| Should You Hire an Anthropologist? by | | | | agency. Should there be a bias for broadly educated |
| Mike Carlton | | | | entry level people? Or should there be a bias for |
| School Days | | | | specifically trained entry level people? Or should it be |
| One of my Mother’s favorite brothers was an | | | | balanced between the two? Or should all starting |
| engineer. And she really hoped I would become an | | | | agency people be both broadly educated and |
| engineer, too. Like many kids, when I finished high | | | | specifically trained? And is that possible? Or |
| school I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. | | | | practical? |
| So, it pleased my mother greatly when I enrolled in the | | | | What We See |
| College of Engineering at the University of Delaware. | | | | While this is just anecdotal, in our work with many |
| Now, I have never been very good at math. And it | | | | agencies over many years it is obvious that the more |
| quickly became clear that differential equations were | | | | responsible the agency position the more likely the |
| going to be my downfall. At that time, anyone flunking | | | | person is to have a liberal arts education. |
| out of college had a good chance of being drafted into | | | | Conversely, the more junior the person’s position |
| the Army and sent off to Korea or Greenland for a | | | | the more likely that individual is to have a degree in the |
| few years. | | | | craft skills. |
| The College of Arts and Sciences | | | | It seems that the craft trained folks start out faster but |
| In those days Delaware did not have a separate | | | | somehow are less likely to progress to significantly |
| business school but the College of Arts and Sciences | | | | greater responsibilities. While the folks with liberal arts |
| did offer some business courses at the Junior and | | | | backgrounds start much more slowly but seem to be |
| Senior level. I discovered that I really enjoyed | | | | able to eventually move to higher responsibilities. |
| marketing and even though I didn’t like math, for | | | | You might want to check to see if this pattern exists in |
| reasons I did not understand at the time, I took a liking | | | | your agency. |
| to statistics. | | | | The Tortoise and the Hare |
| I ended up with a BS in Business with a leaning | | | | Have we inadvertently created a tortoise and hare |
| towards marketing. But in retrospect, most of my | | | | situation for our young agency people? One that can |
| time had been spent in liberal arts courses. | | | | potentially backfire in the long run? |
| What to Do Next? | | | | Unquestionably, young folks with craft skills can |
| After doing my military time as an Army Officer I had | | | | become useful more quickly than those without them. |
| to get serious about landing a job. My Dad had been | | | | But should we be asking ourselves how well |
| in the agency business and he had always enjoyed his | | | | prepared craft biased folks are for the human |
| work. So, I decided to try that, but I wanted to do it | | | | sensitivities and mental gymnastics that will ultimately |
| without any help from Dad. | | | | be required if they are to make a career of the |
| I quickly learned the meaning of rejection. After | | | | agency business? |
| trooping with little success through all the big agencies | | | | And in an environment where elements of the craft |
| in New York, I was finally offered a job by a very | | | | technologies are changing almost daily what will |
| small agency in the Midwest. My first assignment | | | | happen if their craft skills become outdated? Will |
| was to clean up a big mess in their magazine library. | | | | feeding an agency’s talent pool with a bias toward |
| And for that I was paid minimum wage. | | | | craft skills be the best way to generate the big ideas |
| But I was employed. And off on the start of my | | | | that likely will be the ultimate measure of the |
| career. | | | | agency’s success? |
| Advertising School | | | | Agency Magic Dust |
| One problem. I didn’t know anything about | | | | Agencies get hired for their big ideas. Ideas that can |
| advertising. I had never taken a course in | | | | change the behaviors of the marketer’s |
| advertising. Since I wanted to keep my job, I hurried | | | | customers. Agencies are differentiated by the quality |
| over to the local ad club and signed up for their | | | | and effectiveness of their big ideas. This is their core |
| evening classes in advertising and PR. | | | | value. And this is their magic dust. That is what |
| One important benefit that I didn’t expect was at | | | | marketers want. And they fire agencies that |
| the ad school I met the wonderful young woman who | | | | don’t give them those big ideas. |
| became my wife. | | | | Yet ironically, it is estimated that 80% of most |
| Best investment I ever made! | | | | agencies’ gross income comes from |
