Marketing And Advertising: No Ordinary Woman

“Stop asking where. Instead, say here are the women, and we will solve a lot much faster”

Susan Credle of FCB knows how to pack a punch. In a three-decade career that saw her rise in ranks from a fill-in receptionist to becoming one of the most influential ad professionals in Madison Avenue, Credle has seen the good, the bad and the ugly of the business. Reminded of TV series Mad Men’s Peggy Olsen? That comparison has been made. Unlike Olsen however, Credle represents the very real side of adland that inspires more than fiction.

HERE, NOT WHERE
The first half of 2016 has seen industry chiefs stress on gender inequality issues, a subject that travelled to Cannes Lions as well. When asked, Credle did not hesitate in saying that the industry’s approach towards diversity is “unsophisticated”. She argues that when the objective is to improve productivity, it has more to do with what a person is made up of. “People are made of testosterone (the go-getter), estrogen (the nurturer), serotonin (consistent, loyal) and the out-of-control dopamine. If you bring these four types of people together, you will get interesting things because they are solving problems from different parts of their brain. That has nothing to do with race, gender or religion, and I hope we get to that conversation faster,” she says.

For her, once advertising was the most equal place for women because it was all about ideas. “We may have written this truth ourselves. I felt gutted when people asked where are the women in advertising because it made me feel invisible. It has taken us two decades to learn that you have to see it to believe it. We need to follow that in this context too. Put women on magazines covers and panels, and we will fix a lot of things faster,” insists Credle.

A LONG STORY
BW Businessworld caught up with Credle in the thick of global ad giants flaunting the best of their work at the festival. Sure enough there were those that made Credle jealous. Most of them had a common theme — the ability to elongate a story. At the same time, much of the winning work missed out on the adulation or even acknowledgment from masses. Credle draws attention to an inherent industry dilemma — for every great work created, there is impatience to create more, whether it reaches enough people or not.

“For me it is not just the idea that is fantastic in the moment, but one that could go on forever. We are so consumed with creating content, we forget doing less, but doing well and being consistent, is important. We get bored with our work before anyone even knows it,” she comments.
It is this insight that has led to FCB’s new creative thought process. “When I came onboard, Carter (Murray, CEO, FCB) asked me to help write the FCB story. You start by interrogating the past, examining what is authentic and seeing where you go next. Whether we inherit a brand story, tell the next chapter or create the story and get to write it, it is the never finished ideas that prevail,” she says, citing example of the work FCB is doing for brands such as Nivea.

THE NEVER FINISHED
Credle reflects that when an agency works on a never finished idea, it is easier to come up with them, sell them and get them made. “I previewed this way of thinking with some of the agencies around the world and they agreed. We are actively seeking ideas where we can see the next chapter,” she says.

Agencies do a bad job of branding themselves. FCB is defying that, trying to tell its brand story with the tag line ‘Never Finished’. “The FCB logo is not finished. Our way of working is to understand a brand’s soul, and create things around it. The more we do this, the stronger it gets, and the stronger it gets, the better we get at it. Our cultural mantra is that we are brave together, and that is what drives us,” Credle sums up.

SUSAN CREDLE ON TECHNOLOGY, CREATIVITY & INDIA

Do you think artificial intelligence (AI) will replace creative professionals one day?
As long as copyright matters, there is nothing to worry. AI and algorithms are iterative in the way they work. They recognise patterns, and reveal interesting things, but they steal. Tech becomes important when you take it for granted. Sometimes it is good when you see it coming, so when it becomes impactful, the first brands that pick it up find it worth the investment

FCB Ulka has its work cut out in India. What do you see as next steps?
I am fascinated with India as a creative hub for the world. It has shown us many new ways of creativity and is interesting now also because India is using advertising to solve social issues. You have to be careful when you change a culture because clients that came to the agency wanted a certain kind of experience and relationship. We have to continue thinking about how to help them, and do so keeping their interest first. At the same time, new business will be key.

And what about winning awards while at it?
We want to win awards but that is not the end. We win awards for doing the right kind of work. That is our single focus.