What Alexander Hamilton Can Teach Us About The Ad Industry
There’s a lot we can learn about the ten dollar founding father without a father who got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a self-starter. Hamilton the character and the person have admirable qualities, but are also deeply flawed. He ruins his own life with the same writing that propelled him to greatness. All that work to rise up, all the energy he redirected away from his family, ultimately led to his demise.
That intense drive to make a name for himself, both internal and external, is mirrored in the advertising industry. The pressure to get promoted, to finish a brief in 24 hours, to design a campaign in 12, to work all weekend without stopping to take a break is as toxic as the environment Hamilton found himself in hundreds of years ago. It serves as an important, albeit dramatic, learning opportunity for those who have a hard time separating themselves from our work.
Non-Stop
Alexander Hamilton would have thrived at an ad agency. He sold his idea of the treasury to George Washington, he could surely sell us some CPG beauty products or a sandwich. He’s in the business of new business, unrestrained by pitch theater and client service, lending his expertise to strategy and sales that drive actual results. Like starting a country.
He would do his timesheets diligently, even though he would consistently burn hot through all his scoped hours. We would let him.
He would be absolutely non-stop, as many of us in advertising tend to be. Hamilton’s work ethic would set a precedent for junior talent that would drive them into the ground. It ended up being his downfall, and we shouldn’t seek to emulate him.
Take A Break
We see creative teams under similar pressure from their Creative Directors, their Account Executives, and in some cases, their clients. There’s the expectation to live up to a big-agency name or a multi-million dollar client to build something impactful, meaningful, to propel you to greatness.
Eliza begs Hamilton to run away with her upstate, but Hamilton is too focused on his own work, trying to build the national bank (or, in our metaphor, an international brand campaign), to take a couple days to enjoy time with his wife. He feels like he’s running out of time, like he needs to commit 100% to his work, or it will all burn. It burns anyway.
Take a break. Run away with your friends, family, partner, and go upstate. Or to the beach or the mountains or just to your couch. Anywhere away from your computer and email — you’ll find a new perspective and fresh eyes upon your return.
History Has Its Eyes On You
Obviously, given the circumstances, we might not be able to literally go upstate or find a physical escape from our home/office. Any period of uncertainty raises the stakes on every ad, every post, every brand message that acknowledges (or avoids) the many movements capturing our attention. Our country is a powder keg about to explode. Burnout is looming, and stepping away and removing yourself from the narrative, even if it’s just for a day, changes your energy… and your susceptibility to extortion from jealous neighbors.
Leadership has a specific responsibility to instill those values in young upstarts by avoiding setting a precedent of working constantly. Junior and mid-levels look up to senior positions and leadership to identify a roadmap of attainable growth to advance their careers, usually without having to wish for a war. While leadership may hold a higher responsibility to ensure completeness and quality of work, the onus is on the Generals to make sure the militia isn’t compelled to fight all day and all night.
The World Was Wide Enough
How does a bastard, orphan, decorated war vet who helped us win the revolutionary war then built our financial system lose his precious legacy? Hamilton, who was so focused on how history would perceive him that he didn’t stop to consider the hurricane already around him. For a long part of history, he was just the guy on the $10 bill. His legacy, erased, until someone decided to tell his story. He had such tunnel vision, was so single-minded, that his life fell away to support his work. His demise came at his own hand, his own pen.
We can’t fall into the Hamilton trap of work-until-someone-decides-to-duel-me. Striking the perfect work-life balance is an art, and requires strategizing and commitment. The key here is balance: working hard, putting in the hours, but recognizing when it’s time to rejuvenate and what will really matter years from now.
The world is wide enough for work and life.
