Credit where credit is due, but sometimes tall tales are told.

AN aquaintance of mine launched his own advertising shop. On his new Web site, he listed several accounts that he had worked on. There's just one problem: I happen to know that he did significant support work for only two, one fired him after a few months, and the others specifically asked that he not work on their account.

I've been accused of taking credit for work I didn't do. A decade ago, I did freelance work for a non-profit account. I did insightful research and strategy work, which I handed off to a freelance creative team that I had hired. Occasionally, I stepped in to tell the creative team they were off-track, and I gave creative input on headlines and design. But, the creative team did the creative work. The campaign had a marvelous outcome. Donations skyrocketed and people even started leaving money to the organization in their wills. I was very proud of the work. When I used the case study to help build my new agency, the freelance team accused me of taking credit for their work.

The difference between these two examples is that I was always very clear what my role had been in the campaign.

Unspoken code

There is an unspoken code in the business that I've always believed in: You can take credit for the work, even the outcome of the work, provided you're honest about your part in it. With the proliferation of independent, boutique agencies, many client lists include those at former agencies. Sometimes, the work presented was done by their top creative talent while at other agencies. To keep things aboveboard, agencies must caveat this work. For example, "This was done by our, creative director at another shop." Or, "We worked on this account at Chiat." It's the fight thing to do. Asking permission to show the work is also advisable.

Advertising is a team sport. It's great for individuals to be ambitious about what they think they can do, and what they are passionate about doing, but they must start by being honest about their experience. Otherwise, they run the risk of finding themselves in a similar situation to that of a freelance art director my team and I once interviewed. While we were reviewing his book, my creative director stopped on a particular campaign. The art director mentioned he was especially proud of the work. The problem was, so was my creative director, who had conceived the campaign and had no recollection of ever working with this art director. As it turns out, the art director worked on the campaign in production, one floor below the creative department.

The communications business is currently in an awkward place, particularly in advertising. Technologies, and the consumer's role in marketing, have forever altered the creative process. We're constantly looking for new solutions in the people we meet and hire. But, the real test is not just of technology or talent. These are givens. Look deeper for honesty, integrity, and proven results. Ask the right questions. Demand from would-be hires and provide to potential clients accurate and complete disclosure.

I once worked with a smooth talker who used to tell colorful Leo Burnett stories. He implied, but never stated, that he was there in the trenches, with Leo himself, creating wonderful characters such as Tony the Tiger and the Pillsbury Doughboy. It always made me laugh because most of the work he talked about was done around the time he was born. And nobody ever called him on it. To this day, hundreds of people still think he helped invent the Jolly Green Giant. Ho, ho, ho.

Neal Mendelsohn is the chief experience officer at Fourth Wall, a communications agency in Los Angeles. He can be reached at [e-mail].