Please Make It Stop

February 11th, 2010

When we started writing our original blog, which has since been replaced by this one, we didn’t want to rip on anything or anyone. We were going to stay positive about the things we liked and ignore the things we didn’t. That’s about to stop. Instead, it’s time to simply be ourselves. Call it like we see it. We will be careful not to name names, but we have opinions and whether you like them or not – we’re going to say our peace.

We received a box in the mail. Check that. We received two identical boxes in the mail. The contents included:

   1) Can of spray-paint

   2) A crapload of printed collateral

All of this was designed to draw attention to some advertising awards show and implore agencies to stop using puppies and babies to draw attention to brands. The exact plea was “Make Art. Not Cliches.” Oh please.

You know who the real winner is as the advertising industry continues to attempt to pat itself on the back? Shoulder surgeons.

The best advertising isn’t always the most creative. Or the funniest. Or even the stuff with the most puppies and babies. The best advertising – hell, the best marketing of any kind – sells products. If a baby in a high chair makes people flock to e*trade, then why the hell is that cliché? (For a great case history in what “pure brand” advertising and a complete lack of attention to the ROI does for your company’s bottom line – see TiVo.)

This idea of creativity for the sake of creativity is something that absolutely, positively chaps our collective hide. Let’s wake up and understand that – more than ever – the consumer is always right. In fact, because the consumer now blogs, Tweets, posts and has her own personal TV studio, she isn’t only right, she’s influential.

We live in a world of social media. This is an authentic world. This is a world where consumers want transparency. This is a world where Mommy Bloggers can make or break a product. So, why are you sending me a box (two boxes!) that requires $5.00 of postage and G-d knows how much additional money to print the collateral? (Not to mention the ghastly effects on the environment – spray paint? Please. Don’t really care about that part, but might as well pile on to make the point.) The customer doesn’t really care that Spot A was created by the coolest, hippest agency on the planet.

An article ran in Creativity, or Ad Age, or some other industry publication where one of Advertising’s current godfathers lamented the good ol’ days when he felt like a celebrity because he was in advertising. (Wait…I just threw up in my mouth a little.) He talked about how he used to love getting into cab in New York City and having the cabbies be inspired by his mere presence. (Oh, there’s some more. Just a sec.)

Creativity is great. Art is important. But, art isn’t what should come first in advertising – or marketing for that matter. Success is. And, success is defined by (and with) our clients. Or, at least it should be.

This is why we call ourselves a social engagement studio and not an advertising agency. Sure, we do national advertising campaigns, but they aren’t designed to simply gain attention for their “art,” they are designed to engage customers at the most important base level – one on one. Socially. “Advertising Agency” is an old-fashioned idea. (Frankly, we’re not that keen on having to call ourselves anything, but people seem to need labels.)

So, please…stop mailing us multiple boxes of this crap. This mailing strikes me as someone calling himself a “social media guru” with 10 Twitter followers and 15 Facebook fans. If you’re going to call “for art” – shouldn’t the delivery be artistic?

Just sayin’…