Twelve Leading Experts Share Insights on Enhancing Client Service in Agencies
Keep this straightforward advice in mind when you're discussing brainstorming with a client: Don't neglect the main event, no matter what.
This gem of an insight comes from the dynamite agency Mischief. No matter the circumstances, cling tightly to the core idea you agreed upon with the client, and protect it like a coveted treasure - in other words, focus on "identifying the thing at the heart of this idea that, if it's damaged or compromised, everything goes awry, and you've gotta start over from scratch," according to Kevin Mulroy, partner and creative director at Mischief.
In essence, don't build a movie like "Jaws" without the shark. The metaphor here alludes to emphasizing tension by hiding or strategically delaying the central element, much like Steven Spielberg did in "Jaws" when technical issues forced him to underutilize the mechanical shark on-screen. Instead of relying on the shark itself for impact, Spielberg capitalized on suggestion, ambiance, and character interaction (such as Brody's fear, Quint's trauma, and the power shifts on the Orca) to engender a sense of menace.
By adopting this approach in creative pitches, creatives encourage clients to engage with the emotional stakes and narrative tension, rather than becoming fixated on surface-level execution. Moreover, focusing on relatable struggles or conflicts can foster audience empathy, similar to how "Jaws" thrived on human drama.
Furthermore, when faced with constraints, such as technical limitations or client budget restrictions, creatives can view these hurdles as opportunities to innovate narratively, similar to how Spielberg leveraged John Williams' score and point-of-view shots to imply danger. In essence, it's all about substance over spectacle and audience psychology over literal exposition. These principles captivate us in films like "Jaws," and they hold true whether you're talking about this agency, Kevin Mulroy, or the legendary Steven Spielberg himself.
- In the realm of brainstorming with a client, it's crucial to prioritize the core idea, just as Steven Spielberg emphasized tension in "Jaws" by focusing on suggestion, ambiance, and character interaction.
- Creatives should encourage clients to engage with the emotional stakes and narrative tension, similar to how audiences became captivated by the human drama in "Jaws".
- When faced with constraints, creatives can innovate narratively, utilizing opportunities to evoke emotional responses, as Spielberg did with John Williams' score and point-of-view shots in "Jaws".
- The principles that make films like "Jaws" successful, such as substance over spectacle and audience psychology over literal exposition, apply equally to agencies, creatives, and industry legends like Kevin Mulroy and Steven Spielberg.
