Agency Culture

Like most cultures, Advertising can be broken down into the classic high school hierarchy.

Creatives- The 'Cool' Kids-
Copywriters, Art Directors and Creative directors have the most competitive and high profile jobs, so one can hardly blame them for thinking they are cooler than everyone else, especially when about 1/3 of the agency backs them as the height of cool.

Broadcast Production/Studio Artists- The Burnouts-
BP and studio are often tossed in with creative, but the attitude is totally different. No one at a big agency is laid back, but this group comes close. People expect, as they walk into my dark and out-of-the-way office, to look through a haze of pot smoke.

Account Services- The Jesus Kids-
Because they deal so often with the client, AS is high strung and so painfully full of fake cheer that it makes you want to deck them.

Traffic- The Jocks-
Traffic is the mystery department, even to advertising students and people in the agency, but basically what they do is bully people into getting their work done on time. They are also the most mobile department, going all over the agency to apply needed pressure.

Public Relations/Marketing- The Nerds-
When I say nerd, I don't mean smart. I just mean nerdy. One might think that marketing would be pretty bright, but... nope. At least not at my agency. These guys do probably the only typical office work at an agency, though. Research and phone calls and paperwork. Dullsville.

Interactive Developers/IT- The Computer nerds-
These are the guys that would be playing D&D in their moms basement.

Human Resources- The Faculty-
With every unruly group of people there has to be a controlling force. HR is that ill equipped force.

Media Planning- The Overachievers-
We all have that friend who tries too hard. They're not really our friend because we like them, but more because they forced their way into our circle, like a child cutting in line at an amusement park.

Media Buying- The Outcasts-
We don't like them, they don't like us.

New Business- The Wannabees-
In every school you have your 'cool kids' and the group of clingons that try to hang out with them. New Business is that group of sycophants.

Office Management- The White Trash-
I don't relate office management to white trash to insult them, they are possibly the only department who earns their salaries.

Direct- The Rest-
What most people forget when structuring a high school hierarchy is that there is a vast mid-section of people with no discernible identity. That describes direct to a fault.