And then, in the wee hours of the night,
one art director and one copywriter did the actual work.

That’s what we learned while working together as the creative nucleus for two different ad agencies before forming BatesMeron Sweet Design.

When the bosses demanded a creative breakthrough before breakfast, we were there. When the account execs needed instant service on those higher–maintenance clients, we were there. And when the cleaning ladies turned off the lights at 10pm—yes, we were there too.

So what did we learn from these recurring misadventures? That the agency of tomorrow is run by business–savvy creatives who can listen to your goals, explain their own work and adapt on the fly.

Shachar Meron, Copywriter

Shachar actually prefers the title Ad Man, striving to reach that 1950s, fedora–topped standard of professional cool. His specialty lies in finding your creative voice—whether you’re in the business of printing, property, plants or pets—and working it to boost your brand.

Shachar earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s in Advertising from the University of Illinois in Champaign, with a focus on brand strategy. After a short–lived jaunt in sales, Shachar went on to become a copywriter, cutting his teeth on contact lenses and colostomy bags. Priding himself as “the art director’s copywriter,” Shachar has some background in illustration and design, including a three–year stint as a published cartoonist.

A diehard, North Side Cubs fan, Shachar is an avid player of poker and chess.

Rebecca Bates, Art Director

With the eye of an artist and the mind of a consultant, Becka has a natural command of the details most others overlook: color reproduction, paper, binding, profitability. She knows how to promote business with beauty, and can always be counted on to run every project to perfection.

Becka earned a Marketing Design degree in Champaign, then rose to the rank of Senior Art Director at two different ad agencies before forming her own. Unlike most artists, she has strong competitive streak, and a knack for getting right to the point. Though Becka may seem cool on the surface, looks can be deceiving—she’s really obsessed with sci–fi, fantasy and World of Warcraft (boasting a level 70 Undead Warlock—Go Horde!).

A diehard, South Loop foodie, Becka loves her yorkie Sukhi so much it’s not kosher.

The BatesMeron Manifesto

Late one fateful night in 2005, Becka—fed up with a broken system—channeled her frustration into a 10–page manifesto. Shachar then took this raw writeup and broke it down into six fundamental principles. And BatesMeron was born.

1. At the end of the day, whatever the agency, it always comes down to one art director and one copywriter doing your actual work.
2. Be honest. Candor shows respect, and it saves everyone a lot of time.
3. Let people do what they do best.
4. Take a stand when you should. But yield to trusted experts when you’re not so sure.
5. Treat every vendor as you want your clients to treat you.
6. Be who you say you are. 90% of business is just delivering on your promises.