Creative director Floyd Hayes has caused a stir on Madison Avenue by holding a sign reading, “Account people suck”.
All is perhaps not as it seems, however. Hayes used the stunt to promote his new guide for agency and brand leaders, account pros and creatives at all levels.
“Some of my closest friends and colleagues are account pros—they’ve saved the day more times than I can count, yet one challenge keeps surfacing: the friction between account and creative teams. Frustrations like ‘they just don’t get it’ derail projects and drive top talent away —costing agencies valuable time and money,” Hayes said.
Hayes promises that his guide will tackle the root causes of creative burnout and attrition, offering solutions to bridge the gap between account and creative teams. By fostering stronger, more productive partnerships, the guide aims to help agencies retain top creative talent and produce groundbreaking work.
With 20 years as a creative director and consultant at agencies including Grey, BBH, Ogilvy, Golin, and Edelman and working with brands like BMW, Ford, and Unilever.
He devised and launched Emotional Support Beer, benefiting veterans through Operation At Ease.
Most recently, Hayes served as executive creative director at Golin NYC, leading earned media campaigns for Reddit, Ferrero, J&J, and Verizon. He then worked as a creative director for Web3 giant Futureverse, specialising in AI product naming and brand narratives.
Why Creatives Think Your Account People Suck—And What to Do About It, A Guide is now available on Etsy.