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I’ve been an agency producer for 15+ years. I always go with the reel. Yes, I have had lunches with reps and others who came to town. But I always feel odd about it after. Meet n greets are fun, but I can’t promise anything. It always comes down to the creative team’s choices when I provide a list of candidates. I can get your work in front of them, if it’s appropriate for the job. So now, when I have lunch with a rep, it’s because I want to catch up on the latest news as the reps over time have become my good friends. They are the eyes and ears in the agency world. So to answer your question: it’s all about the work/reel. I don’t need to be wined and dined.
Final selection never has to do with the wine and dine. It’s the chemistry the treatments and the reel, and it’s the creatives call, not ours. Getting to that point, also not about the wine and dine for me. More about good timing (reaching out right when a project lands on my desk) and knowing your audience and what that specific producer typically works on and sending relevant reels/updates to the roster.
Lunches and drinks matter because it puts the business, talent, work on our radar and keep vendors top of mind. But it’s not a factor in our decision. We always fall back on the work and who can do it best.
It definitely doesn’t hurt, even on a subconscious level. At the very least, personal interaction helps keep you at the top of mind. Better work is the top priority but at the end of the day being a likable and trusted partner is a part of the process as well.
You are getting a lot of different opinions here and I’m going to give you a long but true answer. I have been in the agency production world my entire career. For me, keeping in touch is key so that you are top of mind when I’m searching for directors. But by keeping in touch, I mean sending off the occasional email with a link to new work you’re excited to show me. I do not want to be “wined and dined”. I travel a lot for jobs, and when I am at the agency, I’m busy. Requests for in person meet ups are honestly more of a hassle than helpful. Also agree that at the end of the day it’s about the treatment and the vibe that the director has with the creative team. Creatives are the ones who make the final decision, not the producers. We control who gets put in front of them for consideration, but the final decision on who they want to work with comes down to the treatment, past work, and the chem check call. If you really want to get face time with producers and creatives, schedule meet ups that are low pressure for attendance. “ i’ll be at this place for a couple of hours after work buying a round of drinks and would love to say hi if you can swing by.” Invite a bunch of people from different agencies. If you get a few takers, consider it a success. Finally, after you do miss out on a job have an honest talk with the producer. What did it come down to? Did the creative team like somebody else’s treatment better? Did they feel like they vibed better with another director? And please don’t ask them who that director is until after the production is over. This is all, of course, assuming that your costs are in the same ballpark as everyone else you are bidding against. If the issue is your numbers, there’s not much the agency producer can do. We have clients and cost consultants on our backs. I assume it’s not that though because if my creatives wanted to work with a director or production company that they absolutely loved and the only issue was the cost I would say that to the production company and try to make it work.
Thanks for sharing all this! Great insight. Much appreciated
Why not bring in freelance ad agency strategists/creatives and pitch clients directly?