So a few months have passed since my training at VCU BrandCenter, and I’m still sorting through all of my experiences I had there. It was a whirlwind tour of zealots, speakers, advice and homework. But I did learn one very important lesson. Documenting it here will help me define a very important detail about Launch Interactive.
The first night was the welcome reception. We all moved in small shifting pods of handshakes and introductions. As I made my way through nametags and small talk, I noticed a trend. You were no longer a name or from an agency. You were a representaton of the brands you worked on. So here I was in a room full of Chevy, Lexus, Frito Lay and Phillip Morris. Needless to say, I was a little humbled.
But over and over I introduced myself as the brands that no one knew. I found myself strangely uncomfortable about these new personifications. And I was ashamed that I was feeling somewhat less important. Why was I feeling this when I really share a personal connection with the brands I take care of? I mean, I own four STIHL power tools, and all family picnics have historically included Taste Unlimited’s sandwiches? Regardless of their public recognition, I carry a large amount of pride and ownership in the brands I work on. They are like family to me. So I truly felt like I had let my team, clients, and brands down. I was entrusted to care for and nurture, and although I did love them, I didn’t hold them up when faced with some of the other brands. I was a horrible babysitter and Creative Director.
But I had a revelation a few days later. Over and over my new cadre revealed insights on their struggles with babysitting the brand kings and queens. It seems that the larger the cultural impact and esteem, the larger the gap. They knew their brands and studied them, but rarely had the opportunity to interact with them on a more personal level. There voices were filtered through a line of upper managment. Regardless of the hours they put in, or the ideas they came up with, they were always on the other side of the red carpet.
It was from that moment on that I realized that the brands I took care should have just as much cultural impact because I believed in them. My fame and glory will never come from brand dropping, but from building the success of the brands who might be getting lost in the shuffle. Launch is a small agency, and we don’t always take care of the “popular” brands. But that’s who we are. We are the caretakers to every client that we have. And every member of our team works every day on building relationships and partnerships. There are no dividing lines or filters of management.
We are a personification of our clients and their brands.
