This recession makes being me less excellent.
Many of us used to relish Donald Trump firing dumbstruck contestants on the Apprentice. Or Simon eviscerating some hapless warbler on American Idol. We take delight in watching the Simpson’s Montgomery Burns humiliate and then extricate his subordinates, often down a secret hole in front of his desk. Nelson, the “Ha-Ha!” bully is another Simpsonian example. There is brutal comedy in the misfortune of others. The Germans have a word for it: Schadenfreude. (To be precise, substitute the word “pleasure” for “comedy.”) Either way, it’s an unfortunate, even barbaric, part of our humanity.
And it often flourishes like mold in the hallways of Adland. If/when one agency hears of another’s misfortune we cheer. In bigger agencies, creative groups on one floor often compete and root against creative groups from another. Internet trolls constantly throw stones at wounded agencies and their people. While most aim at management, the torpedoes invariably end up hurting massive portions of the ship, not just the bridge.
I’ve written about this before. But that was before the recession. With few agencies exempt from its grave fallout, I doubt anyone is gleeful over much of anything right now, let alone another’s misfortune. That tipping point came and went. With people –good people- disappearing from our ranks it is as if a plague were let loose in adland…the whole damn country! Whereas we once morbidly watched as our comrades were marched out the door, thinking “not me, never me” now we cannot help but see ourselves in their shoes.
And yet pain like this can provide our most teachable moments. There is a silver lining. To coin another phrase: the show must go on.
Therefore, those of us who remain pick up our games. If we are good we become great. Considering the alternative, we must. We also count our blessings. We learn humility. We let go our resentments because they feel especially vulgar right now. While veins of meanness run deep on the Internet, not so much in the hallways of Adland. There is less complaining about partners and bosses. Fewer requests for money and titles. Less Me. More We. What we have (peers, clients, job) is far more important than what we don’t.
Guess what folks? It always was! But we forget. Until the pain of others reminds us. Humility. Gratitude. Fortitude. If we acquire even a little grace during these difficult times, something good has come from it.
Shedding Crocodile tears…
File this under what goes up must come down: Crocs are going extinct! It seems only last year everyone was buying, talking about and otherwise going gaga over these colorful, indestructible, waterproof shoes.
Not anymore. According to the Chicago Tribune, Crocs lost almost $200 million last year and slashed roughly 2,000 jobs. They have until September to pay off their considerable debt. Otherwise they’re “toast,” said a fund manager quoted in the Tribune.
Crocs were born in a boom, with an eye-catching look and a cute 21st century story to boot. According to the Trib, a group of friends in Boulder got hold of some funky foam formula from Canada and created a water-sports shoe they named Beach. A cult following quickly developed, one thing lead to another, and the next thing you know old Jed’s a millionaire!
What happened? Well, I guess the downside of indestructible shoes is that you never have to buy new ones. Huge planning costs incurred just prior to the recession also hurt the company.
Regardless, I am always bewildered by these stories: People, places and things that reach the highest highs only to plumb the deepest depths. Krispy Kreme Donuts. Cabbage Patch Dolls. Hootie and the Blowfish. And now Crocs. Why are their stories so transient while other successes stay red-hot? Apple computers, Starbucks and Bruce Springsteen keep on keeping on. Sure, they have down periods (Starbucks is in the midst of one now) but they’ll be back, maybe stronger than ever.
Last month I wrote that maintaining relevance is a key driver to sustainability. Brands do this via new products, new uses, and new communications.
Still, Crocs was implementing these strategies and none of it worked. Krispy Kreme tried every flavor under the sun and still their stock price tumbled, stores closed, people were let go.
So, what differentiates trend (Crocs) from juggernaut (Nike)? In hindsight, it’s easy to come up with notions. But how does one tell at the onset? Unlike many extinct dot-coms, Crocs presumably had a secure business plan. My kids all own pairs and still wear them now. You’d think cheap, indestructible children’s shoes would be surging during this “soul” crushing recession. The enigmatic and fickle marketplace. Something to think about while walking your pet rock.
