Partner, Co-Creative Director, Jack Tinker & Partners Inc.
chuukyuu How do you like the atmosphere of the agency? Today in America, how many advertising agencies do you think have such an atmosphere as your agency?
Mr.Case The atmosphere is terrific. I don't think any other agencies have such a good atmosphere. There is a great deal of freedom in many of the little, very small agencies but I think we are the only good-sized agency that has this sense of creative freedom.
chuukyuu What special efforts, if any, do you make, or what advices do you give to your staff members to maintain the cozy atmosphere of your agency? Is there any established minimum yardstick to be observed by the members of the agency?
Mr.Case We just try not to keep any secrets and not to set up a formal structure and not to have closed meetings and make decisions and issue orders and give commands. We just try to operate with mutual trust and we have a good time. We are not above having a party now and then. We assume that the people's standards for themselves are higher than any ones we could set for them. We try to find people whose standards for themselves are very high.
So, we don't have to tell them.... we don't have to set a yardstick for them because their own personal one is very demanding.
chuukyuu Do you think that whether a copywriter works in an agency with an undesirable atmosphere or he works in an agency with a desirable atmosphere makes any difference in the development and expression of his talent? Could you cite an exemplifying case?
Mr.Case Yes, I think it does. But I think it is very useful for a writer to have started in an undesirable atmosphere, where he can prove that he really wants to do good work and he is willing to or he is able to, sort of, triumph above the general level of the work that is being done. I think it is a good hard school to work in a bad agency and manage to get good work done. However, there is a lot of waste of motion and there is a lot of energy lost. Once you have the discipline it is important to work in a good place. You don't really start believing in good advertising until you get it published and see it work. Until then you are just guessing and if you are not in a place where it gets published, you don't see it work and you are not really sure you know what you are doing.
chuukyuu Is it a common trend among copywriters in America that they are always seeking to move to another agency with better atmosphere rather than trying to stay at a place?
Mr.Case Yes,Yes, it is.
the poster for a gubernatorial election
Governor Rockfeller spends 45% of his budget on education. Too bad kids can't vote.
