GARY VAYNERCHUK

Gary Vaynerchuk doesn’t sugar coat it. “Your fucking 30-second TV spot that runs on fucking midday television isn’t doing shit for culture,” he tells ADWEEK. “Our industry is delusional. It’s not 1964 anymore.”

Vaynerchuk sees traditional advertising as out of touch and too slow for the speed the world moves at today. He breaks down how his agency, with media and creative under one roof, is built to move fast and produce what he calls “modern creative.”

“I think creative is the variable of success,” he says. But great creativity is only half the battle.

“We’re looking for clients that have the appetite to deliver on the hyperbole that they tell us upfront,” Vaynerchuk adds. “Clients always tell us, ‘we want you to push us.’ So, we fucking push. And a lot of times when we push, they don’t like it.”

Vaynerchuk seeks to work with clients who are curious, honest, and ready to embrace a changing industry. “We’re looking for clients that are ready to live in the year that we actually live in,” he says.

And when it comes to leadership, he wants “wartime generals,” not people who collapse under pressure. “Show me what kind of leader you are once you become an svp in this company. When shit’s hard, when the client is nasty… are you passing that onto your team and scaring them? Or are you blocking that—as a shield—and making it safe for your team?”

He adds, “Fear is not a motivator,” and says the lesson came from his mother. “She taught me accountability, compassion, empathy, and love.” That foundation drives how he leads today. “I step up. I take the angst out of the room. I make everyone feel safe.”