Equality and ownership are the ways to a happy relationship

I read with interest Tim Rich’s views on the relationship between account managers and designers (Private View DW 3 April). However, consultancies already have the answer to account manager/ designer conflict if only they practised what they preach.

Virtually one of the first things any consultancy talks to a client about is how to ensure “ownership” within the client organisation of the new identity, retail concept, pack, literature or whatever. And yet how many consultancies promote a similar concept within their organisations and create a climate of ownership among their own people?

If there is equality throughout the consultancy between account management and design with an equal emphasis on both skills then a lot of the traditional warfare goes away.

Much healthier discussion/ argument can be had if it is conducted on an equal basis.It then doesn’t matter who comes up with the idea or who can design and who cannot because both parties “own” equally the client/ project/problem and both have the single aim of working together to deliver the most creative and effective solution possible.

At Light & Coley we have found that once you have created this environment it’s possible to attract employees from advertising agency, client and traditional design backgrounds.

Alan Coley

Joint chief executive

Light & Coley

London SW6