EDITORIALS
At The End Of The Day, It’s Just Advertising.
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What?
Yeah, I know. In the past I’ve gone off on rants that dropped the f-bomb more times than napalm was dropped on Vietnam. But unlike war, advertising is not really a matter of life or death. And although my rants always serve a purpose, which is to help you improve the work you do, it’s important to remember that it’s just work.
As my idol (well, one of them) Luke Sullivan said recently:
“Dude, this is advertising. You’re not pullin’ babies out of burning buildings. You’re not curing cancer or making peace. You make commercials for cry-eye. Websites. End-aisle displays. Jesus.”
Maybe the combination of Mr. Sullivan spouting those words has, along with the seemingly invincible Alex Bogusky quitting CP+B, planted a seed in my noggin that has started to grow. Maybe I’m just getting soft in my old age. But advertising is not exactly a noble profession is it? In fact, in the 80s it was up there with stockbroker and plastic surgeon as an industry full of overpaid, arrogant assholes. These days, the overpaid has been replaced by overworked, but the arrogant assholes are never in short supply. I should know, I’ve been one for many years.
But why bring this up? Especially after spending a few years shouting at you all and generally being a surly old bastard.
Well, it all comes down to quality of life and your own sanity. I think we all have projects that we know are more important than others. We have those big jobs that not only make money for our clients, but also give us the recognition we deserve. In the grand scheme of things, though, they’re just ads. Creative ads, maybe, but they’re still ads that are ultimately a distraction from daily life.
Some people say that ads are a break from that routine, like the Superbowl spots. Well, those spots aren’t even ads to be honest. They’re more like entertainment with a logo stamped at the end. And even then, so what? They give you a chuckle, you say “nice way to spend $3 million” and a week after that they’re a distant memory. They go in your book, of course, so that you can get a better job and do more ads that people will forget (cue Elton John singing Circle Of Life).
Occasionally, advertising can be for a good cause. You get to work on a charity, or promote health and well-being. On those days, hell, you really are doing work that can save lives. But those jobs are few and far between. Ads for telecoms, financial institutions and junk food are far more prevalent.
I remember once working all weekend on a project that was deemed “of utmost importance and urgency” by the client. We slept at the agency. We ate cruddy food. We drank beer and coffee in equal amounts. We cracked the job and presented it at 9am on Monday morning. The client LOVED it. Oh yes, we were golden.
But when we saw that mighty newspaper insert covering the streets of the city the following week, we were less than ecstatic. That highly important job we sweated bullets over was just tomorrow’s garbage. Maybe 1% of the people who saw it actually read it. And maybe 2% of those gave enough of a crap to call the number. But how many trees died to get that wonderfully creative but ultimately innocuous ad onto the streets, lining the cardboard boxes of the homeless?
I think we often confuse passion and a commitment to excellence with something far less dignified. And that is obsession.
We get stuck in a box, void of all perspective, and believe that what we’re working on is vitally important. It warrants shouting matches, 19-hour workdays and a social life as anorexic as an Olsen twin. It often leads to stress, alcohol abuse, drug addition (prescription or illegal), ulcers, heart attacks, therapy sessions, divorces, affairs and sleepless nights that turn into sleepless months. It can even cause death. No, it’s not an exaggeration, ad people over the years have died due to some of those reason listed above, suicide and who knows what else.
And for what? A 48ft billboard that sells a whole bunch of vodka? A TV ad that shifts more under-arm deodorant? A radio spot that gets people to pick up the phone and call Geico? Even if it’s an uber-cool spot like Apple’s 1984 or the Guinness Surfers, it’s just something designed to sell computers and booze.
The Denver Egotist is on a mission to help Denver suck less. But that is a philosophy that applies to more than the work. It applies to everything that touches your life in this business. And how much does it suck to have a job that makes you ill, keeps you at the office for days on end, and stops you from seeing the people you love?
I am by no means saying that the work you do doesn’t matter. Of course it does. And I’m not asking you to ignore my previous posts that talk about being a good CD, the importance of a great creative brief, or how to sell great work to clients. This is still just as relevant. We should all strive to make the work we do better, for our clients and ourselves. But do it with some perspective, if you haven’t been doing so already.
Think about this the next time you’re in a screaming match arguing over the point size of a headline, or have reduced some newbie account coordinator to tears because she dared to say yes to an idiotic client request. Work matters, but not at the cost of your sanity or your soul.
Felix Unger is a site contributor, ranter and curmudgeon for The Denver Egotist. He's been in the ad game a long time, but he's still young enough to know he doesn't know everything. He'll give his opinion, you can take it or leave it. If he uses the f-bomb from time-to-time, forgive him. Sometimes, when you're ranting, no other word will do. In his spare time, he does not torture small animals. He has been known, on occasion, to drink alcohol by the gallon. Do as he says, not as he does.
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That was the best thing I've read on the Egotist.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Hakuna matata.
