The pitch: Turning full circle in the life and death ad world

By ROB LEWIS*

Last September my position as art director in a multinational agency was made redundant.

I wasn't surprised. After two years there, it was time for the advertising circle of life (and death) to turn again, and not just for me.

Three others in my department were axed, and many more in a number of agencies around town up to Christmas.

Ah, Christmas - time to get rid of any agency fat - or in my case eye fillet - that didn't have the right connections with the chef.

I negotiated and was out of the agency in three hours, with some extra cash direct-credited to my bank account. Luckily, I had done some nice work during my time there, and compiled my portfolio, along with some award-winners that had landed me the job in the first place.

The various creative directors were keen to see me, and applauded my work, some even bringing me on board for a few days.

All was not looking bad, including finding some nice work with my own clients.

Then Christmas hit like a saccharin-coated suppository. While the still salaried lapped up the festive cheer of the holidays, I was cursing the hours without work or holiday pay.

Christmas time is traditional for Santa's sackings, but come late summer when the work starts pouring in, suddenly the rejected are once again flavour of the month.

Surely it would be cheaper to simply urge us to take extended leave without pay, or even suspend our contracts for a few months?

For the creatives, it would be a great opportunity to enjoy the Kiwi summer with the smug knowledge you have solid work coming up, cushioning you from the nail-biting anxiety of the workless future.

It is not as if we are unrealistic about how the industry works and it is surely smarter than having to train new staff.

Another valid reason for keeping staff on, even if at arms length, is that agencies risk losing people who will be very useful another day - snapped up by another agency the second things are looking rosy.

Some very talented people have busted their guts, deserving a medal for the skill and effort they put in rather than their unexpected ejection from the very company to which they showed such loyalty.

I know the figures have to add up at the end of the day, but the people resource have memories, unlike the numbers that represent them.

How many of these people could be the ad gurus of the future?

There doesn't seem to be a creative I've spoken to without a story relating to redundancy.

But the outlook for all is positive, because you just have to be. After all, life goes on.

I'm sure some time in the next few months, the circle will move, and once more I'll be a salaried creative. And then I'll gratefully take each and every brief, wondering when the advertising circle of life will turn again.

* Rob Lewis has been in the advertising industry for 11 years, with six years as art director. He won two golds, a silver and a special honours gong at the 2000 RSVP awards. Lewis is freelancing. He can be contacted at robblewis@yahoo.co.uk