Why agencies need to learn the power of ‘no’
In advertising, yes has long been the default setting. Yes, to the pitch. Yes, to the client. Yes, to late nights and shrinking margins. For decades, our industry has celebrated saying yes. Too often, it delivers the wrong kind of growth. Marilla Akkermans, founder and managing director of Equality Media and Marketing, explains.
Marilla Akkermans explains the power of saying 'no'
We’ve all been there, saying yes to keep the lights on when times were tough. We pushed through a difficult market, taking on work we might not have chosen in stronger times. Now, after seeing the hard work pay off, we can choose differently. That choice matters. It is the benefit of hard years and disciplined decisions, not luck alone.
There is an unspoken rule that the more you say yes, the more successful you are. Yes, gets you noticed. But the danger is that yes becomes a habit, not a strategy. It becomes the default even when the work does not align with who you are or what you want to build.
Recently, we turned down a project with a marquee client because it did not align with how we want to work. On paper, it looked prestigious. In practice, it drained morale and clashed with our culture. Saying no protected our team’s energy and the quality of work for aligned clients. The commercial impact was clear: performance improved, retention strengthened, and the clients who fit best got our best.
Too many agencies are in survival mode, saying yes at the expense of their people. The short-term revenue is never worth the long-term cost. Growth for growth’s sake is hollow. Good growth is sustainable, aligned, and respectful of the people who make the work possible.
Um…no.