And I thought the porn industry was crazy…
Per sometime reader and longtime creative director, Jim Schmidt’s recommendation, I have begun reading David Foster Wallace. For those more ignorant than me, DFW was an exemplary essayist, professor and novelist best known for his profound and, at times, confounding prose. Time magazine named his 1994 novel, Infinite Jest one of the 100 greatest novels ever written. Suffering from acute depression, Wallace took his life on September 12, 2008.
Rather than Jest, I began reading DFW’s book of articles and essays, Consider The Lobster. So far it’s an extraordinary read. The opening piece (pun intended) on the Adult Film Awards is worth the book’s price.
My intent, however, is not to review DFW. Frankly, Wallace’s powers of analysis, precise wit and mastery of words are well out of my league.
Inspired, I decided to look at the advertising business as if through his eyes. Sadly, through that filter, there is nothing enlightening to report. Only foolishness. Between the experts and critics, the practitioners and teachers, and obviously the trade press, all has been said. David Foster Wallace would tell us…
As an industry, we’ve explored our own inadequate naval ad nausea (pun intended). The body cannot take another probe!
For an extended argument, he would blithely take on the dull saw topic of “integration.” We say above and below the line marketing need to come together, seamlessly. “Enough already,” he’d say. In summation: Some networks and agencies do it better than others. None are brilliant. Stuck inside silos, huffing their own hubris, most are bumbling along. Yet, their clients do not deserve a hall pass either. They, too, struggle bogged by politics and history. (This dysfunction is too irresistible for Wallace to leave alone! Here would be the fun part of his essay.)
Then: “You have enough praised and criticized (mostly the former) Crispin Porter & Bogusky. You have enough praised and criticized (mostly the latter) Draft FCB. You have exposed and deposed Martin Sorrel. Maurice Levy. John Wren. The other names and entities representing this small world are tiresomely ubiquitous.”
“Ads,” DFW, would tell us, “do little but sell (if that) and mean little to anyone but their vain and insecure creators.”
For the finale, he would have at our corrupt and overblown awards shows, revealing –(at last!)- Cannes for the weeklong cocktail party and fixed election it really is. Talk about infinite jest.
Panel discussions, creative awards and one lifetime achievement. The New York Festivals comes to Chicago.
July 24, 2009
“And then when I was nine…”
“I was told I’d be the only bald guy.”
The New York Festivals International Advertising Awards launched its World Tour showcasing the World’s Best Advertising™ in Chicago on Tuesday, July 21, 2009. Yours truly spent a better part of the day participating in the festival -first as a panelist during an afternoon discussion and later as an audience member during the actual ceremony.
Personally speaking, there were three highlights: the panel discussion, actually winning an award, and the Lifetime Achievement accolade given to famed commercial director, Joe Sedelmaier.
Let’s start with the Sedelmaier prize. If you’re in advertising and ignorant about whom this man is shame on you! Do some digging. In the eighties, Sedelmaier was widely considered to be the premiere director of funny. His fast talking Fed Ex guy and Clara Peller’s “Where’s the beef?” commercial for Wendy’s are icons of the form. There were others: a “Russian Fashion show” mocking the brutal sameness of fast food, a Southern Airlines commercial depicting coach class as a Jewish ghetto. Many of these can be found online. I’ve attached one below.
As was acknowledged by Sedalmaier’s son, JJ and guest presenter, Bob Garfield from AdAge, the thing Joe did better than anyone was finding and using REAL people. Very real people. Often older and comically unattractive, Joe’s cattle call was welcome respite from the very beautiful and mostly fake actors representing most advertising during the glitzy Reagan era. When I started at Leo Burnett, everyone –and I mean everyone- wrote (or tried to write) in the brutally funny style that Joe Sedalmaeir made famous. Good to see him being recognized.
The panel discussion, entitled “Is craft dead?” was about whether or not the aesthetic quality of creativity suffered given the influence of social media, the recession and other mitigating factors. Internet wag, Alan Wolk moderated the group. Other panelists included the Chief Creative Officer of Element 79, Dennis Ryan and Tribal DDB’s Managing Director, David Hernandez. We covered a wide range of topics, including viral videos impact on TV commercials, crowd sourcing (good or evil?) and even the Zappos RFP fiasco. I hope the audience got as much out of it as I did.
After the discussion, panelists were interviewed for a segment on WCIU TV’s “First Business.” If you’re surfing channels next Saturday morning, try not to hurl your Cheerios.
