No regrets for the demise of the creative liquid lunch

By IRENE CHAPPLE

The days of tantrum-ridden creativity cultivated by boozy meetings are history in advertising.

Insiders agree that tighter marketing budgets and increased professionalism mean the good old days of long lunches are out.

Creative advertising talents have descended from their ivory towers to work closely with clients, who say the new style is paying off.

Roy Meares, of Parnell agency Meares Taine, says the during the 1970s and 1980s the industry was finding its feet.

"We were out there lunching and boozing, and we never really took the job of problem solving that seriously - we were creatives, and sometimes the strategies could be dodgy. Now, the industry is a serious business."

Over the past decade, there has been a move to closer relationships with advertising agencies, says Mr Meares, adding that the revolution was led by clients.

"Agencies are traditionalists, and there were suits and tiers of suits, then with new clients they got account directors. It was like Chinese whispers. I think clients started thinking, it would be nice to deal with the architect of this."

Marie Jackson, M&C Saatchi managing director, says the trend is a result of smaller teams working more quickly. The creative process is more inclusive now, she says.

Saatchi client WestpacTrust's Paul O'Sullivan says that although the creators are the ones ultimately passionate for the idea, the clients are counting the costs.

Trimmed marketing departments mean less red tape, he says. Now four people will sign off a communication that would have gone through seven executives four years ago.

Mr O'Sullivan, on a film set when phoned by the Herald, reckons the process is more informal, and not so top-heavy. It works to the benefit of the customers because it is streamlined and ultimately less expensive.

Rob Bree, marketing director of Restaurant Brands, commands accounts worth $10 million for KFC and $4 million for Pizza Hut. He estimates that a decade ago there were five top agencies with 80 per cent of the work. Now, the rise of young, specialist agencies has tightened the market. And agencies are less hierarchical, he says.

"It used to be a clash of cultures, and you wouldn't mess with the creative genius. There was a bit of ivory tower stuff."

The only points of contact used to be the creative director and the client marketing director. A swell of team culture means meetings now include the whole creative team.

Strategic Insight's Howard Russell says young talents have in the past been kept from clients because they may yawn or get bored.

But graduates are being recognised now as savvy and business focused.

Rob Sherlock, creative director of Foote Cone and Belding, says there is no forgiveness for a wasted marketing dollar now. But this has created mutual respect between client and creator, in turn leading to better results, and fewer horror stories such as this one, recalled by Mr Bree:

"A $2 million account, in its final edit, was being signed off by client and creative over lunch.

"The creative, a senior, was exceptionally drunk and let it slip he thought the client was a wanker.

"There were," says Mr Bree, "ramifications."