Years ago, I served as the marketing account manager for a luxury golf and equestrian community. Their internal marketing team was made up of international industry veterans and they brought fun ideas and an energy that ranged from creative to just plain wild. Our team had a lot of fun creating content – and even got to introduce a pony ambassador for the brand. The client wanted to reinvent an established brand and was willing to push the envelope alongside us. However, my team’s commitment to an accurate representation of the brand ultimately outweighed the client’s desire to cross the limits of reality. They wanted to create a scavenger hunt. Let’s go. They wanted a treasure hunt-style map to accompany it. Let’s go. They wanted a story to accompany intentional stops along the hunt. Let’s go. They wanted us to reroute a historical event to pass through the property, encouraging us to do it up “Disney-style.” Full stop. My team pumped the brakes. Hard. Ultimately, our senior leadership upheld our position and it resulted in the client migrating to a new agency. 

Lessons Learned:

• The value of the client can never supersede your values.
• Know your limits and communicate them.
• Fun is an integral part of any successful marketing plan. However, integrity beats fun every time. Yes, even in marketing.