Introducing the R.E.W.O.R.K. code

'Guys, let’s rework this.'

Few statements cause as much angst. The fact is that rework is an unavoidable reality of life in the creative industry. Many clients no longer deliver proper briefs. The creative presentation frequently functions as a forum for customers to clarify their concepts.

Add to this the realities of a continuously shifting market environment. As a result, it is critical to navigate this dynamic rather than focus on the past and start over, which no one wants to do.

As the New Year begins, here’s an irreverent take on this issue. Centred around an easy-to-remember ‘code word’. One, which represents the oppressive process itself: rework. Each letter represents a specific thought and practice.

Along those lines…

R-Revisit the brief

Invoking Christopher Nolan, any creative presentation should always begin with a trip back to the point of inception. The key client imperatives that were considered at that moment should be cited again.

This helps in bridging the gap in expectation in the mind of a client, who may have since mentally moved onto another course. It provides a stark relief for the new insights that may have emerged.

While opinions about artistic expression may differ, the importance of reaching an agreement on the strategic course to be taken must be prioritised. The essential objectives should result in immutable milestones. This 'going back' helps the work move forward with greater purpose and promise.

Even simple statements like “If I understand correctly, this is what I think your reservations are…” can significantly help the case of the work on the table. And the long-term dynamics of the overall relationship.

E-Echo the objections

This interaction can proceed more smoothly if the client feels their points of view are being heard. The perception is that the agency jumps in to defend, without really listening.

This friction often spills over, and the exchange can really go sour. As any marriage counsellor will tell you, when the other party feels they have been truly heard, their stance softens.

Consequently, this step entails stating back verbatim what the client's concerns are. Even simple statements like “If I understand correctly, this is what I think your reservations are…” can significantly help the case of the work on the table. And the long-term dynamics of the overall relationship.

As all the great scriptures say, once the ‘why’ becomes apparent, great cerebral conquests are set into motion.

W-Why is this being said?

Then, one must delve into what is underlying those reservations. Like an architectural excavation, it can be a messy process. But the artefacts uncovered provide valuable insights.

Often, points not enunciated in the first brief surface here. Personal creative biases stand up to be counted. Matters of what fits in with the brand image and tonality can be cited. Which is frustrating if they had not been shared before. Nonetheless, this could be ‘written off’ as a necessary price to pay to get the work back on track.

This questioning, as the Upanishads would probably cheerfully cite, helps clarity on the issues at hand to be rediscovered on both sides. As all the great scriptures say, once the ‘why’ becomes apparent, great cerebral conquests are set into motion.

O-Oppose the objections

By no measure is this meant to be a lopsided, one-way process. These days, with feedback flying back and forth on WhatsApp messaging, it can degenerate to that.

Ideally, this is where the agency gets to showcase its belief behind the work presented, which can be an extremely persuasive force. Especially if it demonstrates the passion and conviction with which the work was conceived. Something that should additionally help build the ‘agency brand’ in the client’s eyes.

Plus, friction, as the early cave-dwelling humans found out, can spark many good things. In fact, this ‘creative abrasion’ (to borrow a term from Jerry Hirshberg) emerging from the clashing of two opposing perspectives can often kindle a third, more enhanced one. There’s a lot of merit to not merely caving in.

R-Recap the discussion

Listening skills have declined. In this age of the permanent distraction of the bottomless scroll, people can easily tune out and miss things. A step as fundamental as recapping what has been agreed upon; once the objections have been raised, countered, and debated, needs to be taken.

Summarising these in the form of the minutes of the interaction can tremendously help in keeping everyone aligned. Television serials have shown us this time and again: you simply can’t recap enough.

And, even if their devious intent might be to pad up the run time, repeating critical points agreed on considerably reduces the risk of a total flop show ahead.

To keep everyone on the ball, it is necessary to look at every iteration with the cricketing enthusiasm of a new one.

K-Keep calm & commit

The final pillar involves staying composed. When the changes keep coming, the team begins to lose faith and motivation. That’s where someone needs to take charge.

Managing expectations of what will go through and how many iterations it might take will need to be realistically set. Leadership entails navigating teams through times like these. Always nurture the belief that the culmination is being relentlessly travelled towards. It is obvious that as the iterations increase, the quality of thinking might drop.

This is where captains are called upon again. To keep everyone on the ball, it is necessary to look at every iteration with the cricketing enthusiasm of a new one. That, as a cricket-loving nation knows, unmistakably signals there will be excitement in the air.

To summarise, the prospect of rewriting something is never appealing. However, in today's world, it is generally regarded as a necessary evil. Hopefully, approaching it with thoughtful consideration and a structured approach could help overcome the demons of doubt and disappointment.

(Our guest author, Vinay Kanchan is a brand storyteller, innovation catalyst, and the author of ‘Sportivity’, ‘Lessons from the Playground’ and ‘The Madness Starts at 9’)