Initiative Media, under the eye of CEO Richard Bevan, has just been named Media Agency of the Year in Ad Age.
Great news for them.
There was once a time when the words initiative and Initiative Media were somewhat at odds with each other.
What caught my eye were two slightly different reasons for why they have turned things round.
First comes from Interpublic's CEO of MediaBrands, Nick Brien (also my old boss!).
"It's the people and great leadership," Mr. Brien said. "They have
inspired, motivated and completely rebuilt the sense of confidence of
that talent base to the sense that winning became a cultural reality."
So a key criteria for a successful agency in the future will always be great people and great leadership...
Yet, a second person quoted in the Ad Age article suggests:
"Tim and Richard don't sit up on high pontificating about stuff. They
actually lead by example. There has been a very dramatic change,
because it was a passive place, and now it's a place where things get
laid out and you are held accountable for getting them done."
So a second element to a successful media agency is the old adage about bosses leading by example.
Somehow, the shape of a shiny new agency is starting to look like many that have come before it. Am I missing something or are things more simple than things appear?
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