Euro RSCG Chicago took home a Silver medal for Valspar paints. This integrated campaign continues to be our creative front-runner at my agency. Bravo team!
Had fun visiting with the many Burnett people attending the ceremony. My beloved, old agency won a handful of prizes, including a much-deserved medal for Hallmark Card’s “Brother of the Bride.” I adore this commercial and, frankly, the entire long-running campaign. Hallmark and Burnett have been making these beautiful long-form stories for decades. If craft is dying elsewhere it’s alive and well here:
The many other winners can be found on their website: New York Festivals
Finally, a special shout out goes to NYF’s Gayle Mandel. Lovely woman, the green ensemble she donned for the ceremony was damn near worth the price of admission!
Marriage. Let the buyer beware…
A small space newspaper ad has been vexing me for weeks… even months. Chicago Tribune. Lower right hand corner three pages in. A fierce looking blond woman stares right at me. Late twenties. Early thirties. Attractive. But there’s seriousness about her. Anger? Again: fierce.
Above her photo is the following headline: “My marriage didn’t work but selling my diamond did.”
Rose Estate Jewelers buys jewelry from consumers and has clearly identified a market for procuring diamonds: the not-so-gay divorcee’.
Totally makes sense. Especially during the recession. In the “Cash For Gold” era the value of estate jewelry is obvious, for consumers and commercial enterprise. Gold is selling for almost $1,000 dollars an ounce, the highest price I’ve ever seen in my life.
What disturbs me about the Rose ad is twofold:
1) The not-so-subtle jab at the unnamed man. He who gave the fierce blond the ring in the first place. Presumably, it was his money that bought the jewelry. Kind of sucks it’s a given she gets to keep the ring and sell it. Sometimes the “man” is not the cause of a marriage’s dissolution. Regardless, there is a presumption that ex-wives are entitled to their wedding rings –no matter what. Shouldn’t the property be sold and split like real estate? I’ve been married almost 20 years (!) so mine isn’t a case of sour grapes. I’m just saying is all…
2) The not-so-subtle jab at marriage. The very appearance of this little ad proves how inevitable and common divorce has become. Kind of sad. Not so long ago an ad like this, let alone the topic, would have been taboo as far as fodder for a sales pitch. Now it’s as mundane as page 4 in the morning paper.
Advertising is part of popular culture. Sometimes it even can mark a cultural shift. While the preponderance of divorce in our society is nothing new, this seemingly innocuous ROP ad makes it, sadly, old news.
James Othmer’s new book.
As many of you know, a great theme for me is trying to do the right thing in a business predicated on nurturing greed, lust, envy and sloth. Fittingly, the tag for my blog reads, “We make you want what you don’t need.” In my novel, The Happy Soul Industry , God seeks an ad agency to market heaven and all hell breaks loose.
So, it is with great curiosity I await the release of James Othmer’s new book, Adland, Searching for the Meaning of Life on a Branded Planet.
It appears former Y&R creative director; James Othmer was motivated to write this memoir by the same forces that compel me. In the entertaining, and at times, enlightening prologue (what was sent to me), we find Othmer embroiled in an overblown, doomed pitch for new business. Like many pitches, the agency gets off to a galloping start only to have fear and politics take a devastating (and in this case, hilarious) toll.
Adland is a story about how a creative young man got drawn into our business and fared in it, through thick, thin and ridiculous.
The book comes out in September but Othmer has produced a compelling trailer for the material. Have a look.
Or you can bitch online…
You’re all aware of the Canadian musician, Dave Carroll who wrote a song about United Airlines trashing his guitar, made a video, and posted it on You Tube.
The song is mediocre but, like they say, it’s the thought that counts. Big thought. Last I checked well over 2 million people have watched the video! I experienced part of it on the 6 o’clock news. Even United Airlines is a fan, claiming to want the thing for future training reasons. Yeah, right. My guess is they’re feigning humility to mitigate scorn. (What I’d do.)
Either way, both parties have settled. Presumably United will be more careful with how they handle luggage. Presumably. And our Canadian friend got himself those precious moments of fame Andy Warhol made famous. I bet his band gets a lot more bookings and, if nothing else, the musician now has something for the scrapbook.
