George Dimakis, Account Director at VICE Media MEA.From a young age, I have always had the instinct to pause and question things. Not to retaliate, but to think about whether there might be another way of doing them. That sense of curiosity has stayed with me, and over the years I’ve come to realise it is one of the most valuable traits one can have in advertising.
Too often, we play it safe. The easy thing is to agree. To nod at the brief, accept the idea, commit to the deadline. Even when everyone in the room knows it will not deliver. Sometimes it comes from politeness, sometimes from fear of conflict. Whatever the reason, it affects both the work and the relationship.
Saying no, or even just pausing to ask ‘Is this really the best way forward?’ feels uncomfortable. Nobody wants to be the one pushing back. Because disagreeing isn’t without risk. But if all we ever do is nod along, are we truthful to the brief, the work, or the business itself?
That’s the part we rarely talk about. Everyone says they want honesty until it comes with consequences. How ready are we, as agencies and as individuals, to take that risk? To stand by what we believe in when it is not the popular choice, when it could mean losing the account, or the comfort of being liked?
Because if we can’t do that, then we are not really partners. We are just service providers with opinions.
The strongest partnerships I have had with clients were never built on agreement. They were built in the moments we disagreed. The times we were honest enough to say, ‘This approach will only take you so far. Let’s try it this way instead.’
These conversations are never easy. They carry tension. But they are also the conversations that everyone remembers. They are the ones that earn respect. Because at the end of the day, clients don’t need another yes. They need a partner who listens, understands, and isn’t afraid to challenge when it matters.
In cultures where trust and relationships define how business is done, the courage to disagree matters even more. A client might not welcome it at first, but over time they will value the honesty and, more importantly, the results. And that is the tipping point of trust.
Disagreeing doesn’t mean being difficult or stubborn. It means you care enough to address the harder truths. It means putting impact over comfort. Because courage in this business doesn’t come from winning the pitch. It comes from being ready to lose it for the right reason.
By George Dimakis, Account Director at VICE Media MEA.
