Fallon’s Erin Simle on Why We Can’t Rely on the Traditional Production Model
Erin Simle is head of production at the advertising agency Fallon. Now part of the Publicis network, the agency has offices in London, New York and Minneapolis, where Erin is based. Prior to assuming this position in 2021, Erin led Fallon’s in-house production studio Charm School. Under her supervision, Charm School expanded its creative offering and earned the trust of its internal and external partners, working on projects for the likes of Arby’s, Cadillac, H&R Block and General Mills. Now she leads production across the entire agency, which prides itself on ‘modern creativity’ while staying true to its original mantra from its 1981 inception: outsmarting the competition, rather than outspending them.
Outside of Fallon, Erin is also the president and co-founder of MPLS MadWomen - an organisation whose mission is to close the gender gap in the advertising and creative community through mentorship, professional development, and networking for women working in the industry.
LBB’s Ben Conway caught up with Erin to discuss how Fallon creates content that resonates with people, what areas of production the ‘outsmarters’ are investing in for the future, and how creative companies can improve their support for the professional development of a diverse range of talent.
LBB> Before your current role, you led production at Fallon’s in-house production studio, Charm School. What were some of your proudest moments and most valuable lessons from that time? And how has your role evolved now you’re head of production at Fallon?
Erin> I led Charm School from 2019-2021 and no one could have predicted the upheaval and uncertainty that came during that time. In the early days of the pandemic, we worked hard to find a creatively viable and safe production solution that allowed us to keep shooting live action. The biggest thing we did was build up our internal capabilities with the help of some amazing production partners in Minneapolis, and honestly, we’ve never looked back. I’m proud to say that today, we still shoot nearly 50% of our live-action tabletop with the in-house crew and deliver huge cost efficiencies by shooting locally while maintaining our high creative standards.
Stepping into the head of production role in 2021, I have been able to apply those same problem-solving skills to the broader production efforts of the agency. By believing in the power of creativity and with the help of partners you trust, anything is possible.
LBB> How do you view the benefits of having in-house production capabilities at a creative agency? What has this allowed Fallon to do over the years?
Erin> Our in-house production capabilities allow us to move so much quicker than traditional production models. In the case of our social and retail clients, we can build a smaller team of makers to support the business. They can work quickly and be reactive to what’s happening in culture or to urgent business needs. Another benefit is when production is in proximity to creativity. By working closely, we can test out ideas with rip videos, animation tests or a quick proof of concept. More and more, we are presenting less traditional concepts to our clients and using our in-house production support to help sell them.
LBB> During that time, how have you seen the production world evolve? What new technologies and processes have you seen change the industry?
Erin> Over the last several years we’ve seen deliverable lists grow, and budgets and timelines shrink. This presents a challenge for production in that we can’t rely on the traditional production model. We need to think differently, and staff differently. We are hiring multi-faceted creatives and producers that know their way around a camera, gear and production software. We are building teams of makers to support clients with real-time content needs. It also forces us to rethink how we use our more traditional production budgets. By rethinking how we plan our shoot days, we often have a second unit capturing stills or social assets and we find ways to make full use of our crews and sets.
LBB> At Fallon, how are you ensuring that you’re producing content that resonates with people? And how are you ensuring the production team stays up to date with what clients and audiences are looking for?
Erin> Content producers should be content consumers. Our team is always batting around recommendations for films, documentaries, albums, podcasts, comedy – you name it. I encourage the crew to get out to experience content in the wild so anytime the agency can secure tickets or pick up the tab on something that looks interesting, I try to make it happen.
LBB> You’re also president and co-founder of MPLS MadWomen - tell us a bit about that! What is the organisation’s goal, and how are you helping to achieve it?
Erin> MPLS MadWomen was founded nearly 10 years ago with the goal of creating space for women in advertising to learn from and support one another. What started as small agency happy hours evolved into networking events with panels and keynote speakers – and eventually a one-to-one mentorship program. The last few years have made it tough to keep the original format of in-person events, but we are still going strong with the mentorship programme. We’ll have some exciting news this fall as we continue to evolve the organisation to be more inclusive and tailored to the needs of our community post-pandemic.
LBB> What are some of the biggest barriers to closing the gender gap in the creative and ad worlds? How have you seen attitudes change recently? Is enough being done right now?
Erin> Transparency is key. We are building career development rubrics at Fallon to ensure expectations are clear and equal across job titles and departments. Knowing what is expected at each level empowers the employee and the manager to keep the progression of employees equitable. Pay transparency is part of this too. It might put managers in an awkward position at times as we try to reward individual performance, but it’s worth it.
Transparency alone is not enough, though. In my experience, women often pick up the mental load of projects and do more emotional labour. We need to acknowledge and assign value to this work – not take it for granted. It’s as important (if not more important) to the team dynamic and creative output as the practical work of creative communications.
LBB> How would you advise creative companies to improve their support for the professional development of female talent? What structural, cultural and other changes can be made?
Erin> Promote women, non-binary, BIPOC and LGBTQAI+ talent. Agencies need to start looking more like the rest of the world – specifically in leadership. Be open to feedback. When any employee tells you what they need to be successful, listen to them. We are in a different world post-pandemic, and we should be open to new ways of working that support an individual’s personal and professional goals. Take them seriously and get creative with solutions.
LBB> What are some recent projects at Fallon that you’re especially proud of?
Erin> Working with Pusha T on Arby’s was a career highlight. We did two diss tracks with him between 2020 and 2022. Those projects could have died a thousand times. Every time we were knocked down, we got back up and somehow made it even better. Setbacks are never fun in the moment, but when you finally get to the finish line it sweetens the prize to know how hard it was to get there.
Every production comes with a big creative challenge these days. No matter how much we prepare, there is ALWAYS a curveball. That’s the fun of it all.
LBB> If there’s one area of production that brands, production companies, or in-house studios should be investing in, or researching for the future, what do you think it is?
Erin> Curious people. There will always be new technology to learn and innovative ways to curate and create content, but at the end of the day, you need people that are curious enough to dive in and learn those new ways of thinking. Stay hungry for knowledge and surround yourself with others who do the same.
