For a campaign with as many moving pieces as LEGO’s “Go Miniman Go,” streamlined communications between LEGO and its agency partner Flashpoint PR was critical to successful execution. Kristin Greene, a principal at Flashpoint PR, attributes the campaign’s success to the following best practices for effective collaboration:
• Don’t get caught up in formalities: “We’re more committed to producing amazing results than we are to maintaining overly formal roles and relationships,” Greene says. “We have a very honest dialogue [with the LEGO team] and, as much as we celebrate what is working well, we also are honest about what isn’t as successful, and about the fact that things may need to be reworked mid-campaign.”
• Communicate early and often, regardless of time zones and locations: “[The LEGO and Flashpoint PR teams] are in constant contact—even though we’re on opposite coasts,” Greene says. “We speak daily, use instant messaging and have regularly scheduled in-person meetings to maintain the working relationship. Having a personal connection and enjoying each other’s company have gone a long way.”
• Over-promise—and over-deliver: “It seems like an obvious best practice for any agency, but we continually strive to exceed our client partner’s expectations and to prove ourselves.”