Clients aren't that dumb...they just like to act like it

I haven't had anything to rant about in some time. I've been busy doing some pretty cool things here at the office, traveling and doing some new biz thinking...

Anyway...caught wind of a co-worker's sorrows this afternoon and something totally set me off.

Here are some basic truths in the ad/marketing biz:

1. Clients never have enough money
2. Agencies are all ways too expensive
3. The work needs to be done yesterday

Here's where I get pissed. You can't have it both ways.

If we (agency) ask for a budget and/or a timeline and you (client) tell us, "don't know, just get it done" then guess what...we're just going to get it done, and we're going to do it well (because God knows if the comp images aren't hi-res you'll be pissed). Clients forfeit their right to bitch about agency prices when this happens because a) you had the chance to give us a budget to work with and b) we're probably saving your ass.

I know this is a crazy fast business and I know there is a basic understanding of how much some things cost...but someone before me wrote...just because a print ad can be designed and emailed to a client in an hour doesn't mean the creative thinking to make it good can be squeezed into the same timeframe.

I'm out...SPB