This is one in a series sharing my admiration for the genius of Leo Burnett, who after years of studying is in my estimation the most creative ad man of the past century.
“I have learned that you can’t have good advertising without a good client, that you can’t keep a good client without good advertising, and no client will ever buy better advertising than he understands or has an appetite for.”
This astute evaluation of the client’s role, needs and desires was no doubt a foundation of Mr. Burnett’s success. To me, this is clearly referring to establishing and maintaining a level of client/agency communication that is open, wide-ranging and mutually beneficial. The bottom line of quality dialogue is the highest possible ROI in regards to time, energy and money for everyone involved. As an agency, I feel our greatest responsibility is to focus on what we do best to best meet a client’s unique needs. When you establish this sense of mutual trust and personal respect in building a plan, the relationship will endure and grow.
Leo Burnett (October 21, 1891 – June 7, 1971) was an advertising executive who created the Jolly Green Giant, the Marlboro Man, Toucan Sam, Charlie the Tuna, Morris the Cat, the Pillsbury Doughboy, the 7up “Spot”, and Tony the Tiger.
He was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
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John Paul Strong
John Paul Strong combines his two decades of automotive marketing experience with a team of more than 150 professionals as owner and CEO of Strong Automotive.
