ISN’T THAT KIND OF LIKE JUMBO SHRIMP?
I started working in Business Affairs in the 90’s. I won’t say when in the nineties but there was no Google. Even back then, when BA was simple, always union, no Twitter, Insta or Snapchat, no Influencers or ‘impressions’, I believed that BA was a strategic and a creative discipline. If only the creatives would let me into the meetings I’d prove it. Well, creatives in the nineties were like royalty. Trying to get in front of them with your creative suggestion on their concept was like trying to get a reservation at French Laundry. Impossible but with a rare few, you know who you are, and thank you!
As I have advanced in my career, I’ve made it my mission to get BA a seat at the table, fighting to get into meetings, casually suggesting a music track or subtly dropping the name of an up and coming celebrity to a CD while my bagel toasted in the kitchen at Chiat. With advertising and entertainment blending together; with technology evolving at the speed of light, having a creative BA partner has become an integral part of helping agencies and brands execute their creative and get it out in the world without issues.
There are new marketing mediums popping up every day. The complexities around advertising law, new regulatory bodies, the demand for celebrity and influencer talent, and the need for brands to be disruptive has made the BA role an important one. Taking risks and pushing creative boundaries is necessary to keep clients competitive. Everyone — agencies, brands, production companies and media channels need to modernize, and BA must modernize along with them. All part of my master plan!