4 How to run an advertising agency unning an agency requires midnight oil, salesmanship of the highest R order, a deep keel, guts, thrust, and a genius for sustaining the morale of men and women who work in a continuous state of anxiety. It is popularly believed that advertising attracts neurotics who are naturally prone to anxiety. I don’t believe this. What happens in agencies is enough to induce anxiety among the most phlegmatic people. The copywriter lives with fear. Will he have a big idea before Tuesday morning? Will the client buy it? Will it get a high test score? Will it sell the product? I have never sat down to write an advertisement without thinking THIS TIME I AM GOING TO FAIL. The account executive also has reasons for anxiety. He represents the agency to the client, and the client to the agency. When the agency goofs, the client holds him responsible. When the client is bloody- minded, the agency blames him. The head of the agency also has his worries. Is such-and-such a client going to fire you? Is a valuable partner going to quit? Will you make a hash of the new business presentation on Thursday? Make it fun to work in your agency. When people aren’t having any fun, they don’t produce good advertising. Kill grimness with laughter. Encourage exuberance. Get rid of sad dogs who spread gloom. What kind of paragons are the men and women who run successful agencies? My observation has been that they are enthusiasts. They are intellectually honest. They have the guts to face tough decisions. They are resilient in adversity. Most of them are natural charmers. They are not bullies. They encourage communications upwards, and are good listeners. Many of them drink too much, and read little except office paper, in which they drown. With few exceptions, they are decent people, and worth knowing. It wasn’t always so. When I first arrived in New York, some of the agencies