The Ups and Downs of Pissing Off Your Client…and How to Know When It Could Be Worthwhile

Published

October 23, 2025

Filed under

Know who doesn’t like surprises? Besides my wife, that is. Clients.

Generally speaking, clients want to know what’s going to happen, when it’s gonna happen, why it’s gonna happen, and who it will happen with. They want the playbook, the rules, and the final score before the first play ever takes place on the field. Metaphors aside, you know what I mean. The average client finds comfort—and control—through clarity of process and purpose.

Under “no surprises” is a laundry list of watchouts bound to sow misgivings, if not mistrust. It includes all those unexpected things—big or small—that don’t go over well because they were neither anticipated nor requested.

Gregg Lipman

Gregg is a founding partner of CBX and responsible for the overall direction and management of its New York office. Gregg provides big-picture insight into client projects and ensures that the team is meeting and exceeding project objectives. Gregg helped form CBX after recognizing that an opportunity existed to launch an agency that delivered top-notch creative thinking paired with superior service. Gregg’s previous roles include stints as executive vice president of account services at FutureBrand and senior account manager at Deskey Associates. He has over 20 years of consumer branding experience, and has worked with such clients as Reckitt Benckiser, General Mills, Seagram’s, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, and Frito-Lay. Gregg graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in marketing and fine arts.