Good Portfolio, Bad Creative? It Happens

What really counts in the agency game

Let’s be real: a portfolio, or book, isn’t the end-all-be-all. In advertising, we tend to worship the portfolio like it’s some sacred artifact, as if every piece is a direct reflection of someone’s talent. But here”s the truth we all know deep down—every portfolio is a product of its environment. It’s a snapshot of what someone could do given the conditions they had to work with.

Think about it. If you’re at a big-name agency with fat budgets, an army of talented people and clients willing to take risks, of course your portfolio is going to look amazing. You’re going to have slick, high-production spots, ads that win awards and campaigns that make waves.

But is that all because of you? Not necessarily.

A lot of it depends on circumstances. Resources. The team around you. The people above you who could greenlight that crazy idea. It’s not always about the individual; it’s about the machine backing them up.

On the flip side, there are creatives working at smaller agencies or in less glamorous roles who bust their asses with half the budget and a fraction of the freedom. Their portfolios might not have that same shine, but here’s the kicker: it doesn’t mean they’re any less talented.

In fact, they might even be more creative because they had to do more with less. That scrappy, resourceful mindset—finding a way to make something brilliant out of nothing—is where the real magic happens.

And let’s not forget something that every creative knows but rarely says out loud: Most of our best ideas never see the light of day. They get killed in meetings, chopped down by budgets or diluted until they barely resemble the original concept. We’ve all been there. You pour your heart into something, and then it gets stuck in development hell, or the client plays it safe. Those brilliant ideas? They’re still sitting in your head, unproduced and unseen.

But maybe that’s the point. The ability to produce something great despite the odds is part of what defines a great creative.

Anyone can come up with a wild idea when they have all the resources in the world. But it takes true skill and determination to make something memorable when the deck is stacked against you. The struggle to produce is a factor that needs to be evaluated. Can you push through the obstacles? Can you find a way to make it work even when the deck seems stacked against you?

It’s important to remember that a lot of stellar portfolios belong to mediocre creatives. They were just in the right place at the right time. Meanwhile, some of the most talented people you’ll ever meet have books that don’t do them justice. Why? Because they didn’t get the same opportunities. They didn’t enjoy the same budget or clients willing to take risks.

That’s why we can’t judge talent based solely on what’s in someone’s portfolio.

And here’s where things get really interesting. Posture, ethics and energy—those intangible qualities—matter just as much, if not more, than a portfolio.

How you approach a problem, how you treat your team, the passion you bring to the table every day—that’s the stuff that separates the good from the great.

Your vibe, your work ethic, your ability to inspire others—those are the things that make someone truly exceptional. And no portfolio, no matter how shiny, can reflect that.

At the end of the day, yes, a good book will get you noticed. But what keeps you in the room is who you are.

Your portfolio might open doors, but it’s your attitude, your resilience, your willingness to push boundaries that keep you in the game.

So, the next time you’re stressing about whether your portfolio is good enough, remember this: the book isn’t everything. You are.

The real question isn’t just “What have you done?” but “What could you do under the right conditions?”

What kind of creative would you be if the circumstances were different? That’s what truly matters.

The work will come. But your attitude, ethics and energy will make or break you in this industry.