You are all likely familiar with Reader’s Digest, the publication that serves over 130 million subscribers worldwide and reminds interested readers of the daily and business press of its presence year after year with a very special ranking: the Reader’s Digest study on the most trusted professions in twelve countries around the world.

And it is precisely with this well-intentioned study that my problem begins. Or more specifically: the problem of all advertisers and advertising clients. For decades, this ranking has been led by firefighters, followed by nurses and—believe it or not!—pilots. We advertisers, on the other hand, are found at the very bottom of the popularity scale, just ahead of financial advisors and (this I can actually understand) politicians, who bring up the rear.

OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED: FREE SERVICES

Against this background, I must assume that obviously all advertisers, all marketing managers, managing directors, and (to stay in the jargon) CEOs of this world have read and internalized this study.

Because that is the only way to explain why our work is shown so little appreciation. It is the only way to explain why we are unfortunately all too often asked to “just give this some thought,” ideally to illustrate these “few thoughts” as well, and if possible, to provide a few copy examples—and all of it, of course, very promptly.

When I then ask my counterpart the obvious question in such situations—how this work will be remunerated—I first look into a face that has suddenly turned into a mask. However, its state of shock dissolves after a few moments and gives way to an almost pitying smile, signaling to me that I have just been classified as impertinent. I take the following sentence: “We assume that you will do this without charge for the time being, to see if we are a good fit,” as confirmation of my premonition.

As a rule, I cheekily use exactly this moment of perceptible discomfort and irritation on the part of my conversation partner to follow up with a (from my point of view, urgently necessary) justification for a fee request. This justification is intended to create an understanding that the desired “illustrated and written-out brainstorming” involves real work! Work by employees who have studied and trained for a long time, who are permanently employed as consultants, copywriters, or graphic designers on the monthly payroll, and who must support themselves and a family with their salary.

DECISION-MAKERS = DINE AND DASHERS?

In such situations, I then provocatively ask whether my potential new client also practices this selective free pre-tasting in a good restaurant. Whether he asks the kitchen there to serve him various samples free of charge so that he can make a final decision based on them as to whether he (already satiated by this procedure…) wants to leave the restaurant without paying or pay an appropriate fee—possibly combined with the promise to continue eating in this restaurant.

And exactly when this question is asked, I see the answer in the eyes of the person who now feels caught and uncomfortable. I see how he struggles for inner composure and outer sovereignty—only to then, often enough, utter the stupidest sentence in terms of content, but unfortunately the most accurate one: “If you don’t want to do it—fine! There are plenty of other agencies that will be happy to do it!”

AND NOW, DEAR COLLEAGUES, YOU ARE CALLED UPON!

Stop selling yourselves short and show this species of potential new clients the red card! Let them know that our work—despite the Reader’s Digest ranking—is sound, clever, and creative work. Work that is worth being paid for appropriately. Point out the work that goes into a “quickly made” layout clip, for example! Show how many employees sit together for how long to develop a sound concept and what result is then available at the end of this process. Offer alternatives in the form of concept presentations with mood boards or idea scribbles—but make sure that these apply to all pitch participants, because that is the only way to compare apples with apples.

Of course, we also want to win a pitch in which we participate. And of course, we will continue to do everything we can to convince the client that we are the right ones for their account. The fact that one pitch participant does more and another less to win this account is certainly an entrepreneurial decision. But this should be able to be made against the background that the client appreciates our work and expresses this appreciation with an appropriate fee. If this succeeds, we all benefit. And who knows: perhaps we advertisers will then make it as far as the firefighters in the Reader’s Digest ranking. I know how good appreciation feels at the very top: after all—what a coincidence!—I was the commander of the Lindau fire department for 30 years…