Every creative in the business has a portfolio.

It’s our calling card, our proof of worth, and our stamp of identity all rolled into one.

Resume? Why do people even have those when a book says so much more about your ability to work wonders day in and day out?

It’s not just creative people that help to make a project great. Besides us creative people that carry books throughout our careers, great account people are also crucial to to getting brilliant creative produced. Yet so few actually have a portfolio. Shouldn’t they? Don’t they love what they do.

I actually worked with a few portfolio carrying AEs in California and Oregon. It wasn’t that many and I’ve often thought that as an industry we should try and acknowledge the contributions of the entire team that touches a project before it exits the door. When everyone feels ownership, everyone fights harder to make the work great.

When I work with an AE I want to know that she has the same passion for the business that I do. That she’s equally proud of the results of the results of her hard work as I am. I understand the emotional connection to the works isn’t the same with account folks – but shouldn’t everyone be proud of a job well done and be ready to show it off.

Posted on: May 13, 2010, by : Jimmy Gilmore