INTERVIEW BY TREY ALSTON / CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Mischief @ No Fixed Address is shaking the table. The trouble-making, two-year-old agency provides its clients with dangerous ideas that get not only trade publications but the internet talking.
Interested in sending noods not nudes? Mischief’s got you covered. What about becoming a VILF (you can guess what it stands for) after voting? They’ve got you too.
Made up of a small and nimble team, Mischief’s already becoming one of the industry’s most valued agencies — a group of people not just claiming bold and original ideas, but actually making them and proving them. Fast Company just named Mischief the 2nd most innovative ad agency of 2022.
Mischief @ No Fixed Address started in 2020, shortly after one of its founders, Greg Hahn, was let go from BBDO. Wasting no time, he established the home with co-founders Dave Lafond and Serge Rancourt, and President and Partner Kerry McKibbin came on right afterward. Since then, she’s been a spearhead for the agency, bringing an analytical background in accounts and blessing the creative with her touch.
Below, McKibbin offers unique insight into Mischief’s creation, creating mischief daily, and “the power of no.”
What were you like growing up? What were your early interests?
I was kind of a sassy bossypants growing up. So, pretty much the same gal I am now.
From an early age, I was interested in stories: fiction and nonfiction, historical and contemporary. I’ve always been interested in people: what motivates them, their behaviors, and predicting outcomes based on past precedent.
I suppose that at the root, I like to learn about the world through human stories.
I saw that you got into the advertising industry in the accounts department. What led you there as opposed to the creative side?
Well, when I graduated college with a BAH in History and English, I was psyching myself up for having to do a (super debt-inducing) Masters or MBA or Law degree in order to secure gainful employment.
But that summer, I wound up getting a job as a receptionist at an ad agency. I answered the phone, made coffee, ran the dishwasher, and sorted the mail. And while I was there, I learned about Account Management. It sounded a little bit creative and a little bit business—the mullet version of a job.
So I brought my good attitude to the office, put my hand up for some proactive work, and pretty quickly got hired on as an Account Coordinator. It was perfect for me and the rest is history.
What were some of the lessons that you learned working in accounts that stick with you to this day?
Okay I didn’t know it until you asked, but I actually have a list for this one.
Approach from a place of empathy. When partnering with a co-worker, a client, a manger, or a direct report I always try to consider: positive or negative, what’s really driving them? Are they lacking confidence? Are they looking for a big win? Are they overwhelmed? If you can figure out their motivation, you can tailor your behavior to help. Can you help them pursue that win? Can you set them up to safely build that confidence? Can you help them manage their task list? Understanding the “why” is the first step in creating a better outcome for both of you.
What are we solving for? In the words of Abraham Lincoln, “If I had eight hours to cut down a tree, I’d spend the first six sharpening the axe.” Agency folks get so busy *doing* things they forget to question why they’re doing them, for whom, to what end? Take a breath and reground yourself in the core objective. Manage the ambiguity. Ask the hard questions even if it’s a bit uncomfortable (lean into that discomfort!). If you understand your destination, you’ll pick a better, clearer path.
Don't rush the problem. When things get hot it can be easy to get caught up in possible outcomes. What if this happens, then that, then this? And while preparing for outcomes is a hugely important part of the job, stressing about them isn’t. Knowing the bridge might be on the horizon but crossing that bridge when we come to it can sometimes be the best thing for you and your team’s sanity.
What led to the creation of Mischief?
Big picture? Mischief was started as the very intentional stir this industry needed. What actually, literally led to Mischief's birth was the creative vision of our co-founder and CCO, Greg Hahn, combined with the business minds of our other co-founders, Dave Lafond and Serge Rancourt. From there, Bianca, Kevin, and I joined the party and basically said, “Let’s go have fun and make some noise.”
“Mischief was started as the very intentional stir this industry needed.”
What was the inspiration behind the name?
The name Mischief reflects our belief that the riskiest thing a brand can do is be ignorable. It’s about making a stir with our work.
It’s also a way to signal to clients what to expect if they choose to work with us (never wallpaper, never “okay, it’s fine”). If you partner with an agency named Mischief, then you probably know we’re gonna get up to something together.
What’s your day-to-day experience like there? Is there a lot of juggling responsibilities?
First, paraphrasing the LEGO movie, every day is awesome. Every day I get to make decisions in the best interest of our clients and our people. And every day is different. Sometimes it’s operational things, sometimes it’s creative client work, sometimes it’s learning about a new technology. Every day it’s a lot of hat-wearing and I love it.
“The name Mischief reflects our belief that the riskiest thing a brand can do is be ignorable...It’s also a way to signal to clients what to expect. If you partner with an agency named Mischief, then you probably know we’re gonna get up to something together.”
What was it like establishing an agency in the middle of a pandemic?
Honestly I think it was easier. First I think it expedited things. When we were setting up the actual company, in the old world folks would have been flying around for in-person meetings with lawyers and things and we just got on zoom and figured it all out. When talking to prospective clients, CMOs would just text us and we’d hop on a call. I also think the pandemic leveled the playing field a bit. We didn’t have to worry about big agency pitch theater; we just had to worry about the strength of the ideas on a 13” screen.
What’s been the biggest challenges that Mischief has faced so far? How have you overcome them?
I think our biggest challenge has been figuring out how to manage or throttle scaling. We have a lot of opportunity coming our way (which is great!) and we want to meet that opportunity head on, but we want to do it without compromising the work and without killing our people. The way we avoid these pitfalls is by talking about everything, and scrutinizing everything. So when we do say yes to something, we know it’s 100% the right fit for us and that every discipline is all-in.
“The pandemic leveled the playing field a bit. We didn’t have to worry about big agency pitch theater; we just had to worry about the strength of the ideas on a 13” screen.”
What’s been your greatest win since its establishment?
I really don’t know that I would say there’s any one “big win.” To be honest I think our biggest win is more in what we’ve been able to achieve—do great work and grow massively at the same time. I’m hugely proud we’ve been able to prove creativity and business are not mutually exclusive; you don’t have to lower the creative bar in order to be profitable, or in order for your clients to be profitable.
Coming up on two years in existence, what’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned since it opened its virtual doors?
The biggest lesson I have learned is the power of “no.” When clients are assessing whether we’re the right agency for them, we’re equally assessing if they’re the right client for us. “No” delineates both what you stand for and against. And saying “no” isn’t always an end point—it can change the conditions of engagement or lead to a different opportunity. Weirdly, saying “no” is one of the best things you can do to help your business grow.
“‘No’ delineates both what you stand for and against. And saying ‘no’ isn’t always an end point—it can change the conditions of engagement or lead to a different opportunity. Weirdly, saying ‘no’ is one of the best things you can do to help your business grow. ”
What’s your ultimate vision for Mischief? What do you believe that the agency can accomplish that it already hasn’t?
Our vision is to keep doing great, fearless work and grow while doing it. Plus we want to have fun. Because it’s advertising—it should be fun.