Creative is the catalyst that drives an agency forward

"Any agency worth its salt must have the fundamentals in place, the good hygiene factors, if you like - media, strategy and client service. But assuming all of those are in good working order, we know that creative is the key factor in turning an agency around," he says.

"It's the face of an agency, it's what people see and whether we like it or not, the agencies with a strong creative profile are the ones that crop up on pitch lists time after time."

Irvin points out that Grey historically has always had all the fundamentals in place. It just needed to work on the creative side, something of which the agency's management team was acutely aware. In the last 18 months, since Irvin joined Grey, the calibre of its creative product has escalated, creating a ripple effect right through the agency.

"The agency is far more creatively driven which is a far cry from previously when it was client service led. All staff had to go through a major paradigm shift but the results are clear: Spirit is up, a culture of creativity as a whole has been injected into Grey and there are tangible feelings of pride and determination in who and what we are. We are also seeing results in this shift in the awards we have won in the last year, which are far in excess of those over the last few years. This shift has also resulted in the acquisition of new business - evident most recently with the National Brands win. This is where good creative, on the back of solid strategic insight, comes to the fore."

"It's allowed us to start producing better work, as in my view there should be no difference between a great advertisement and an effective one. That the two are mutually exclusive should never be up for debate."

"Solid advertising, comprising strong creative with sound strategy and media planning, moves product; it's as simple as that. If its creativity, relevant to the diverse cultures of South Africa, further entices or influences the consumer, then it's working harder for the client," adds Ann Nurock, agency MD.