Jeremy Bullmore

Jeremy Bullmore is a man worth listening to. His observations are based on a willingness to listen and the ability to learn.
His career in advertising needs no elaboration suffice to say it was successful and merited.

One of the things he does well, is to write a column in Campaign, an advertising trade journal in the UK.
Last week he was asked for advice from a newbie in the business "What are your three most important bits of advice for someone like me?"

His answer :

“Advertising is, or should be, all about ideas, wheezes, hypotheses and improvisations : why don't we...? what about...? let's try...... Good advertising makes difficult things happen - and almost everything that's going to be suggested, at least in it's initial expression, will be patently flawed.
As an eager young recruit, you'll be sorely tempted to display your intelligence by pointing this out : by focusing the blinding light of your analysis on the obvious inadequacies of each fragile weakling : and almost certainly in the presence of the weakling's author and the author's superior. What's more, it will be clear from your expression that you expect praise for this act of wanton demolition.
So my first piece of advice; never, ever do this. It's the easiest thing in the world and the least constructive. If you want to be valued, you need to display a consistent ability to see potential in the feeblest spark and help to coax and cosset it until it blazes into glory. If you can't do that, just shut up and listen.
I don't know what the other two are.”