launched Pepsi Max.
This was the same agency where the then Co-CD was allowed to bring a six-pack of the opposition beer into the office every afternoon for ‘research’.
And I watched the eyes of CCA management almost pop from their eyes when a former MD of mine took a bottle of not-Mt Frankin water from her handbag to sip during a Diet Coke PR pitch.
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Working as a Copywriter on a cigarette account “back then when” I had a Creative Director who had to be reminded to take a client brand with him to meetings. He did, but always had his favoured brand in his other suit coat pocket. And I always knew which pocket. So, seeing him reach for the wrong pocket just as the meeting was approaching the “vinegar stroke”, as instructed I kicked him under the table. Rather too hard it turned out. However, his loud yelp didn’t sink the presentation and he limped from the meeting triumphant.
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I’m in your camp Chris! In fact, I’m so passionate about brands that I refuse to buy generics at the supermarket…ever.
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I can’t fault this opinion! While it may seem pedestrian to some that clients really appreciate it when you use their products – they do! Well, at least the one’s that are passionate and therefore give you interesting briefs.
I will add though that it’s also good to use the competitor’s products – that way you don’t just live the product you’re promoting, but also the products amongst which you have to promote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN0UZ1EM-Jk
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