96: Loud, proud critic (and lover) of the ad industry, Derek Walker, reveals what ad agencies REALLY fear

Life’s a peach, this week, as we soak up the sun in South Carolina to snare a man who can sniff out agency B.S. a mile away. Here to vent eloquent fire, it’s Derek Walker. 

Chief instigator, janitor, secretary, and mailroom person for his tiny agency brown and browner, Derek is a stellar copywriter and a loud, proud critic (and lover) of the ad industry. 

He talks to us on his “late start” in advertising, agencies flat-out refusing to hire him because he’s black, what he learned from Pizza Hut, going agency side, why you should always read the employee manual, what agencies fear most, why there’s a problem with so many DE&I roles, the confidence crisis in advertising, and a ton more. 

This episode is so good it's ridiculous. In fact, we should charge you for it. But we aren't going to. Partly because we can't work out how to. And partly cos you couldn't afford what it's worth.

/////

Follow Derek on Twitter and LinkedIn 
Watch The Advertising Industry Is Working Scared And This Isn’t A Winning Strategy
Listen to him talk about advertising, client relationships, and advice for copywriters here
Check out The Boondocks 
And treat yourself to some Marvel comics from the 70s and 80s

Timestamps
(01:51) - Quick fire questions 
(03:19) - First ever job 
(04:19) - His “late start” in advertising
(09:54) - Jump from client side to agency side
(20:26) - Why you should always read the employee manual 
(26:39) - What agencies fear & the confidence crisis in advertising 
(35:50) - Listener questions 
(41:44) - The problem with DE&I roles & how to make them better 
(57:57) - 4 pertinent posers
(1:00:11) - Why more ad people should read The New Testament

Derek’s book recommendations are:
Damn Good Advice by George Lois 
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 
From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor by Jerry Della Femina 
Anything by Stephen King 

/////