I’ve had the honor of working at some of the best agencies in the world: McCann-Erickson, FCB, and Ogilvy & Mather. I worked for creative genius George Lois, and financial genius Sir Martin Sorrell. I worked with Tom Cunniff – who for my money brought branding to the Internet; and with Steve Hayden, whom I believe created the greatest ad of all time. I was a general agency guy, then a direct guy, then an interactive guy, then a mobile guy, then a social guy.

Now I’m just a marketing guy. On good days I get to work with Chris Colbert, who’s in the same league as those other titans. I love my job.

And I can tell you – without reservation – that the level of thinking this place delivers is as good or better than anything I’ve been a part of before.

If you’re looking for someone small enough to care, but big enough to trust, give us a call. And get a taste of the big time.

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Here at Holland-Mark, we’ve been thinking out loud for a while now about how the agency business has changed for good. It’s no longer good enough for marketing to just be interesting – it must be imperative. As CEO of our resurgent business, Chris Colbert has been asked to join industry heavyweights from Mullen, Razorfish, Sapient, and W2 Group to discuss his perspective on the new age of agencies. The event by the Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX) will be held on February 25 from 6-8 p.m.

Keynoted by Sean Corcoran of Forrester Research, the group will discuss how agencies will adapt to new marketing paradigms, the impact of technology, and agency/client relationships in a new era.

“When I restarted Holland-Mark in 2007, I did it because I knew it wouldn’t be business as usual. The economy has allowed us to reinvent how advertising agencies work – and it’s a good thing.”

We’ve been thinking about this for a while, and we look forward to being a part of this new conversation. Come by and have a listen.

More details on this MITX event can be found on the event website.

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Boston, MA (October 2009)—Post 390, an urban tavern and the newest concept from the Himmel Hospitality Group—the group behind the landmark Grill 23 & Bar, as well as the revitalization of Harvest in Cambridge—has opened to acclaim after working with Holland-Mark on developing a comprehensive and integrated marketing and advertising strategy.

Located at The Clarendon, Post 390 is uniquely positioned in the heart of the city, between Back Bay and the South End. It brings a much-needed concept: a place for locals and visitors alike to enjoy refined American classic dishes in a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. The urban tavern features open kitchens, sweeping views of the city, as well as two floors of seating, two full bars, and three fireplaces.

After Post 390’s extraordinary launch in early October, Holland-Mark continues to work with them to connect with neighbors and visitors through a highly visible outdoor campaign, as well as online and through print. Additionally, Holland-Mark aided in creating a consistent brand experience in the restaurant, working closely with the management team on training and customer experience opportunities.

“Boston has been waiting for a place like Post 390. Our job has been to ensure that the Himmel Hospitality experience is carried through Every Point of Contact—from the initial marketing plan and advertising, right down to the matchbooks and server attire,” says Chris Colbert, the agency’s CEO.

Nicole Barrick, Himmel Hospitality Group’s Director of Marketing and PR, states, “Bringing this concept to life here in Boston was about more than perfecting the food. We want our guests to feel connected to the experience. We needed an agency that understood our group and the passion behind this project. Holland-Mark understands what Post 390 is about.”

***

Holland-Mark is a full-service agency providing marketing and brand strategy and offline and online communication capabilities. The agency’s clients include the American Cancer Society, Fidelity, Grill 23 & Bar, MassMutual, Mercer, Pearson Publishing, Scholastic, and Virgin Money.

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David Gianatasio of Adweek asked me today why Holland-Mark’s winning the Hello Health account was so important (other than getting a new piece of business).

I responded by saying that it put us at the epicenter of one of the most important and complex challenges of our time, and at the wheel of a brand and technology that really has the ability to make a tangible difference in the lives of primary care doctors and all of us who need them. In contrast to the obtuse, conflicting, and partisan-driven proposals around health care reform, I can actually see how the Hello Health platform will work to enable a better quality of care at a lower cost. It will significantly reduce paperwork, increase doctor access by patients, eliminate the chasing of insurer payments (which currently takes up to 40% of a primary care practice’s time), and fundamentally free the doctors to do what they do best: care for their patients. It is perhaps most revolutionary in its focus and simplicity, which underscores Holland-Mark’s core belief that if human beings can’t easily understand something, how can they engage with and derive value from it?

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Time and time again the portrayal of advertising creatives is one of thin men in skinny jeans with chic glasses, or high-strung, high-powered creative types who wear suits and throw a Hail Mary at the end of an otherwise disastrous meeting, or edgy, tattooed “thinkers” who use Macs and number two pencils (for effect). These movies and shows portray a glamour and selectivity that does exist somewhere in the industry, but doesn’t really touch on the reality of the process. (Leaning back in my chair, kicking a Converse All Star-clad foot up on the desk and throwing a Koosh® ball into the air isn’t, despite popular belief, the catalyst for all creative thought.)

When I came to Holland-Mark I was thrilled to discover that office hours really didn’t exist. We’re all adults here, capable of playing in the sandbox together and using truth and trust to guide us where we need to go. I remember thinking how perfect that was; I would finally be free to create in my own time, using my own process.

What I didn’t fully understand then is that the process is not a process at all. It’s a life that a few of us are incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to live. However, the trade-off is that work/life balance doesn’t mean getting home at 5PM to have dinner with the family. It’s more about finding a way to harness the constant swirl of wonder and creativity that already exists and chew it, stretch it, and learn to apply it in new and (capitalistic) ways. More appropriately it’s a life/life balance.

It’s not uncommon for Chris Colbert to find the answer to a burning question while swimming laps at the University Club. If I had a dollar for every time Jon (my creative partner) concepted ads while on a treadmill or taking a smoke break I probably wouldn’t need this job anymore. I’m humored on the inside every time one of us comes into the office from our “personal time” with an idea. An idea born because for 20, 50, 70, 120 hours we’ve been thinking without thinking, imagining without realizing it, creating client work while we eat dinner with our friends or watch a $12 movie. For many agencies it’s taboo to reveal The Process to clients, but for me, and for Holland-Mark, it’s more about helping our clients understand the value of the work. In addition to hours logged, it’s the walks to work, the time spent observing people on the train, absorbing ads on TV, or finally having the peace and release that comes while jogging… or swimming. There are no office hours at Holland-Mark because the right side of the brain doesn’t keep time. It refuses.

The creative process is about learning to live in a way that encourages each of us to be seeking always, asking questions constantly, and trying, when it’s absolutely necessary, to get to work for a 9AM meeting. (We do, after all, need to throw the account team a bone every now and then.) I can sit for hours thinking intensely, Googling the calories in the sixteen candies I’ve eaten, drinking my eight glasses of water, reading Bernbach quotes, and inevitably the answer will not be there. It will be in the place I left it, somewhere on the walk home or in that very creative space between almost asleep and very, very asleep.

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