Cottrell Figures It Out in 9 Months

After 9 months in Atlanta, Etrade Talking Baby Maker and Fitzgerald + Co Chief Creative Officer, Noel Cottrell, has got Atlanta Advertising figured out. In a Sunday AJC article featuring Mr. Cottrell, The reporter asked for an assessment of the Atlanta advertising community. The response was on cue. The "brain drain" from Atlanta's creative schools to cities like New York and San Francisco. The need for a mid tier agency to step up and bring national level work. And of course the strange inability of Atlanta's leading corporations to embrace the local talent and promote the creative community within their own backyard. Strangely enough, those are the same excuses I heard over 10 years ago as Atlanta Ad Club President when people would say that Atlanta Advertising Agencies had a problem.

The truth is that the Atlanta Advertising Community needs to stop looking out and start looking in. If the Atlanta Creative Community can do the following three things we will become a "go to" city: 1) Do your best work and it will become THE best work. 2) Treat every client as a cutting edge company that wants your best ideas. 3) Lose your fear of losing the business and tell everyone the kind truth. These three things alone will build an environment that expresses a unique culture for Atlanta advertising that will be sought out and embraced.

Welcome to Atlanta Mr. Cottrell. We wish you the best. Some may see you as the a creative messiah and some may see you as an unwanted competitor. Make friends, embrace the culture and help others do their best.