What Role Do Commercial Production Companies Fill In The Advertising Workflow? (originally published

This is a question I ask my team frequently when discussing ways in which we can grow our business. This is, however, a deceptively simple question. In truth, the answer is dynamic. Each and every one of us should know the answer as we dedicate our livelihoods to it, but it requires a bit more breaking down than you might think. The answer to that question lies in the answer to yet another question: how should we (commercial production companies) measure success? Once more, the response is answered by a few others: is success measured by the overall experience as undergone by the agency and client, or is success a subjective term related to the expectations of the Creative Director? Perhaps success is measured through the effect the ad has on the market. Call me naive but that’s what I think. Over the years, I’ve consistently asked agencies “how did we do and what can we do better?” The answer has always ranged from “great!” to “we had a blast!” but not once has anyone told me that the campaign we helped bring to fruition was successful, that sales had increased as a consequence of the campaign or that brand awareness was at an all time high. This begs the question . . . why are we doing this? I’ve heard from folks who say “we provide the magic,” “we are what a mule is to a farmer,” and “we are chemists providing an element to mix with a creative hoping they’ll bond and form a strong compound.” So . .. are we doing this in order to tag our social media posts from airports and fancy restaurants overseas with the #adlife hashtag or are we doing it to sell more stuff? My guess is it’s probably both. We’ve been tasked with persuading the target audience to buy products or services, but it’s easy to be distracted by the privileges that are inherent in producing. We work tirelessly and therefore enjoy the recognition of said work by sharing in the perks, but it’s important to not lose track of the fundamental motive for creating the work. So the next time I ask “how did we do?”, humor me by describing how our grain of sand impacted the brand in a positive way. Talk to me about impressions, brand awareness, reach, and sales increases. Help us feel part of the overall goal. Then grab your smart phone and let’s go post some pictures of the amazing lunch we’re about to have. #adlife By: Marcos Cline p.g.a. Executive Producer Altered.LA @el_cline