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I always call out juniors if they made a significant contribution in the presentation. I also push for them to present their own ideas. I think this helps them feel valued and respected.
I will remember that for next time, I guess I just wanted to allow everyone know that it was a team effort and not just one person carrying the team. But I understand where this could be helpful for people.
Team work makes the dream work. But if someone genuinely cracked onto a special something something during the process, weave it into the telling of the story – it’ll add drama, and credit will be bestowed on jr in the process ...
Adding onto this, conversations with management certainly matter a lot, but getting a call out in front of others or the client makes a really big difference and makes you feel appreciated, especially when things like raises and promotions are harder to come by
Advertising is a team sport. On client calls “we” makes total sense and highlighting individuals internally feels right to me.
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I just gotta ask - I mostly see “associate” art director as being interchangeable with “junior”. It’s the level before you’re mid level or just, regular “art director”.
So, your agency/company treats those titles differently?
Yes so I’m my company (in-house) I’m considered more mid, and we give juniors the title of designer. It’s rather confusing as in agency life associate was junior. Totally valid question, but I do the work a mid would be doing and I manage designers which in agency life would be associate art directors. I hope this is helpful. I’m also still rather young, this is my first role where I am managing and guide younger creatives that aren’t interns.
I’d be a little annoyed if I came up with something awesome and during an internal meeting it was reduced to “we”. In a client presentation, for sure not necessary, but something internal I think it’s worth pointing out who’s coming up with the gems. Yes it’s a team effort, but if one person did the awesome thing that pushed it forward, give ‘em credit. No one else will.
Totally! Thank you, I will be sure to do specific call outs. I think this particular time it truly was a team effort. Like it was a lot of jumping off of each other’s ideas and some true collaboration. No idea was a specific persons.
Have you noticed if it's the same person whose ideas are leading to the final product? I'd be pretty miffed as a junior if I felt like I was coming up with a lot of the ideas in these brainstorming sessions, then everyone else is getting the same credit. They could see it as hurting their own possible advancement to be constantly lumped in with a group who may not be contributing equally.
Sounds like participation trophy syndrome to me. If everybody is honored equally, then those who are average or just riding along grow delusional. Meanwhile, those who are truly exceptional grow resentful, disillusioned and demotivated.
who got irked and why? If you're consistent with it, I don't see an issue.
They’re the animator, I have been trying to bring all creatives into the brainstorm to allow them to grow and learn how the beginning of a campaign works. And typically no one gets upset as what I see in the brainstorm is a full team effort and it’s not just one person carrying the team. Maybe I just missed something? Or they just feel they aren’t getting the recognition they want?
I had a junior on my team who was way below average, but would complain that she didn’t get any accolades. She grew up in a participating trophy culture and unfortunately, my boss catered to it. He would shoot down good ideas that came from others, just so she wouldn’t feel hurt. It was so pathetic, like he was trying to dumb everything down.
Junior was quite resentful of others. She wasn’t adding any value, but my boss still gave her a raise and a promotion to make her feel better. Of course, he didn’t tell the team about it or even announce it to a wider group.
This is the kind of stuff that really pisses off those, who are contributing and adding value to the team. Nobody likes dead weight and if you have a participation trophy culture, then be prepared to lose those who do make a difference.
People should by default always present their own work. I don’t care how junior they are. If we need to practice we will. Unless they can’t or it is also part of more sell-through and conversations go well beyond the work presented. It Solves this issue, gives them practice, and helps everyone feel that others know their value. But I call out folks all the time too, especially if someone praises me for one of my team’s ideas.
At my company it’s important that my leadership understands I’m not a magician and it’s not like they can put me with any random group of people who may not even be suited to a task and I will somehow perform a miracle. Acct teams, clients, and management all need to understand that every team member matters and CDs are only as good as their team.