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MD at Decimal Agency, Raffaele Mc Creadie is a great believer in the power of proactivity. It’s an approach he uses in every client interaction as well as the way in which he runs the agency and manages his team. After all, as he says, you can’t expect the phone to ring, you have to be out there, making things happen.
Things have certainly been happening over the past year at Decimal, with three notable successes. Earlier this year the agency was awarded the Elllies Electronics account and while McCreadie concedes it is rather industrious, it has been an exciting challenge to work on this brand; and with challenge comes creativity.
In addition, the agency recently acquired the Ster Kinekor account, which it won in a pitch against Ogilvy and Net#work BBDO. Decimal has also formalised its relationship with international clothing brand Tommy Hilfiger – a win that has provided the team with the opportunity to work with international directors.
Mc Creadie describes the industry as much like the Wild West these days – the only way to survive it is to be aggressive and ready to draw. With the country in limbo, no one can really tell where SA is going. “In this climate, you have to remain true to your definition,” he says.
Despite the challenges, Mc Creadie says he is highly optimistic – without belief, you have already lost the game, he comments. This is the year that the agency has invested more money into its culture than ever before; incorporating perks such as running and yoga instructors, and even a guitar teacher, for staff to enjoy. Pool tables have been installed, as well as Mc Creadie’s pride and joy – a Lego table. “I admit I am extremely precious about that Lego table,” he laughs, adding that he wants the agency to be associated with meetings around the Lego table. “It’s going to make us famous,” he says.
Adapting to a constrained environment is all about being in a strong head space, he says, adding that there is nothing one can do about all the other stuff. His entire team is of the same opinion – a like minded group of people who listen to their clients and don’t bother with ego. “We work across a number of different clients and industries, but at the end of the day, it is the client who knows his industry best,” Mc Creadie believes.
“We work for our clients’ business in the same way we work for our own,” he continues, adding that the agency insists on weekly status meetings with all clients. It’s the agency’s responsibility, he adds, to be proactive and come up with ideas and solutions; far more than it is the client’s responsibility to brief the agency.
This is one of the reasons the agency does not enter awards. “The day I start to focus on awards instead of the work we do for clients, is the day I expect my clients to fire me,” he insists, adding that he believes that agency produces what they deem to be award winning work anyway, and they will get to entering it into the awards ceremonies when they have a spare minute.
If there is one thing he laments about the current geo-political climate it’s the lack of bravery from clients. “Clients are playing it safe, to guarantee job safety. After all, you can’t lose your job if you’re simply ticking boxes,” he says.
Mc Creadie says the next step is to become a global agency, with physical offices in other parts of the world (aside from Decimal’s virtual office in Australia). This business is hugely scalable, he maintains, and as long as the agency continues to add value to its clients, it will continue to grow, he concludes.
Decimal Agency
2018 Financial Mail AdFocus profile
MD at Decimal Agency, Raffaele Mc Creadie is a great believer in the power of proactivity. It’s an approach he uses in every client interaction as well as the way in which he runs the agency and manages his team. After all, as he says, you can’t expect the phone to ring, you have to be out there, making things happen.
Things have certainly been happening over the past year at Decimal, with three notable successes. Earlier this year the agency was awarded the Elllies Electronics account and while McCreadie concedes it is rather industrious, it has been an exciting challenge to work on this brand; and with challenge comes creativity.
In addition, the agency recently acquired the Ster Kinekor account, which it won in a pitch against Ogilvy and Net#work BBDO. Decimal has also formalised its relationship with international clothing brand Tommy Hilfiger – a win that has provided the team with the opportunity to work with international directors.
Mc Creadie describes the industry as much like the Wild West these days – the only way to survive it is to be aggressive and ready to draw. With the country in limbo, no one can really tell where SA is going. “In this climate, you have to remain true to your definition,” he says.
Despite the challenges, Mc Creadie says he is highly optimistic – without belief, you have already lost the game, he comments. This is the year that the agency has invested more money into its culture than ever before; incorporating perks such as running and yoga instructors, and even a guitar teacher, for staff to enjoy. Pool tables have been installed, as well as Mc Creadie’s pride and joy – a Lego table. “I admit I am extremely precious about that Lego table,” he laughs, adding that he wants the agency to be associated with meetings around the Lego table. “It’s going to make us famous,” he says.
Adapting to a constrained environment is all about being in a strong head space, he says, adding that there is nothing one can do about all the other stuff. His entire team is of the same opinion – a like minded group of people who listen to their clients and don’t bother with ego. “We work across a number of different clients and industries, but at the end of the day, it is the client who knows his industry best,” Mc Creadie believes.
“We work for our clients’ business in the same way we work for our own,” he continues, adding that the agency insists on weekly status meetings with all clients. It’s the agency’s responsibility, he adds, to be proactive and come up with ideas and solutions; far more than it is the client’s responsibility to brief the agency.
This is one of the reasons the agency does not enter awards. “The day I start to focus on awards instead of the work we do for clients, is the day I expect my clients to fire me,” he insists, adding that he believes that agency produces what they deem to be award winning work anyway, and they will get to entering it into the awards ceremonies when they have a spare minute.
If there is one thing he laments about the current geo-political climate it’s the lack of bravery from clients. “Clients are playing it safe, to guarantee job safety. After all, you can’t lose your job if you’re simply ticking boxes,” he says.
Mc Creadie says the next step is to become a global agency, with physical offices in other parts of the world (aside from Decimal’s virtual office in Australia). This business is hugely scalable, he maintains, and as long as the agency continues to add value to its clients, it will continue to grow, he concludes.