Now let’s talk about the kafuffle involving the self-named “UPS Whiteboard Actor” and Delta Airlines. After experiencing a brutal 24 hours trying to get his family from Richmond to Atlanta, the actor/creative director, Andy Azula wrote an angry post on his blog, detailing the nightmare, and vowing never to fly Delta again unless he receives some form of recompense, be it material or an apology or both. The missive was picked up by other trade blogs including Agency Spy:
adman_cries_at_delta_has_principles_121695.asp
Dozens of comments quickly followed, most calling the guy a whiner and a poser and a bunch of other things. Many ridiculed Andy’s odd long hair, a trademark of sorts. To be fair, the comments on his own blog were mostly in support of the “article.” Read for yourself.
Both events have two things in common: bad airline service and using social media to seek retribution. But while the musician is getting lots of love the UPS guy is taking a fair amount of abuse. There are probably many reasons for this discrepancy but the main one is obvious. The unknown musician made a charming video about his ordeal while the somewhat known Azula just bitched.
As a creative director and blogger, I empathize with Andy. I, too, have wanted retribution for one thing or another. I like having a forum, albeit minuscule. However, having learned the hard way, I also recognize the potential for self-made sparks to ignite online. Certain topics and/or the way we communicate them… We think we are being insightful but we are perceived as inciting. We think we are being provocative but we are only provoking. Andy must have crossed a line.
I’m as sensitive to barrages of criticism as the next guy. I don’t like it. Yet my best advice for Azula is to take it on the chin. He got the letter out of his system. Now it lives on drawing ire. Let it go, my longhaired buddy. Fighting Internet snipers is even harder than taking on an airline!
At the time of this writing, the Zappos RFP fiasco was breaking. Here, the creative director at small shop, Ignited took out his frustration online with regard to being unfairly dismissed by Zappos unwieldy pitch process. Once again, the trade blogs reported it and the trolls feasted. Much debate about these issues could and should be had. Lord knows pitching new business has become ridiculous, with lots of blame to go around. But are social networks the place to have it?
Cellphone cabbies just ain’t “fare.”
In honor of summer distractions I’m writing bits and pieces this week. Some news, some rants. Part two:
It’s more than just annoying when a cabbie talks on the phone while driving; it’s also illegal. Still, my big wonderment is just who they’re talking to and why. Are they discussing the scenery? “Hey, Pauly, I just went by your favorite burrito shack. Guess what? It’s still there!” Are they chatting with loved ones? “So, honey, a couple was getting down in my cab and I thought of you.” Are they ruminating on NPR? Seriously, driving all hours what could they possibly have to say? And why would anyone want to hear it? Doesn’t make sense to me.
Beyond the tragedy of the Burr Oak cemetery scandal, I still don’t understand how these crimes took so long, ahem, to uncover. Wouldn’t it only take one lost dead person to unravel the whole scam? But hundreds…or even thousands?! Didn’t anyone notice grandmother was no longer where they’d buried her? As for the criminals, what was their explanation for missing corpses…even just one? I’m (forgive me) dying to know.
I’ve never read or seen Harry Potter. I know…I know…the books are really awesome, right? Don’t care. I can’t get past the goofy covers. That and I hate wizards and magic. Always have. As a teen I avoided Dungeons and Dragons, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings (never saw or read those either) and anything else that involved wands and spells.
Since I’m riffing on genres I loathe, I might as well add just about anything animated. Not since “Heavy Metal” or “Fantasia” can I recall seeing an animated film. I have three kids so it takes real effort avoiding these films. Don’t think I’m a snob. I love Spongebob and the Simpsons. I just can’t get up for feature length cartoons. (On a related note, I’ve already written about my acute distaste for anything Disney. It’s one of my better posts. I urge you to read it.)
Railed on this before but am I the only person who cannot stand the harmonic voice changers being employed by so many contemporary music artists? You know what I’m talking about. It started with that annoying refrain in Cher’s “Do you believe (in love)” but is now a part of just about every hip hop song I ever hear, which, by the way, is just about every song they play in my health club. Don’t these artists realize it sounds like they’re singing through a kazoo?
