Plums and Pumpkins

I recently read an article on Advertising Age and was enlightened to the term "Plums and Pumpkins." Not only did I find this to be pretty humorous terminology, but the analogy is pretty solid: The plum is the small piece of work, appetizing at first, that is readily doable. Plum after plum comes into your hands, and with each piece of fruit comes the promise of the bigger more lucrative pumpkin down the road. Too many plums though, and the idea of another "chase" becomes less appealing. As one commenter to the article said, "Plums are so sweet though!"

Vendorship.

But how sweet is too sweet?

Churning out plum after plum and small project after small project does nothing but cheapen the relationship between client and agency. If the client promises the pumpkin - the dream gig, the big job, the ultimate in creative expression and fiscal profit - it better deliver.

I feel like advertising should play to emotions... True emotion and the connection that comes with it takes years to grow. If the client is willing to invest in the consumer, why not the agency?


Let plums grow into pumpkins.

Let plums earn their way to pumpkins.

Don't dangle the pumpkin and just keep asking for plums.

 Partnership.