Heavyweight

Two weeks ago:

Wednesday

The day started with a meeting in Andrea's office (graphic designer Neil, my boss Andrea and myself) about a car rental client that has resurrected itself (we havn't done any work for them for over a year, and suddenly they are asking for a campaign). However, there are so many restrictions on what we can and cannot do that there is almost no room for creativity (creativity being one of the ways we achieve impact). Designing the ads for this client is like a paint-by-numbers exercise, using their corporate style guide to put the things together.

When Neil had gone back to his room (which he has started calling "the studio") Andrea told me she was apprehensive about the new agency head arriving this afternoon ("It's not her starting at a new agency, it's us").

Our American toys client rang up furious about a press release we had put out - I managed to calm him down even though I didn't really know what I was talking about (the release had been sent out by our Managing Director Terry, boasting about how much the client was going to spend with our agency).

I didn't go out at lunchtime, wanting to see the new agency head arrive. The tension began to mount, and I could tell everyone was slightly on edge. One o'clock passed, and then two o'clock...

Lynn, one of the admin staff from upstairs who was leaving today, came round to say goodbye. "Watch your backs" she warned us, saying Terry was ruthless in the way he treats people. "No-one has ever left this company without bitterness."

Then the new head arrived.

When talking of the new head Terry had often used the word "heavyweight". Seeing her, it was easy to see why the adjective had sprung to mind. She was big thick-set woman of "forty-nine" (Patricia, Terry's PA, shook her head when we discussed the new head's age later). Expensive dowdy clothes (Jaeger). Ash-blonde hair that was obviously dyed (the grey roots were showing). Big navvy-like hands ("She looks capable of strangling someone" said Douglas, one of the upstairs Account Execs).

We are to call her Yvette.

Andrea had a very long meeting with Yvette, and when she came out there was considerable friction between her and junior Account Exec Duncan (whom Yvette had not even spoken to yet). My meeting with Yvette was practical and straightforward, going over the clients we handle. She gave me a book on Ways To Beat The Recession. Her voice was harsh, but she was not unfriendly. It was clear there are going to be sweeping changes in the agency. I am no longer reporting to Andrea, but will report directly to Yvette.

Later Yvette had a meeting with Chris who does our accounts (part time). When Chris came out she was red-faced and worried. She was shocked at the criticisms Yvette had made about the management reports Chris produced each month.

At the end of the working day Yvette went up to see Terry. I kept watch on the stairs while Andrea went through Yvette's papers, photocopying anything that looked useful. Then I went home feeling very uneasy.