• Ad Age, Friday, March 12, 2010 10:52 AM

Meredith Vaughan, president of the Vladimir Jones agency somewhere in Colorado, says that her agency now hires people who will champion the core values of the brand -- in this case, "soulful, eclectic, focused, smart, fearless and curious" -- and suggests that other companies should do the same. Conventional metrics such as experience, qualifications and education have gone the way of the grey suit, pumps or rep tie, it seems.

"For us, a candidate's passion for or natural propensity toward our six brand attributes indicates they'll fit in with our culture, help amplify our brand to all stakeholders and ultimately possess the fire to bring it the VJ way, like we want and need them to every day," Vaughan writes.

She backtracks a bit at the end -- traditional criteria can come in handy just like that grey suit may have its place -- but says that people who have the ability to deliver your brand promise is what will help you stand out and thrive in good times and bad.

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