Recently, at an ad shoot, a senior creative director of an independent advertising network was taken aback when a producer openly asked him about his ‘personal fee’. This senior creative director politely refused to indulge in any such activities. However, he was curious to know why the producer made him an offer right under the nose of the client. These days, it seems, kickbacks are locked in when the ad hits the production floor. In some cases, with the involvement of the client. It gives creative folks ample time to figure out the various hidden elements in the budget that can be diverted into their personal accounts. Our ad moles also hint that some creative directors come back to production houses after the campaign is on air just to see if there is leftover money that can be transferred into their savings accounts. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned.