| Work Environment | | | | implementation work, not from conceiving the big ideas |
| Right from the start I was delighted by the people I | | | | themselves. |
| worked with at the agency. They were exceptionally | | | | This is a strange business model. Being meagerly |
| bright, inquisitive people. Interaction with them was | | | | paid for the high value front-end intellectual work, while |
| stimulating, inspiring and often challenging. They were | | | | relying on compensation from the low value back-end |
| fast moving and fast thinking. Everyone was always | | | | implementation work. In effect selling the big ideas for |
| on their mental toes. | | | | the hourly billing the implementation of them will |
| We worked hard. But it was fun. We laughed a | | | | generate. |
| lot. Nights and weekends were not unusual. It was | | | | With this reliance on implementation work, perhaps it is |
| an environment in which each of us had to keep our | | | | no wonder that agencies are looking for entry people |
| brain working full time. It wasn’t always easy. | | | | who already have craft skills. They can, in fact, hit |
| But the mental tiredness at the end of the day felt | | | | the ground running and immediately generate |
| good. | | | | implementation income. |
| These folks were fun to be with. They were | | | | But, does this ignore where the big ideas will come |
| genuinely nice, caring people, too. | | | | from? Both now and into the future? |
| I had stumbled into an ideal work situation. I | | | | Two Big Problems |
| couldn’t get over my good luck. | | | | Unfortunately, if that model is being used it carries with |
| Diverse Educational Backgrounds | | | | it two big problems: |
| I soon learned that their interesting points of view | | | | First and most important is that implementation is a |
| sprang from their diverse educational backgrounds. | | | | commodity. It contains little exclusive intellectual |
| They came from all kinds of colleges and universities. | | | | content. Its value is not protectable. And so like all |
| They had studied things like architecture, philosophy, | | | | commodities, low price inevitably becomes its key |
| religion, literature, political science, music, history, theater, | | | | selection criteria. With no bottom in sight. |
| psychology, mathematics and sociology. | | | | This reality is played out every day as clients |
| From their keen sense of the humanities, everything | | | | increasingly pressure agencies to reduce their hourly |
| started with an almost personal, and sometimes | | | | rates. And most agencies are ill prepared to play, |
| emotional, connection to the client’s customers. | | | | much less win, the commodity pricing game. |
| Our team brought their understandings and empathy | | | | Second, craft skills can be fleeting. Technology has |
| for the conditions of humankind to all their thinking. | | | | profoundly changed how communications programs |
| And thus to our little agency’s solutions for our | | | | are implemented. And that rate of change is not only |
| clients. | | | | continuing it is accelerating. |
| I was surrounded by true renaissance people. | | | | Thus, the useful life of many craft skills is diminishing. |
| As I recall, none of these folks had a degree in | | | | An in-demand craft skill today may become irrelevant |
| advertising. And I think maybe only one, and possibly | | | | in just a few years. Thus, a lot of craft skills are |
| two, had studied journalism. | | | | rapidly deteriorating assets. Both for agencies as well |
| Fast-Forward to Today | | | | as the individuals that possess those skills. |
| I really enjoy working with young agency talent. For a | | | | Not a pretty picture for young folks entering the |
| number of years I have been an instructor for open | | | | business today to know that much of what they have |
| enrollment agency training seminars as well as in-house | | | | been trained to do may well become unneeded in the |
| sessions. One of the things we always ask the | | | | near future. |
| students to tell us about is their educational | | | | Is that the kind of career you would like to be |
| background. | | | | embarking on? |
| Interestingly, over the years we have seen a steady | | | | The One Constant |
| increase in the number of young agency people with | | | | Yet in all this technology driven turmoil there is one |
| degrees in advertising, mass communications and | | | | unchanging constant. It is the unwavering beacon of |
| journalism and a corresponding decrease in those with | | | | hope and inspiration for all advertising and marketing |
| liberal arts backgrounds. | | | | practitioners. |
| Why? | | | | That constant is the human mind of the consumer! |
| If this is a trend, the obvious questions are; Why is | | | | Let me say that again; |
| this happening? And what are the implications for the | | | | The one constant is the human mind of the consumer! |
