Suits and Creatives

To figure out the fine balance between suits and creatives you need look no further than one of my all-time favourite shows; Entourage. There are some real insights into how these two types of personalities can work.

If you know the show, Eric ("E") is not a typical suit. Although he is in charge of Vince's career as his manager, he is an astute judge of the exact blend required between artistic pursuits and smart business choices.

Eric's character is grounded. He knows the business of the business, acting just as much like a Tom Hagen consigliere (or for a more modern mob reference, Silvio) as he does a business guru, a la Tom Peters.

Eric knows he is not a creative and leaves that to Vince. More importantly, he seems to know the business implications of creativity. He has been a solid decision-maker in growing the integrity and value of his brand (Vince). He has gained respect by doing what was right for his brand - weighing long-term strategy versus short-term manouvers. All the while, Vince sits back - clad in black - and does his laissez-fair thing, making the end product look great and the effort look minimal. A great team effort.

So, what does this mean for a marketers? Simply, the industry needs more Erics'. Those with informed opinions willing to take some creative chances, but know which ones are worth pursuing. Those who understand that neither party needs to be scared of the other or feel superior in the job they do. It is all about bringing individual expertise to the table and working together to deliver stellar results.

All that being said, sometimes you need to throw in a little Drama and Turtle for comic relief along the way. Wanna hug it out?

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