Respecting Ideas

This is one in a series sharing my admiration for the genius of Leo Burnett, who after years of studying is in my estimation the most creative ad man of the past century.

“I have learned to respect ideas, wherever they come from. Often they come from clients. Account executives often have big creative ideas, regardless of what some writers think.”

This is why I admire Mr. Burnett – the creator of many of advertising’s most memorable campaigns was also a skilled listener.  What  a powerful admission: “I  have learned to respect ideas wherever they come from.”  In his famous “When  to Take My Name off the Door” speech to employees in 1967,  Mr. Burnett said remove my name “when you lose your humility and become big-shot wisenheimers….a little bit too big for your boots.”  We do not have a Creative  Suggestion Box in our office but I have learned when an employee asks if I have a minute to discuss an idea, they get my respect.  And yes, as an account executive, I appreciate Mr. Burnett saying we are capable of ‘big’ creative ideas.

I’ll tell you about the next ‘big idea’ that you need to take advantage of on Monday in our March newsletter.

Leo Burnett (October 21, 1891 – June 7, 1971) was an advertising executive who created the Jolly Green Giant, the Marlboro Man, Toucan Sam, Charlie the Tuna, Morris the Cat, the Pillsbury Doughboy, the 7up “Spot”, and Tony the Tiger.

He was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.