We had our first agency meeting of the year the other day at which we discussed the planned objectives for Wieden + Kennedy London in 2009.
In the spirit of open source management and at the risk of being made to look very stupid by the end of the year, here they are. Obviously, W+K employees will be printing these out to blu-tack to their bedroom walls as a source of guidance and inspiration in the months ahead, while banks burn and gangs of feral children roam the streets.
Our core ideology, values, purpose and long term goal remain unchanged. We're still here to do the best work of our lives and to create strong, provocative realtionships between good companies and their cutomers. There may be a recession going on, but this is still wieden + kennedy, goddammit!
We recognise that in order to achieve these things in a turbulent environment we may need to change our structure, our skills and the kind of work we do. Adaptability and agility will be important.
Some, er, draft goals for 09, then.
1. Continue to try to do the best work of our lives, across all clients
Still job number one. Partly because great ideas are what businesses need in tough times. Partly because to build our own business we to be seen to do work that is talked about in our industry and in the wider culture. Partly because it what we choose to do.
We have a roster of fantastic clients. Some of the most admired companies and brands in the world. We shouldn't forget that we're lucky to have them. That means we need to focus on retaining all of them, deepening our relationships with them where possible, understanding their business issues and helping them to succeed in this extraordinarily tough climate.
3. Attract and develop the world's best talent
That means finding some new stars, motivating and training our own people. It means training people from just thinking to 'thinking and doing'. Also means providing diversity and fluidity of work to people - making sure they are't consumed by one client. Though money will be tight this year, we are committed to investing in our people to help them become more useful and more valuable to us and to our clients.
New biz criteria and goals to include:
Good companies, with which we are proud to be associated
People who are passionate about what they do
People we admire and want to spend time with
Opportunities to learn
Opportunities to do things we’ve never done before
Things that our people will love to work on
Business on which we can make a fair return.
5. Innovate in what we do and how we do it
We have some specific plans in this area to be announced later. And beyond this we want / need to continue to push to be at the cutting edge of what an agency can create and become. Partly because that will differentiate us vs our competitors, partly because it will benefit our clients and partly because we find the edge a more interesting place to be than the middle of the road.
6. Maintain a healthy profit margin at 20%
Profitability isn't our primary goal. But without it, it becomes very hard to have the freedom and independence that we enjoy. (And profit helps when it comes to discussing pay reviews.)
7. Do more good in our community
Continue to do stuff like Broadway, Spitalfields Music, working with Old Spitalfields Market, TIE, etc.
8. Re-invigorate the office environment to provide a stimulating and inspirational work place
Our new space across the road will be part of that. But for all our space, we mustn't forget that the culture and environment of this place is what makes it (according to Campaign) the best agency in town to work at.
That's the plan. Now we just have to get on and do it.
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