2. I believe the number one enemy of every great idea is apathy. It’s not
enough to just have a great idea, you need to shake people out of
their ordinary, catatonic existences and make them give a shit about
what you have. But in order for your new idea to penetrate this barrier
of benign, unadventurous existence, you need to devote gobs of time,
creativity and energy. Sadly, these resources are in short supply in
today’s economy. It’s The Gnu Guy’s job to keep your idea growing, virile
and relevant. Because every good idea deserves a fighting chance.
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4. What’s your specialty? If you were to look at my body of work, you’d
guess it would be consumer electronics and technology. And while I
certainly find that type of work easier than most to digest and externalize
(thanks to my formative years at Carnegie-Mellon University), my true
specialty is finding the brand voice in the idea—regardless of the
industry. Whether it is a product, service or company, you won’t connect
with your audience without a distinctive and emotionally-relevant
personality. I think I do a pretty darn good job of finding that brand voice
and projecting it outwards in surprising ways.
What makes The Gnu Guy so different? Think of me as your Chief Creative
Officer, Communications Strategist and Senior Creative Director all rolled
into one. One day, I’m The Guy who helps you figure out where to prioritize
and implement that long list of initiatives, campaigns and sales objectives
you have piling up in your in-box. On another day, I’m The Guy you call on to
help you take advantage of the latest social media and mobility platforms.
But the biggest difference is that on any given day, I’m The Guy rolling up
his sleeves, getting the creative out the door. My role isn’t just to make
things happen, but to also “make happening things.” It’s like getting three
experts in one. Chances are you won’t appreciate my role until you’ve
experienced the disappointment of working with other agencies that have
taken months to generate what amounted to nothing more than invoices.
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5. How do we work with The Gnu Guy? If you want to take full advantage of all
that I can do for your business, I strongly recommend starting our relationship
with a three to four month limited retainer to accomplish the following:
‣ To give The Gnu Guy team a crash course in your business, your culture,
your obstacles and your objectives
‣ To help you refine and solidify your marketing and communication
objectives based on the idea(s) you need to drive to market
‣ To take a one part of your plan to market in that time frame
This limited arrangement allows me the freedom and flexibility
I’ll need in order to bring your idea(s) to market efficiently and effectively. This
includes walking your halls and meeting with
your departments in order to get things to happen more quickly. With this
arrangement, you can expect to see me on location for
at least one week every month (if you wouldn’t mind). The biggest
contributing factor to successful speed-to-market initiatives is good
communication. This limited retainer enables good communication to
happen effortlessly.
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6. Can we just work with you on a project-by-project basis? Absolutely. In
situations where you only need to engage with me and/or my team for one
piece of the puzzle, my advice is to be…um…frank about your budget and
parameters the first time we sit down. The sooner I understand your needs
and limitations, the sooner we can get started. There’s nothing more
frustrating for you—and me—than playing a back ’n’ forth guessing game
around budgets and approaches. It’s a waste of everyone’s time—time that
would be better spent on getting your idea out the door.
How hands on do I need to be? That’s a tricky question and is best answered
within the context of the idea being launched. The short answer is that, while
I’ll do everything in my power to minimize the day-to-day drudgery for you,
I will still need your active participation and allegiance in order to
successfully drive your idea upstream.
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7. Are you a broker? Hell no. Brokers are aggregators. Think of me as the Phil
Collins of marketing. I’m a producer, writer, arranger and performer. I could
easily come in and do my solo performance for you, or I can bring in the rest
of the band and blow you away. Neither approach is more preferred than
the other. They each have their place in your business. It’s whatever serves
your idea — and your budget — best.
Can I use my own resources, too? Of course. I’m not going to insist that you
stop using resources that you know and trust. I want to help minimize your
headaches, not add to them. It’s pretty common to be asked to work with an
existing PR agency or video house. Half the battle these days is finding people
you can trust. Working with trusted resources makes both our jobs easier.
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8. What’s your hourly rate? Another tricky question. It depends on the task at
hand. In situations where I am playing strategist, CCO and visionary, my rate
hovers between $150-$200 per hour. For situations where I’m playing manager
and/or creative director, my rates drop to $100-$120 per hour. The rates vary
due to the complexity and size of the engagements. The more “plates” you
and I have spinning in the air at one time, the more attention and supervision
that’s necessary. And of course, even these rates are negotiable based on our
relationship. So if you have an idea that is particularly provocative, I have
been known to work for beers.
What do the Guys in your network charge per hour? Most of the experts
in The Gnu Guy Network work on a contractual basis—never an hourly rate.
The exceptions are programmers, retouchers, proofreaders and production
artists. For these resources, I have a range of resources—from $50-$150 per
hour, depending on the expertise, urgency and complexity of the task.
Do you mark up services? Because I believe it’s important for you to trust my
recommendations and my Network, I do not mark up contracted services. This
includes writers, researchers, programmers, videographers, media planners,
data junkies and social media experts. This assures you that I am not trying
to pass off a less costly junior creative as a moreBasically, if they have a pulse,
I pass through the cost. For all other expenses, I add a non-negotiable 20%.
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9. Where are you located? Currently I am without a shingle. My base is my home
office in placid Downers Grove, Illinois, USA—and wherever there’s free Wi-Fi.
What’s the “EE” stand for? Edward Edward. Yep, that’s for real.
What’s your BHAG? For those of you who know what a BHAG is, mine is simple
—I want to see you, my client, on the cover of Fortune magazine being touted
as the world’s next big thing. And somewhere within the article, you
contribute a small piece of your international success to my efforts. That
would make my millennium.
Are you nuckin’ futs? Not more than any other well-caffeinated
business owner with a crazy idea. What’s your excuse?
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10. The world is filled with absolutely ordinary people doing absolutely
ordinary work at their absolutely ordinary jobs. How absolutely dull!
Let’s not be like them.
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11. Partial Client List
Aladdin Knowledge Systems
Allstate Insurance
Bankers Warranty Group
Barton Brands
“While out-of-the-box thinking is commonly talked about, it is rarely Blue Cross Blue Shield
Case New Holland
delivered. Frank is the epitome of out-of-the-box thinking; thinking Crain’s Chicago Business
that results in eye-grabbing, results-generating creative. He is a Exelon
G.E. Healthcare
delight to work with, always cranks things up a notch, and excels at Guardian Life Insurance
Healthcare COMPARE Corp.
tuning into your target audiences’ needs and wants. ” Hess Energy
Stephen Axel, VP Global Marketing, Aladdin Knowledge Systems Kimberly-Clark
Kraft
LG Commercial Products
“Magic happens when strategy meets creativity. It’s rare to find an McDonald’s Corporation
National Association of REALTORS®
individual who is talented in both areas. Frank is that guy. He has a Optimer Brands
unique ability to develop strategic frameworks and translate them Old Style
Quaker Oats Company
into creative executions. To that end, I’ve watched him and his team Shure Inc.
System Software Associates, Inc.
help generate millions of dollars in new revenue for our clients year Verizon Airfone
over year. And he will beat you any day of the week in a hot dog W. W. Grainger
Zenith Electronics Corporation
eating competition.”
McRae Williams, Vice President Strategic Engagements, Maddock Douglas
“Frank is THE most creative individual I have ever worked with in
my entire career. He really knows how to find “the new” in both
concepts and creative executions, as well as how to communicate
that to organizations with diverse personalities and objectives.
The work Frank did for me and my team at Guardian yielded award-
winning results and has taken hold in many parts of the organization.”
Maria Umbach, VP of Marketing, Guardian Life Insurance
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