The age old discussion of suits and creatives is debated up and down the countries agencies – scrap that – this subject is pondered globally!

Everyone has an opinion on this and there are merits to both sides of the coin. For me, it all comes down to one question, what is the benefit (to the client)? Suits don’t create the subtle, clever headlines, memorable visuals or innovative uses of new media channels; I’d never profess to do so! However, in order for these to be developed, clear insight and direction is needed from the good old suit! We live in the real world and unfortunately from a commercial perspective there isn’t an unlimited pot to spend. Therefore, creatives need guidance and this is where the challenge begins.

Some agencies don’t employ suits and, other than the fact I wouldn’t have a job, I feel there is a need for us; after all we offer skills that creatives may not have. More importantly, creatives should be getting on with what they do best – let the suits deal with all the other stuff! Here comes the benefit, our clients are busy people; they want the delivery to be on brief, relevant to their audience and from time to time even better than expected. They want the service they receive to be seamless, simple, and reliable.

I’ve heard the jokes before – suits are glorified taxis blah blah blah, they just ferry elements from one place to another. I’ll counter that with the following, creative’s wouldn’t know who to pick up, where they needed to go, what time they need to arrive by, who they’re picking up next, how much the fare is going to cost and where to go when there are diversions galore along the way.

I don’t like the term ‘suits v creatives’, why the ‘us v them’ mentality? Look at the bigger picture, through clarity and clear communication suits ensure creatives spend their time on creating fantastic messages. Subsequently, our clients are happy because they receive what they need and can be comfortable trusting the job will be done correctly. I’d argue that is the most important outcome and by bridging the gaps between our clients and creatives, suits ensure everyone benefits.