American Copywriter’s Tug McTighe has some supremely wonderful advice for those working in creative. It’s supremely wonderful because it’s rooted in common sense rather than the stereotypical egomaniacal lunacy we so love to pin on creatives from time to time. It’s not so much that this advice is new but everyone can use a refresher course from time to time. Tug says creatives should bail on concept, copy or layout that’s been revised more than three times. By then, it’s time to start over. Don’t come up with a kick ass concept before you’ve immersed yourself in research. Or at least let the AE do it for you and summarize.
For both creative’s and account management’s sake, get clear mandatories up front. Don’t find out too late the client has an aversion to your favorite typeface. Be honest about deadlines. Don’t lie to creatives thinking they aren’t adult enough to live up to a stated deadline. Creatives also need to be upfront about their ability to get the work done upfront. Don’t wait until the last minute to ask for more time.
Tug also says “stop when it’s time to stop.” Don’t make it a habit of working late because your brain is fried at the end of the day and you’ll do much better work during normal business hours as opposed to some freakishly late nights. Yes, of course there’s exceptions to this advice. And finally, don’t blame creative for not caring after 13 rounds of revisions. Though, if you follow Tug’s first bit of advice, you’ll never get caught in this one.
