Stepping Up for Case Study Palooza

Yesterday at Access we kicked-off our annual two-day review of client work that we call Case Study Palooza. 

“Palooza as it is known, or just “CSP,” is time for us as an agency to step back, review and contemplate the great work we have done for our clients. CSP is a lot of hard work, grinding deadlines and late nights over pizza and Chinese takeout as our entire staff from Account Coordinators through Account Supervisors, pull together case studies based on actual client work and prepare to present them in front a panel of judges comprised of senior agency leaders and an outside judge. CSP is characterized by high energy and tough competition as teams compete for cash, prizes and year-long bragging rights. Doing this of course while handling a full account load.

Each three person team must prepare and present a PowerPoint case study highlighting a real client’s communication challenge, describe how Access creatively and strategically addressed the problem and showcase the communications results and business impact achieved. The goal is to convince the judges (acting as prospective clients in a new business scenario) to “hire” Access based on the quality of the case study and the presentation skills of the team.

Teams are judged based on a published scorecard and often endure withering questions from the judges on every aspect of the case study, the clients’ business model and competitive landscape.

As CEO, what is really exciting for me, beyond seeing the great work we’ve produced in the past year, is to watch is how each staffer, whether they have three months of PR experience or seven years, steps up and brings their A-game. I continue to be impressed with the talent, creativity and intelligence of our team.

Palooza is tough, it’s meant to be, and I know it can be intimidating for some of our staffers, but it is also a rite of passage and rallying point for our agency each year and is part of our strong commitment to training and staff development that is unmatched in the industry. I’m so incredibly proud of everyone who presented this year and I’m deeply grateful for your passion, dedication and enthusiasm.

Now, on to the fun stuff…the awards ceremony, cash distribution and of course the after-party and celebration.