'You get better as you get older in an ad agency'

Jonathan Harries, the global chief creative officer of FCB speaks of turning around a creatively conservative agency, dealing with online negativity and being an old man in a young man's business.
FCB in India is among the more creatively conservative agencies. Awards are not much of a priority and the work while solid is not often discussed or shared. Is that a reputation you are comfortable with?

I don't think anyone is comfortable with that sort of a reputation. FCB India has done a particular style of advertising for a long time. To create famous brands and make lots of money for our clients. It's the right place to go but what we've been talking about is how do you use technology to enhance the work? A lot of times, people believe that just having a maintenance philosophy is the right way. But technology has changed the world and enhanced creativity. And more creative work connects with people better.

What these guys have is a hunger to do better. More so than before but not at the expense of the purpose of the company. What should the goal be?

The thought of doing better creative is not a goal in itself. Nor is Cannes which is just a measure. Advertising has always been drawing the public's attention to a product or service especially to sell. The way we do it is where creativity comes in.

Two things that won most of our awards this year was a print ad for Nivea from Brazil (a band that could be torn from a magazine and doubled up as a tracking device to help mothers on a beach monitor their children via mobile phone) and a billboard for Coca-Cola from South Africa (which engineered rainbows in Johannesburg above Coke hoardings to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Rainbow Nation).

Neither won for print or billboard but mobile and PR. On paper one is a print ad and the other a billboard but they are so much more than that.

How do you view your role as creative leader?

Our global council is a meritocracy based on winning at Cannes. We sequester ourselves in a room for two days and ask people to arrive with ideas. I'm very specific on what I want: ideas with the ability to win at Cannes but as a proof of skill more than anything else. You can't come in with something for a local cat hospital. It has to be for an existing client or someone who allows projects and must be based on strategy.

We vote on them and if one seems absolutely right, we put it aside. If it's wrong, it gets discarded. What we look for is ideas that could do with a lot of work. My old boss Hal Riney said there are no big ideas only little ones that become big. I don't think people are intimidated at these sessions. We don't want people in the room who make others feel like fools or embarrass them.

Ship My Pants for Kmart got a lot of hits but was extremely polarising. How well has it worked for the brand?

It must have worked extremely well since the idea behind the campaign is still going on. They talk about it being polarising due to the double entendre. But I believe people don't really tell you how good things are but more about how bad they are. You have 20 writing in to say I am ashamed you'd use that word on TV; they don't represent 200,000 people. But the 20 people who do write in saying that's my favourite ad probably do represent 200,000. Most were intelligent enough to know that it was meant in the best possible fun.

You've taken more than a fair share of potshots from industry blogs and news sites. How does that affect you and the agency?

You have to focus on who is doing the negative chatter. Anyone with a blog says whatever they want. Everyone wants to put their face up to be kissed; no one wants to be smacked. It's someone's opinion and that doesn't make it right. To me, more than the opinions it's the comments.

Most of them are by people who are bitter since they think you are involved in firing them. Unfortunately people get fired and you have to be as nice as possible in the way you let them go. But of course they are going to be nasty and of course it hurts but in the grand scheme it's irrelevant. And anyone who takes it seriously is crazy.

How big a problem is ageism in the business? What sort of a role do you think a veteran has in this day and age?

If you can retire in this business, that's as big an achievement as anything since very few people make it that far. Age is bad only if it implies something negative. Experience adds an element to creativity that perhaps you don't have when you just come in. You may know how something is done but not how it affects people. Keeping experienced people is critical but difficult.

When an older person is talking to a client about something technology based, it's like going in with a punk hairstyle at 50. You may like it and it may suit you but it looks a little weird. Using older people in the right way is the key.

Ours is a business where you get better as you get older. You may get more expensive which is why they fire people. But unless you allow yourself to get grumpy antagonistic and malcontent, you don't get worse. There's a certain point where you should get out and do something different. Never stay in the business too long and try to leave on a high.