When I was forced to learn French in year 7, we used a song called Leon le Cameleon to get used to the language. As far as I know, the song was about a chameleon called Leon who, like most chameleons, changed colours to suit his background…and that’s really all I took from it because it was in French and I was only 12.
Stay with me, I’m getting to the point!
You see, Leo’s sounds quite a bit like Leon, so there’s that connection, but the parallels can also be drawn in the way working at Leo’s requires you to change if you want to adapt. And you better do so quite quickly!
I’m fresh from my six weeks at Diageo where I was immersed in the Bundaberg team, focusing on marketing, sales, distribution and pricing. Now I’m on the other side, and although I’m working on the Diageo account, it feels like a completely different beast. There is also an entire wall decal dedicated to the new Bundaberg campaign and it features a chameleon…I think you see the theme.
First Impressions – do they last?
They certainly do! Working at Leo’s is fast paced, ever changing, and very collaborative. As I’m across the Diageo account, I’ve been able to see how the creative minds here partner Smirnoff with music festivals, how Bundaberg print campaigns go from an initial idea to being plastered across Sydney bus stops, and how those witty Tweets and Facebook posts you may think are done off the cuff are actually carefully selected and scrutinised before being published.
The world of advertising is a new world for me, and it’s not all fussball tables and Mad Men-esque attire. There is no shortage of fun, and it helps that everyone here is incredibly welcoming, yet when it is time to work, you can always sense when the office has shifted into overdrive. A creative brief is anything but brief, and an execution task which may initially seem straight forward requires a lot of commitment, decision making, and a good mixture of autonomy and team work. Come to think of it, normal pace here isn’t too far from overdrive!
The Seemingly Simple and the New Wave of Complex – Leon’s broad colour wheel
I know I keep referring to chameleons, but it really is a fitting analogy. What has struck me most is the broad range of advertising that happens within these walls. From the seemingly simple, yet incredibly effective outdoor media to the interwoven complexities of integrating messages across television, print, radio and social media, it all happens here and I’m privileged to be a part of it.
In my previous blog I suggested involvement was important for success and I think the same goes for working here. Being in account service has been incredibly insightful, but I’ve also been lucky enough to speak to some of the creative teams and ask how specific campaigns came about. I’ve met with the social media team, heard how print and production occurs, and heard the all-powerful traffic team call the shots. This is an incredible place to work, made all the more enjoyable by the number of talented people who work here.
(Final chameleon reference, I promise!)
Unlike the humble chameleon, Leo Burnett clearly stands out from the crowd.
Alex Moddel
The Nest, 2014