I ♥ Felix.
Brilliant!
Felix, I've enjoyed many of your commentaries over the last couple of years. This one, however, is by far the best one yet. It should be mandatory reading for everyone involved in advertising, or sales&marketing.
Thanks for reminding folks of this very important perspective.
Cheers,
Rich Ambroson
Soft? Nope. I believe the word is 'wise.' This post deserves a good old fashioned slow clap.
Great read. Didn't expect an editorial like this from Felix, but damn does it ring true...
Well observed Felix. I'm glad to see you questioning the very core of what fuels the Egotist. I believe we all struggle with this contradiction between perceived grandeur and actual value. At the end of the day, it truly is just advertising. And if you don't love it for what it is, it's not worth it.
This is an industry where we can speak to an audience. Even if it's only a brief interruption. The question is, what could we say? We may not be saving lives, but we should be inspiring movements. (As you noted, all while retaining our soul and sanity.)
Great.
Amen brotha.
Amen.
Awesome Felix...rock on.
One of the finest pieces with the most profound thought on advertising I have read in all these years. It should be made compulsory read to everyone in the business....make that everyone in the corporate world who take themselves too seriously
ugh.
why'd you have to articulate that little voice in the back of every ad guy's head?
i'm going to the liquor store.
Thanks, Felix. It takes some big, brass balls to openly address questions like this. Believe me when I say that many of us recognize this as a serious problem and are talking about it. A lot. Glad the folks at the Egotist and within my own community are taking the initiative to force the issue. Cheers.
Its not easy to think about marketing and advertising in terms of institutionalized lying, especially when so many of us are so passionate about what we do (and by passionate I mean OCD, ADHD, temperamental design freaks). Maybe the only way to make a positive impact and force growth is to willingly walk away from a client whos marketing message is in direct opposition to your values. Make a conscious choice to stand behind messages that communicate good things. And if that message doesn't exist, craft your own.
Advertising is kind of like a fire in a mad house. It is a business that has goals, initiatives and qualities like none other. It is so intense, demands so much of us, compromises our health, suffers our relationships and changes the way we and others experience life. And for what? To sell a f*ing < insert product here >? Huh.
At the end of the day, all we really have is our integrity. Its not going to hurt to keep that idea in the fore and own the fact that we are speaking to an audience that is listening. Or maybe even try to make an effort to cut each other a little f*ing slack every once in a while, jeeze.
Glad you put this out there.
I have this conversation with alot of ad peeps, regularly.
The problem is, it's sort of an "under the breath / don't let the boss hear" –type of conversation. (Wouldn't want anyone within the organization to misconstrue the pondering of life and self-worth with something "less than positive".)
Thank you for giving this perspective some well-deserved airtime.
Best rant ever, indeed.
The tough thing is not allowing that realization to manifest itself as apathy.
It's just advertising? Come on; are you serious? Advertising controls our daily lives. Advertising dresses me in the morning, decides my breakfast needs, feeds me at lunch and informs me what movie to watch that evening. I don't shit without advertising telling me how, when and why - and with what brand of toilet paper. Are we saving lives? Maybe. Are we changing and perhaps enhancing lives? Without a doubt. Evoke some pride and sense of self respect into your work. Whether you like it or not - we are influencing many lives...positively and negatively. Now go save an Account Managers life by nailing that ad campaign. P.S. When creatives get lazy - British Petroleum, Qwest and Saturn commercials begin to appear! hehehehehe
We used to have a saying when I worked in AV production. It was "We're not freakin' firemen here. We're not saving lives."
Outstanding words, Felix!
just re-read it. still great stuff. as my wife loves to remind me, it's not rocket surgery.
Nicely said. A must read. Posted and Retweeted. Thanks Felix.
In complete agreement... but the statement means nothing if we simply agree and nothing comes of it. The question is: How then should we live?
Great read. Much of the same can be said about those working in the game industry, except we tend to spend 2 years of our lives on one project that may or may not be enjoyed by anyone.
Many of us in this industry can relate the dangers of drug addition.
I don't read the egotist very often, it's the word "ego" that I am not a fan of. But for some reason this caught my eye. Finally the truth is out. We all need to be reminded to keep the right vision, the right perspective. And do bloody best we can, with out hurting each other. Respect, Felix, much respect.
I had a cantankerous old fart for my first CD. He would roll out a well-crafted speech whenever we any of us got too riled up in what we were doing. He'd pull us into his office and snarl "sit down." Then he would sit down across from you and tell you about how he worked like crazy one week, staying at the office, staying up late, and the client loved what he created and then much like Felix's story above, he told us how a couple of weeks later he saw his beloved ad rolling down the street like a tumbleweed or how a few months later he saw a box of his beautifully designed brochures sitting in the hall headed for the trash.
It's just perspective. What we create doesn't last forever.
Today was one of those days where I needed to read something like this. And even though I'm not curing cancer I am proud of what I do.
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