Mar 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Rick Roth

A challenging time? Yes.

But a great time for those who love a challenge, thrive on breaking new ground and have been deserving a seat at the proverbial table for too long.

I am conscious of the fact that for a long time, many in this so-called world of promotion have felt mistreated and underappreciated in the scheme of things. Folks have often felt that the work they did was an afterthought, an add-on, the last minute spin on a program others had weeks to develop. They were seen as operating at a lower tactical level. Rarely did they have exposure to senior management. Well, times have certainly changed and I think for the better.

We have seats at the table and expectations are very high.

1. Be anchored in your client's issue

   Clients are not looking for more services from their agencies or more ways to spend their money; they want solutions. They are hungry for a partner to help them navigate the changing landscape and to do so with no media bias. The communication partners who will succeed will be those who analyze a brand's situation from the street up from all sides and make clear, media-neutral recommendations.

2. Understand the consumer

   Activation is about magnifying ideas, bringing them to life in ways that connect physically with consumers in real life and ultimately influence how they act.

   It is essential to understand key moments of truth between a brand and a consumer and in doing so, work to turn consumers into shoppers, and shoppers into buyers.

3. Put turf aside; respect expertise; leverage new partnerships

   Realize that you don't know what you don't know. Gain a genuine understanding for other disciplines and the benefits they offer. Today, we must all have our antennae up with a willingness to learn. We must respect what others do and partner with them. And we should expect the same consideration in return.

4. Never forget the importance of big ideas

   Clients want big ideas that can be driven through television and print, but its power will be increasingly weighed by its ability to engage on the street, inside the store and of course on the Web.

   The days of simply integrating what ran on television or replicating a piece from a print ad are long gone.

5. Remember how people shop

   Yes, the digital world is on fire. But, with all the attention to the Internet, remember that the importance of the in-store physical shopping experience is not diminishing — quite the contrary. Take advantage of the opportunity to physically connect with consumers.

6. Embrace change

   There are few positions in business today that face constant change in the same manner, style and speed our marketing and communication world does. Our industry is constantly changing so we may as well enjoy the ride. It's human nature to look for strong solutions and processes that may work over and over again. But odds of this happening these days are slim.

7. Deliver brilliantly

   The good news is, with where things are heading, you either have or should soon have a legitimate seat at the table working together on behalf of a brand. Clients expect to see measurable impact today — attitudinally and behaviorally. And your partners will expect high standards from you.

Now we must deliver, not necessarily the kind of work you've always done. In fact, more and more often, the kind of work folks have not yet seen. Big ideas that make the cash register ring.

Rick Roth is chief executive officer of OgilvyAction.

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