AAAAgent of Change, Part III Q&A with Burtch Drake

Nov 19, 2007

Anything else?

DRAKE: I'm also very proud of our diversity efforts. I don't think the AAAA has ever gotten the recognition it deserves for the work we've done in the diversity area. And that's not just for our Multicultural Advertising Intern Program, which is huge and has a tremendous track record of attracting young ethnically and racially diverse kids to the business and then getting them jobs in the agency business, but also for our Operation Jump Start program, which has raised $2.5 million for scholarships for kids at portfolio schools across the country. Diversity is a very hot area, obviously, and I think the AAAA is the one trade association that actually puts money behind its efforts. When all is said and done, nothing beats hard cash to allow these kids to go to the schools they need to attend to get the training to get a job, particularly on the creative side of the business.

Tell us about your involvement in the founding of Advertising Week.

DRAKE: I'm extremely proud of Advertising Week, although it wasn't my idea. The credit for that goes to Ken Kaess and Ron Berger, who came up with the concept. But I got the resources of the AAAA behind it and executed the plan. I hired Matt Scheckner to run it and, frankly, I think Advertising Week will be a lasting legacy.

OBD, Berger, and former New York City Mayor Ed Koch at 2004 inaugural confab in New York.

The AAAA has taken a few hits in the trade press over the years on a variety of issues. What's your response?

DRAKE: Listen, the agency business is a hugely controversial, highly visible business, and hits come with the turf. It doesn't bother me at all. That said, I've never been afraid to speak my mind on issues where I think the trade press has gotten it wrong. I will also note that the trade press is awfully good at dishing it out, but they have pretty sensitive skin when you go back at them. I also think the trade press is pretty hypocritical on some issues, particularly diversity. I can tell you that I've been in this seat now for 14 years and I've yet to see an African- American reporter from either of the trade books, anywhere, at any of our functions or on their sales staffs. Those things irritate me but, as I say, their job is to report on the industry, and overall I think they do that well. But I do have some issues and I'm certainly not afraid to voice them.

Throughout your career at ad agencies and at the AAAA, you've worked with some of the biggest names in the ad industry. Which ones stand out as particularly memorable?

DRAKE: Those whom I have known and have the greatest respect for would include Ed Ney of Y&R and Stu Upson, who ran Dancer Fitzgerald Sample and was one of those guys who didn't take the money and run. He was a great agency leader. There's also John Wren, who's done just an incredible job building Omnicom, and David Bell, who I think has done more industry work than any person I've been associated with over the years. He's run almost every trade association and he's been a great leader. Others include Shelley Lazarus, Keith Reinhardt and John O'Toole. There's also Ken Kaess and Ron Berger for the great work and the legacy they'll leave on Advertising Week. On the creative side, the people I have particularly admired are Phil Dusenberry, Hal Riney, Lee Clow and Cliff Freeman, who I worked with back in my Dancer days.

Do you watch AMC's “Mad Men”, and if so, is it realistic? When you first came up in the business, did you see things like that?

DRAKE: I've only seen half of one episode, but from what I've heard it doesn't sound that far removed, via-á-vis the smoking, the drinking, and the escapades in the office. I vaguely think I might have heard of that kind of behavior when I worked in the agency business in the '60s.

What are your thoughts about the future of the ad agency business in general and the AAAA in particular?

DRAKE: I think the future for the advertising agency business will be outstanding, particularly if they can solve the compensation program. If you don't get paid fairly and well for the ideas that agencies generate, then you're not going to be able to hire the talent the business needs to create those ideas. And without the talent, this business is nowhere. That has to change for the business to survive. As for the future of the AAAA, as long as there's a viable agency business, I can assure you there's going to be an AAAA. And it probably won't be too different 10 years from now in terms of what it does, but it will be very different in terms of how it does it because of technology. How we message, how we have meetings, all those things will probably change because of technology. But the core of what we do—helping agencies run their business profitably, defending the interests of the agency business— that will not fundamentally change.

Everyone is curious about what's coming next at the AAAA. What can you tell us about your successor and, if you don't know who it's going to be, what advice would you give him or her?

DRAKE: I don't know who my successor is going to be; that's still being worked on by the search committee and the search firm that the AAAA retained. My advice is pretty simple, frankly: Enjoy it. It's a great job, in a great, great industry. And I really feel immensely fortunate to have had the opportunity to run this really wonderful association. I've been in this seat for a pretty good period of time and I've enjoyed it thoroughly.

You've been in the industry a long time and seen a lot of things. Tell us some juicy anecdotes about things you've witnessed and participated in.

DRAKE: (Laughs) I'm saving those for my book.

What are your future plans? Are you going to stay connected to the advertising industry in any way, shape or form? Are you going to stay in New York?

DRAKE: The fair answer is I don't honestly know. I'll probably stay in the New York area. Whether I stay connected to the business or not, I don't know. I've been on airplanes for 46 years. I'd like to get off them for a while and we'll see after a couple of months of cooling down where things go next.

Salute to Burtch Drake Welcome Note
Q&A with Burtch Drake Part I
More Q&A with OBD part II
More Q&A with OBD part III
What's the O For?
Ahead of the Curve Part I
Ahead of the Curve Part II
OBD Camera Ready
Jerry McGee's Last Word