Striking a Balance Between ROC and ROI and Other Reflections From This Year's Young Lions Account Executive Academy

By Cori Kaylor, Account Executive

My mind and Moleskine are overflowing with notes, excitement and inspiration from the past week in Cannes. During the Young Lions: Account Executive Academy, I interacted with thought leaders, who shared their insight and experience, and listened to seminar speakers, who shed light on the future of our industry. However the “stickiest” lesson was shared by Academy Dean Kevin Allen, who emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence.

As the week progressed the influence of emotions proved to be a reoccurring theme, culminating in CMO of Unilever Keith Weed’s seminar. Weed explained that 85% of decisions are (subconsciously) driven by emotional rather than rational motives. This underlines the importance of eliciting an emotion through advertising.

It is our job as the account team to help clients navigate the creative and understand how the work helps them achieve both their emotional agenda and their rational goals. Only once clients value the power of provoking emotions such as happiness, empathy, empowerment, etc., will we be able to balance ROC (return on creative), with ROI.

During the Academy’s McDonald’s pitch, our team’s concept was motivated around the emotional aspect of the brief. The concept was selected as the winner by McDonald’s senior marketers, Matt Biespiel and Sosti Ropaitis, and global ECD Richard Russell, because it not only addressed the issue at hand, but also left an emotional impression on the consumer.

It is tough to strike a balance between ROC and ROI, but that intersection is where the most influential and memorable work is created.

First day of the Young Lions: Young Account Executive Academy

Winning pitch team with the McDonald’s team and our "Canned Lions”