March 11, 2026

Campaign Chemistry: Rethink’s Sean McDonald

47 minutes

In an industry often obsessed with the next quarterly report, Rethink has built a legacy by focusing on “good, not growth.”

This week, Campaign sits down with Rethink global chief strategy officer and partner Sean McDonald for a dive into an agency culture that prioritizes independence and a fierce commitment to creative excellence.

From the iconic It Has to be Heinz campaign to the genius of the Doritos collaboration with Walton Goggins to sliding in Canada’s DMs on behalf of IKEA, McDonald shares how a "people-first" philosophy actually drives better business results. We dive into the "media plan as a trampoline" concept, the importance of inclusive creative processes with clients and why maintaining a healthy work environment isn't just a perk — it’s the secret sauce behind some of the world's most awarded work.

The sound bite

"We set the standard in this industry."

The key takeaways

Replace "be brave" with confidence building. Ad agencies should abandon the self-indulgent sales tactic of asking marketers to "be brave.” Instead, agency partners must build client confidence by deeply understanding their internal operations, specific needs and legal boundaries.

Prioritize sustainable agency "good" over rapid "growth.” Pursuing top-line revenue by accepting misaligned clients can damage an ad agency's core culture. Agencies must have the confidence to decline projects that conflict with their mission, which protects the team and paves the way for stronger, long-term brand partnerships.

Consider a "relationship accelerator" format for client onboarding. Successful partnerships require a transparent, therapy-style onboarding session before executing campaigns similar to how Rethink begins new client relationships. Uncovering why the client chose the agency, past agency failures and client pet peeves preemptively prepares both parties for inevitable future challenges.

Pitch iterative concepts instead of polished decks. Agencies should avoid presenting massive, finalized pitch decks. Instead, present strategic hypotheses as conceptual "shallow holes" and collaborate directly with clients to refine ideas without wasting resources on early-stage polish.

Leverage the media plan as a creative trampoline. Simply fulfilling a media plan takes client budgets for granted. Marketing teams should use the media plan as a launchpad to generate cultural impact, constantly seeking innovative ways to outperform the initial media investment.

Adopt a "go then grow" model for real-time marketing. To capitalize on cultural moments, launch a limited minimum viable product to test audience interest. Agencies can scale based on demand, similar to launching the "Seemingly Ranch" condiment as a limited release before securing mass retail distribution initiated by Walmart.

Identify the shared belief between brand and consumer. A brand declaring its own superiority aka “it has to be us” is not enough True strategic success requires uncovering a shared belief and identifying the specific, authentic reasons why target audiences feel compelled to choose the product.

Build pre-existing trust for agile campaign execution. Lightning-fast, real-time marketing — like altering beer cans to react to a viral sports moment seen in the Coors Lights Out execution — demands rapid navigation of legal and sponsorship constraints. This agility is only possible when ad agencies and brands have established years of mutual respect and trust.

Embrace humility and peer review in marketing strategy. Elite strategic minds avoid working in silos or pretending to have all the answers. Leveraging rigorous peer review and team collaboration eliminates the pressure of "knowing," uncovers comprehensive insights and prevents culturally insensitive missteps.

Recruit ad agency talent with a strong "bullshit meter.” When scaling marketing teams, prioritize candidates who are authentic, honest and willing to challenge mistakes. Combining this straightforwardness with a genuine drive to set industry standards cultivates an unstoppable agency culture, according to McDonald.

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Music - Take you Out by Lucid Tides, courtesy of Triple Scoop.

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