Personifesto.

Last week, I posted a manifesto I had written for the advertising industry. Immodestly, it might be the late 2020s version of Bob Levinson and Len Sirowitz's seminal ad "Do This or Die." [Spoiler alert: we didn't and we did.]

Within minutes, my friend Rob Schwartz  wrote a note to me with facts in it. 

He said:

"Loved your piece today. 

I was thinking about how scared clients would receive it. 

Clients these days are fearful of “we believe.” They buy when they hear “we know.” 

So just for kicks, and working quickly, I asked ChatGPT to add some data to your elegant and emotional manifesto.

Here’s some data..."

I adjusted my manifesto accordingly, with facts supplied via Rob:

Advertising has created trillions in wealth. It’s built important businesses. The global advertising industry contributed over $780 billion to the world's economy in 2023. This year, despite prevailing headwinds and economic uncertainty, advertising is expected to chip in more $850 billion to national economies. Not to mention the contribution the industry makes to culture and its creation of thousands of careers. 

But as an industry today, we run on infinitesimal margins. According to Ad Age, they're just about a dime on a dollar--down by about 25%-50% from just two decades ago.  And industry attrition is at 30%--more than a third-higher than the US national attrition average.

More than ever, clients are questioning the importance of what we do and are doing more and more of it themselves. Today, almost seven out of ten clients have in-house creative capabilities. 

Those in-house arms might be biting the hands that feed them. The Effies notes that external campaigns are 21% more effective than those created entirely in-house. So dollar for dollar, you get a 21% greater return thanks to the independent and outside perspective an agency provides.

What's more, McKinsey--hardly a company that endorses profligate spending--reports that companies that invest in brand and advertising strategy through external experts grow 150-percent faster than those that don’t. 

We, the people behind Working Class love advertising. We believe in it. It’s power for good. It’s economic verve. 

We are forming Working Class because we believe. And we want to spread our belief to others. 

More than just belief, we have facts. We have today's shibboleth: data.

According to Warc, Advertising does more than just drive short-term sales. Going beyond "performance marketing" builds brand equity, which accounts for 18-25% of a company’s total market value. So, if a company like Apple has a market cap of $3.5 trillion, its brand equity--created largely by advertising agencies, might be worth between $700 and $900 billion.

What's more, Nielsen reports "businesses that invest in consistent, well-crafted advertising can experience ROI as high as $5.84 for every $1 spent." Where else can you spend a dollar and get almost six back?

At Working Class our mission is simple.

To lead agencies and advertising people to believe again in what we sell. So, clients believe again in what they buy. So, the people of the industry believe again in themselves. So, we all believe again in our future. Starting now. 

We have the facts.
We have the belief.
We have the skill to help companies.

The question is, Do we have you?

Because advertising works.

And advertising isn't just good for the ad business. 

We're bigger and more important than that.

Advertising your business is good business. 

Or die.