And for the record, just because I hate it doesn’t mean I haven’t said it once or twice. I have. I’m not proud of it and had the heartburn to prove it.

So instead of settling for “good enough,” we press on and fight for something better. (Dial M for masochism)

The question is: why?

There’s apparently no real financial incentive for the agency since an awful lot of creatively average (or worse) agencies make buckets of money. Look no further than the AdAge’s 100 largest agencies in the country. A spotty showing of greatness to say the least.

If that’s not it, perhaps highly creative work is more memorable? Tell that to the Mentos guys. Or the Whisk “Ring around the collar” guys. Or Subway’s $5 foot long guys. Hammer someone’s brain enough and it’ll leave a mark.

Doesn’t make it right.

Here’s the deal: If you just slap a message out there, you’re not marketing or building a brand, you’re getting a task off your plate. It’s the equivalent of getting up in the morning, throwing on a hat and some sweats and going to work. Sure, it covers all the bits that need it but are you really going to impress?

If we don’t put time and energy and care into crafting interesting messages, why should we expect anyone out there to care? What better way to show consumers that your client really does appreciate their business and respects their time than by rewarding their attention with a compelling idea and execution.

And this gets to the crux of the answer to “why?”

If, as creative agencies and people, we really want to make a difference in our client’s brands, our industry and our companies, we need to constantly fight for something better.

A better strategy. A better idea. A better execution. A better typeface. A better director. A better…whatever. Because the ball can be dropped at any point along the way and suddenly what you’ve worked towards becomes remarkably average.

And average doesn’t make a difference.

That’s the ultimate reason why we willfully subject ourselves to the conflict, agony and meeting awkwardness that so often comes with pushing for a higher standard.

Ok, that and also because advertising would completely suck if we didn’t.

While Firehouse was responsible for just a portion of the agenda, we took this opportunity to share with our procurement brethren some thoughts about how to make the relationship with their agencies much more productive.

Some key takeaways:

- Understanding the agency’s capabilities is the first step to creating efficiencies.  By truly understanding where your agency is adding irrefutable value, you’ll do a better job at identifying what is truly in their wheelhouse, and where efficiencies might be gained.

- Without a strong partner in Marketing, you may find yourself being viewed as either a policeman or just a negotiator. You can download the mindmap of the “Becoming Your CMO’s Best Friend” talk by clicking here.

- The changing media landscape has impacted the definition of value.  Today’s media plans are focused on creating impact via interactions with the brand, not just the number of impressions delivered.  We also discussed how Paid, Earned and Owned Media tactics combine to create value that is greater than the sum of their parts – and why understanding their roles is key to assessing this value.

- With ongoing involvement, Procurement can more realistically measure program effectiveness and insist on accountability, not just for spending allocation but also for its effectiveness.  There was much discussion about agencies’ willingness to tie a portion of their compensation to agreed-upon metrics, and need for agency priorities to be aligned with those of Marketing.

- If Procurement and Marketing can agree upon objectives and understand the true parameters, your agency can be a creative problem-solving resource, even when that problem is managing costs.  The best example was how we helped Macaroni Grill return to television after a long hiatus by developing a low-cost, but highly effective, approach to producing television spots for the brand.

Overall, this roundtable was a great opportunity for sharing perspectives.  All recognized that the responsibility for improving relationships between Agencies, Procurement and Marketing is a joint one. While there is value in reviewing and discussing best practices, in the end, success is created by facilitating open communication and building trust-based relationships.  And, that responsibility lies with Procurement as well as the other parties involved.

A lot of us in marketing, both on the client and agency side, find ourselves in this circumstance every day. How many times has someone from Finance, a neighbor, or a fellow parent on your child’s soccer team critiqued, or offered unsolicited comments on, one of your campaigns? Forget that silly marketing degree, MBA, MRI data, shopper insight, strategy or CLIO. For some reason, everyone sees themselves as a marketing expert because they see commercials on TV.

It’s the same thing with GMs and coaches in the NFL. There’s no shortage of sports-talk show callers with the “solution” on how to improve their favorite team. And there are plenty of Fantasy Football GMs who think they are as smart as a Bill Parcells or Bill Belicheck. But that’s because they’ll never have to prove it. And neither will the finance department, neighbors or soccer team parents. In today’s fast-paced, media-fragmented, ROI-driven world, they would be living a Fantasy if they thought they could.