The news is swirling about the potential Omnicom purchase of Interpublic Group, a merger that is likely the canary in the doomed coal mine for advertising as we know it. The big network shops have been chasing efficiency over effectiveness and shareholder returns over game-changing creative for some time now. Add the allure of cheap .AI generated content and campaigns, and what exactly is left? I have (for the most part) avoided large network shops on purpose for a variety of reasons. (Proximity to leadership. Wanting to shadow operations. Being able to say no to an account. Creative integrity to mention a few.) For sure, I've missed out on a Super Bowl spot or two, but I gained a real connection and camaraderie for the clients I've been lucky enough to serve at the smaller, independent shops I've worked for over the years. For a large client, you may pay 1% more on your media at a smaller shop — but I'd put the ideas, impact, service and responsibility up against anyone's. 

That being said, I've seen a lot of independent shops proudly declaring their rebel status over the last 24hours, and this message is just as much a reminder to myself as it is to them, "Being small does not a rebel make." A LOT of the small shops out there have the very real goal of becoming bigger and more 'successful' and while small today — would gladly trade up for more billings, and not just that — it's part of their projection meetings and yearly goals. In short, a lot of small agencies model themselves after larger shops, even if they are reluctant to admit it. They can be just as bogged down in account services, organization charts and process as the big guys. The majority of agencies are still owned by account or operations people and are as much a slave to billable hours as whatever this new OmniPublicIntercom Group Death Star is going to be called. And maybe for some, it's just scary when you're small and simply don't have the safety net of a big communications network. I get that. I expect that to get worse not better for most of these shops.

The last great independent agency I 'left' loved to talk about being rebellious. And for many years, they were. I worked there twice, but was fired from my VP position when I planned to burn 30 years of the agency's awards at an event called the Bonfire of the Vanities. I am convinced that agency would still be in business today had that event been held, but I digress. It's with that insurgent spirit that I started Magnetry. You see, I believe in rebellion. I believe in walking the walk. Have we always hit the mark? No, but we're at our best when we do.

I'm taking this recent merger news as an opportunity to authentically plant our creative freak flag. And cling ever more tightly to the things that have always mattered to our little shop. 

1. Creatives and clients stand at the same table. 
2. Everyone is a project manager. No Account Managers needed, thank you.
3. Leverage technology whenever possible, but not at the expense of great ideas or humanity.
4. Forget about industry awards and focus on what our clients care about. 
5. Work with client partners we would otherwise root for anyway.
6. Work on worthwhile things, in areas we are passionate about. 
7. Read and then burn best practices and white papers. (Pyromaniac much?)
8. Save the Irrational 10th of a budget at a minimum for doing something 'crazy'. 
9. Do it all for an honest wage. 

We are idea capitalists, venture creatives and beholden to no one.