Today’s guest is Richard Huntington – former Chief Strategy Officer and Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi. He brings a rare blend of honesty, affection and sharp-edged provocation to this conversation about the agency business. 

Richard describes an industry that’s been commodified – caused by the “creative” agency label that stripped out the commerciality, as well as a pitching culture that trains agencies to give away their most valuable thinking for free.

But far from being downbeat, this is a rallying cry for the brilliance inside agencies, and a clear-eyed look at why talent deserves to be paid fairly for the value it creates. From productisation and pricing, to shifting C-suite perceptions, Richard shares his vision for a healthier, more sustainable industry built on confidence, credibility and genuine differentiation.

HIGHLIGHTS:

[02:20] Advertising’s not dead yet

[07:50] Commodified by clients

[09:02] Creative as an adjective

[17:15] Reclaiming agency swagger

[19:41] Collective industry reform

[21:56] Rewriting the rules of pitching

[24:58] The remuneration shift

[28:36] Power of proprietary thinking

[34:12] Golden era of startups