• by Seana Mulcahy , November 24, 2004

Well, I'm writing to you prior to the holiday as I'm cramming out a request for proposal (RFP), and quite honestly am thinking of getting the heck out of work to my Thanksgiving already. I may be a bit masochistic, but I'm thankful for the life I've had in this nutty industry. Let me explain:

The other night I was at an industry event and bumped into an old friend. She holds a senior-level post at a very large media shop that I used to work at. We were laughing at old times while talking about our careers behind-the-scenes.

She was laughing because reps were buzzing around trying to get a moment of her time. I laughed and said, "Well, honey, that's what you get when you run the XYZ account." She then said, "Oh, like you don't know how it is, Seana." We laughed harder, then she told me how "funny" it was because her agency lost the account. She described how her phone rang off the hook due to the news that the account moved.

We then talked about all the perks she had as a result of the business. The reality was, they were rapidly disappearing. Then she told me that she barely had any money to put behind the ad spend in the first place. It seems as if her beloved account was all cache. Because of the size of the shop, its brand ambassadors' head shots constantly in the pubs, and just plain ole buzz, she, my dear readers, was on the "A" list.

Seemed her agency may have worked its way out of a job. In fact, they made something out of nothing. Like a bad ex, she groomed them for someone else. And now, without the small budget but high-profile account, she could see her "A" list image slowly fade...

I'm sure you know the list: The folks who are constantly out at breakfasts, lunches, dinners, concerts, games, weekend getaways, spas -- that list. They are always in the middle of a crowd at events, speaking on panels, attending overpriced "summits" in the middle of nowhere to hobnob with others like them. Albeit it small, there still is a list.

I'll admit it's been a while (1.5 years) since my post at a big ad/media shop. However, the memory is still fresh. Just about every time I bump into a friend or colleague at an industry event or social function the same topic comes up: The industry seems to be hot, but positions still remain to be hybrid in nature in most places, and the "A" list of media folks and business is, well, errrr... an image.

Ahhh, come on, you know what I am talking about here. You may have even had it happen to you. I have several times. Consider the scenario: 1) Hot Agency wins "big" piece of ad biz.
2) Internal agency folk find out moments before the press finds out.
3) Anyone senior has a be-careful-what-you-wish-for thought or two in his or her head as it's the calm before the storm.
4) Phones ring off the hook, e-mail in-boxes are littered, and you can't even make it from across the room to the bar (for a much-needed drink) at a function.
5) The most senior to just about anyone with a pulse listed on the team are now the "A" list.

Now consider the reality: 1) "Hot agency" hasn't been hot in a while.
2) There's been a bad taste in many mouths since the last round of layoffs.
3) One loss of a big client could potentially land just about anyone in a sling.
4) RFPs keep coming in, so the glass is half full.
5) RFPs keep coming in, so your glass is half empty. You now know you'll be missing just about everything from dinner with your partner to, well, dinner in general for quite some time.
6) If you are a media person you are lucky if your agency gives you more than five minutes to pitch.
7) If you are an interactive person, you may not even pitch.
8) Everyone works non stop. You've washed your copious amounts of coffee down with the agency purple Kool Aid. The pitch happens.
9) You go home and sleep, but lie awake because you are too tired.
10) Back at the ranch, the CEO gets the great news. It trickles to you within about a half hour.

You have to hurry-up-and-go. You have to hit the ground running to staff up, strategize, and integrate. You do this as long as the agency will have you or the account will have the agency. You don't love every minute of it, but your "A" list status keeps you high. Even though you know the secret that the "A" list doesn't make the grade, you laugh and remain thankful (with fingers crossed).

Been there? Come on tell us on the SPIN board...we need a good laugh after coming out of our tryptophan binge.