An advertising agency is 85 percent confusion and 15 percent

Opening Scene
The office lights flickered overhead, casting a sterile glow across the cluttered room. The rhythmic sound of typing filled the air, punctuated by the occasional phone call. The place was alive with a frenetic energy, a chaotic dance of minds desperately trying to create something brilliant in the midst of madness. Jack sat hunched over a desk, his fingers moving over a keyboard with practiced precision. He looked up briefly, his grey eyes scanning the room with a mixture of exhaustion and skepticism. Across from him, Jeeny was scribbling furiously on a notepad, her brow furrowed in concentration. The tension was thick — the deadline was looming, and they both knew they needed a miracle.

Host: "In the heart of the advertising world, where deadlines bleed into one another and creativity is both a blessing and a curse, Jack and Jeeny are caught in the whirlwind. The clock is ticking, but their thoughts are far from the final product. Instead, they find themselves reflecting on the words of Fred Allen: ‘An advertising agency is 85 percent confusion and 15 percent commission.’"

Jack: (glancing up, voice dry) "Fred Allen had it right. Advertising? It’s mostly just chaos. A few moments of brilliance buried under a mountain of miscommunication, last-minute changes, and unanswered emails. It’s not about strategy — it’s about surviving the confusion."

Jeeny: (laughing softly, eyes twinkling) "Well, maybe. But confusion can lead to some pretty great things, Jack. Creativity thrives in that kind of chaos. Advertising isn’t just about getting it right the first time. It’s about evolving, adapting in the moment. The commission part? That’s just a bonus."

Jack: (rolling his eyes, voice mocking) "Bonus? More like a prize at the end of the world. It’s all just a game of survival. The more confusion, the more opportunities to make something stick, no matter how messy it is. And you think it’s creativity that thrives in this environment? It’s desperation that leads the charge."

Host: "The light above them flickers again, a faint buzz echoing in the sterile silence of the office. Jack’s words are sharp, filled with the bitter edge of someone who has seen too much of the back-and-forth grind. Jeeny, however, is still smiling, the quiet optimism in her demeanor a stark contrast to his growing frustration."

Jeeny: (her voice soft, but passionate) "You can’t honestly believe that, Jack. Advertising is about telling a story, making connections. And that confusion you speak of? It’s part of the process. It’s the tension between the initial idea and the final product that makes the magic happen. Without the confusion, you wouldn’t have that moment of clarity. You wouldn’t have those breakthroughs."

Jack: (his tone sharp) "I’m not talking about creativity here. I’m talking about the sheer mess of it all. Clients who don’t know what they want, last-minute edits, unrealistic deadlines — it’s a nightmare. The whole industry is built on chaos, and then we slap on a bow and call it creativity. It’s a joke, Jeeny. Confusion isn’t the spark of genius; it’s the fog that hides the truth."

Jeeny: (leaning forward, her voice more assertive) "But that’s just it, Jack. The chaos isn’t the problem. The problem is how we respond to it. It’s about how we take that confusion and turn it into something that matters. Advertising isn’t about following a formula. It’s about navigating the unknown, making something out of nothing. That’s where the value is."

Host: "The tension is palpable. Jeeny speaks with the conviction of someone who believes in the purpose behind the madness, while Jack remains grounded in the harsh reality of the industry’s chaotic pace. There’s a visible shift in the air between them now — an unspoken understanding that they both see the same world, but interpret it differently."

Jack: (leaning back in his chair, voice lower) "I get it, I do. There are moments of brilliance in all this mess. But what happens when that brilliance doesn’t pay off? When it’s all just empty words and images? Advertising has become about selling illusion, not actual value. And in the end, it’s all about the commission. The money. That’s the real driving force."

Jeeny: (her expression softens, her voice thoughtful) "I disagree, Jack. Money matters, sure. But if it was all about the commission, we wouldn’t be here, fighting for the next idea. We’d be doing something easier, something more predictable. Advertising isn’t about selling an illusion, it’s about telling stories that connect with people, make them feel something. When that happens, the money will follow. But it starts with the truth of the message."

Jack: (his voice tinged with bitterness) "The truth? The truth is that we’re in an industry built on selling anything to anyone. And we call it creativity. We’ve all become salespeople in one form or another, peddling things we don’t even believe in. The commission is the only thing that makes it worthwhile, at the end of the day."

Host: "A moment of quiet passes between them, the weight of Jack’s words hanging in the air. Jeeny takes a deep breath, her fingers stilling on the page. For a brief second, it seems like their worlds have collided, like two forces trying to find some common ground."

Jeeny: (gently) "But if we stop believing in the purpose of what we do, if we stop believing in the value of the work, then what are we left with? Just a paycheck? Advertising has always been about more than just selling. It’s about building relationships, telling stories that people can connect with. And if you don’t believe that, Jack, then why are you still here?"

Jack: (his voice softer now, reflective) "I guess I’m here because, despite everything, I still think there’s something worth fighting for. Maybe it’s not about the chaos. Maybe it’s about finding that one moment of clarity, when everything falls into place. Maybe confusion is just the price we pay for those moments."

Host: "The office is still buzzing with activity, but there’s a shift in the way Jack and Jeeny sit across from each other now. The confusion doesn’t seem quite so overwhelming. The commission doesn’t seem quite so empty. Perhaps, for a brief moment, they’ve found a bit of understanding — not in agreeing on everything, but in accepting that both sides of the coin have their own value. The storm may always rage in the background, but sometimes, in the chaos, you can still find a way to make it work."