Cannes 2009: "Network agencies are a bit faceless to me," Jamie Barrett, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners

Barrett feels that at his level, he would move further and further away from work, were he to join a network agency

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners is one of the creative hot shops that has maintained its independence by not being part of any network. It's a single-office creative agency, with clients such as NBA (National Basketball Association), Adobe, GE, PepsiCo, Elizabeth Arden and many more.

The agency was formed by creatively thinking partners, James Goodby and Rich Silverstein, about two decades ago.

Creative director and partner of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Jamie Barrett, was in Cannes to speak on the creative director-filmmaker relationship, along with his filmmaker partner Noam Murro, director, Biscuit Filmworks. afaqs! caught up with Barrett for a quick chat.

This award-winning creative director has never worked with any network agency. He started his career with Fallon McElligott in 1986. In 1990, he moved to W+K, Portland. He wrote famous and award-winning Nike work for Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Tiger Woods and the Atlanta Olympics. In 1996, he was named the lead creative director on the Nike account. Eight years later, he was with Fallon New York as executive creative director. In 2002, he joined Goodby.

Barrett is very happy with his life in a creatively-led agency, as he thinks network agencies are quite faceless -- even though he clarifies that he does not want to criticise them.

He says, "A network agency has branches all across, and there is no consistency in the creative output across branches." He adds, "The level I am in, if I join a network agency, I will get further and further away from my work."

Besides, "If I am not the top guy in the agency, I want to work for an agency where the top guy believes in creativity."

Talking about the philosophy of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, he says, "Though on paper the servicing, business, planning and creatives are at the same level, it is the creatives who would triumph at the end of day. If two ideas are on the table -- one from the business and one from the creative function, Goodby, Silverstein would follow the creative's route."

He explains that it's not that business and creative people can't form a great agency together. But they should be like-minded people, and their sole goal should be creative work, and not just business.

About whether Goodby, Silverstein is satisfied being a one-city shop, Barrett says, "Every year, we plan to have a second or a third office. But we do not want to expand just for the sake of it. We will only expand if we feel we are limiting ourselves in terms of business. But that's not the case. Second, we would only expand if a client dictates so."

The agency, which has been traditionally known for some great films, also does some great digital work now. Just last year at Cannes, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners was named the digital creative agency of the year. Barrett says, "If five years ago, 15 per cent of our work was on digital media, today it is 65 per cent."

What's the next game plan for Barrett? He says, "I consider there are eight great agencies in the world, and I have already worked with four of them. Next, I might take up to be a sports writer."

Barrett even flirted with the idea of floating his own agency. But as of now, he wants to a give a few more years to Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.