To avoid coming off as a curmudgeon, here are some things that I love: biking to work, fireflies, U2, Macs, reading, writing, sushi, french fries, fireworks, women who wear skirts, brunettes, business class, Diet Dr. Pepper, cheap cigars, fruit smoothies, homemade chocolate-chip cookies, big dogs (even though I have two small ones), fishing, running, zombies, mowing grass, tornadoes, Spongebob, old houses, front porches, back scratching, Cartier watches, a second wind, blue jeans, God, my girls, my job, and you for reading this.
Same guy, different crimes.
Not my usual M.O. but in honor of summer distractions I’m writing bits and pieces this week. Some news, some rants. These are observations and ideas not big enough to warrant a full post but are on my mind, none-the-less. More to follow soon. Let me know what you think.
Let’s start on a high note. Euro RSCG in New York managed to win the Heineken account, beating out Weiden & Kennedy, TBWA and Strawberry Frog. Euro NY does a fabulous job with the same client’s Dos Equis brand so this seems like fair reward. “The most interesting man in the world” might be the best beer advertising in America right now, maybe even the world. Wonder what they have in store for the yuppie brew in the iconic green bottle. I should say my office in Chicago had nothing to do with this big win. I know the folks who did, however and they are that agency’s best and brightest. Congrats to all.
When it comes to broadcast advertising, cinema is the new TV. I saw five big budget commercials prior to the last movie I attended. Not so long ago these would have represented a typical flight on prime time. But since few of us actually witness commercial breaks anymore (thank you DVR), the movies are now the place where advertisers find a captive audience. This is either highly annoying or great news for agencies still wanting to produce films for their clients. Probably both.
Shifting gears completely: Love our new Prez, his family, even the dog. But why is everyone so complimentary of Michelle Obama’s wardrobe? I think much of what she wears is bizarre. Google her visit with the Pope. That outfit was downright scary. Hey, at least she’s her own woman.
Saw Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies.” Why the plural? Baby Face Nelson is in five minutes. Pretty Boy Floyd gets killed about 20 seconds after we meet him. Still, it’s a good period piece, full of nice suits and men wearing hats. Sort of “Mad Men” with machine guns. Continuing that comparison, John Dillinger is portrayed much the same as Dan Draper. Both men are handsome, driven, and self-destructive. Draper & Dillinger. Now there’s an agency to be reckoned with! Back to the film, I especially appreciated the way Chicago looked: a hell of a lot cooler than it did in “Dark Knight.” You can’t beat the rickety “El” for killer mise en scene.
Some rants in the next post so stay tuned!
You were so right, Andy…
Do you often feel like you are an actor in a film about yourself or a supporting actor in a film about someone else? Not surprisingly, life becomes art during times of high drama, good and bad. “The Job Interview,” starring you. “The Date from Hell” co-starring you. “Naughty Night Nurses” starring not you… We become heroes or villains. Pursuers or the pursued. Beautiful or ugly. Objects.
With the proliferation of social media, digital music and reality TV, the idea that each of us is starring in our own movie has, in my opinion, become pervasive. Let’s jump around. We are constantly listening to handpicked music on our Ipods, yes? Are not these play-lists the soundtrack to our lives? It’s so easy filming ourselves (via handhelds, personal computers, cameras) it seems we are constantly “on” or auditioning. Even before the self-indulgence of Twitter and Facebook, reality TV showed us so many versions of us (richer, poorer, fatter, faker, etc), that many of us subconsciously began acting “as if” we were being filmed.
Think about it. When you’re having a tough conversation with your partner don’t you sometimes imagine you’re on a TV show? It’s like your words become dialogue. Try saying, “I love you” without sounding melodramatic. Try having a temper tantrum without suddenly feeling like cameras are rolling. ‘Say it like you mean it’ has become a stage direction!
The explosion of pornography into the mainstream has even changed the way people make love. Whether you watch porn or not (or admit to it), sex and performance are hopelessly intertwined. No surprise Viagra and the Internet took off together. Whoring on Craigslist. Sportfucking. YouPorn.com. Is anyone really surprised about “sexting” among teenagers?
Forget for a moment the psychological and sociological ramifications (they are massive) and revisit my opening question: Do you often feel like you are an actor in a film about yourself or a supporting actor in a film about someone else?
If so, let’s hope you like the movie!