| agency industry? As well as the implications for the | | | | For as far back in history as we can see the mind of |
| young talent entering the business? And their future | | | | the human has not changed much. The fundamentals |
| careers? | | | | of life, food, health, shelter, family, love, reproduction, |
| What Agency Leaders Say | | | | companionship, parenting, emotion, acceptance, value, |
| When we ask agency leaders about this the typical | | | | contribution are all rock solid. The way we think, the |
| response is, “We need entry level people who can | | | | way we process information, the way we make |
| hit the ground running. We can’t waste time while | | | | decisions, are the same today as they were |
| they learn about the craft of advertising.” Or, | | | | thousands of years ago. |
| “People with a liberal arts education just take too | | | | This has not changed. Nor will it change. Ways of |
| long to come up to speed.” | | | | reaching and engaging the consumer may come and |
| What Young Agency Talent Says | | | | go, but the consumer herself is an enduring anchor. |
| When asked the same questions the typical response | | | | An anchor that smart agency people grab onto and |
| is, “I have big college loans to pay off and I need a | | | | embrace. |
| good job quickly. It is easier to get a job with an | | | | Helping marketers influence the day-to-day commercial |
| advertising, journalism or mass communications degree | | | | behaviors of these consumers is what advertising |
| than with one in liberal arts.” Or, “With a liberal | | | | agencies and related business are all about. |
| arts degree you need to go on to graduate school or | | | | A Growth Market |
| expect to have to spend a couple of years working at | | | | The need for people who are able to develop big |
| McDonald’s before you can find a real job.” | | | | ideas that will influence consumer behaviors will grow. |
| Education vs. Training | | | | Because the consumer market (B to B as well as B to |
| Is this an indication that our industry has shifted the | | | | C) will grow. And continue to grow around the world. |
| entry criteria for its young people from education to | | | | And those folks who are good at creating big ideas |
| training? Have we come to value doing over | | | | will be constantly in demand and able to command |
| thinking? | | | | significant compensation. They will have the |
| At this point it might be helpful to step back and take a | | | | ingredients for an enjoyable, rewarding lifetime career. |
| look at the meaning of the words education and | | | | Conversely, the need for people to implement |
| training. Here is what Wikipedia has to say: | | | | programs for marketers may very well shrink. |
| “Education is any act or experience that has a | | | | Certainly in the past decade the head count of agency |
| formative effect on the mind, character or physical | | | | people charged with implementing work has been |
| ability of an individual. In its technical sense education is | | | | declining. And as new technologies improve |
| the process by which society transmits its | | | | efficiency that trend is likely to continue. |
| accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one | | | | And if what they do becomes increasingly |
| generation to another.” | | | | commoditized, those individuals will surely experience |
| “Training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, | | | | downward pressure on both their compensation and |
| skills and competencies as a result of teaching of | | | | job satisfaction. Not a happy prospect. |
| vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate | | | | Simple Questions |
| to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of | | | | So it comes down to this. What do you want your |
| apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content | | | | agency to be like in five years or so? How much of |
| at institutes of technology.” | | | | your gross income do you want to come from big |
| Interesting. The definition for education uses terms | | | | ideas? And how much should come from |
| like “formative effect on the mind” while the | | | | implementation? |
| definition for training uses terms like “teaching of | | | | The answers you come up with should form the basis |
| vocational or practical skills.” Some substantial | | | | for your staffing strategy. The kind of people needed |
| differences here. | | | | to populate your agency. It is really just that simple. |
| Differences that can say a lot about our industry’s | | | | Who knows, now may be precisely the right time to |
| strategic direction and business model. As well as its | | | | hire an anthropologist. Or a mathematician, Or a |
| future relevance. | | | | sociologist. |
| What Do Agencies Want? And Need | | | | They just may surprise you with the contribution they |
| This raises the questions of what is best for an | | | | can make to your success. |