One thing people tend to forget about advertising is that it has always been a leech on the back of something more interesting than itself. TV shows, magazines, music on the radio. It kind of sneaked its way into your attention. So really, ads didn’t have to be as interesting as us ad folks used to plead it should be. Consequently advertising is having a bit of trouble handling the transition from paid-for-bums-on-seats world of big TV to the much more chaotic world of consumers watching/reading/doing whatever the hell they like. and chances are none of those things offer an opportunity for a meaningful interaction with a brand. That’s the biggest problem for us. People are editing us out of their lives. BIG PROBLEM!
The solution of course is to be really, actually, interesting. Something advertising has never really had to do before, when you think about it.
6 responses so far ↓
Dan // June 19, 2009 at 1:31 pm |
True.
There are some instances however, where we have peoples attention like never before. Like on Hulu. Watch a movie or a show on there and they show one commercial every 20 minutes or so. Not enough time to go do something else, and you can’t skip it. Of course if you’re interrupting something I’m watching and I can’t avoid what you’re putting in front of me, it damn well better be interesting or I’m gonna be pissed.
We just have a better gage now of what is interesting to people. If people are sharing it with each other, we’re pretty sure it’s a hit. Before all there was, was BS surveys. Where you couldn’t trust any of the results. Similar to testing a spot before airing it.
Dan // June 19, 2009 at 1:41 pm |
The other thing that gets me right now, is the insistence from brand managers that people are purchasing rationally in this recession. And boring everything down.
Yet the brands winning Effies (the awards they actually drool over) this year, are also the ones racking up all the creative awards.
Wopper Freak Out isn’t rational. It’s child psychology: take a toy away from me, and I want to play with it.
Oh yeah – and it’s frickin’ hilarious and entertaining.
Damn Right your Dad drank it. – No boring taste tests, or price points, or charcoal filtered. No, just man up and drink it. Not rational.
But damn if it doesn’t work. And creatively kicks ass.
dave trott // June 19, 2009 at 3:14 pm |
People used to say the adverts were better than the programmes.
I haven’t heard that in a long time.
theescapepod // June 19, 2009 at 4:15 pm |
you know that’s true dave. and, for the benefit of our american readers, i would like to point out that there was a kind of golden age of advertising in the UK in the 1980s. it was the equivalent of america in the 60s. advertising and the culture clicked in a real way. and you were one of the architects of that era dave. and i grew up watching that. lucky me. and so that is what i aspire to creating. but i think that has to be your goal: to affect the culture. and i look at a lot of UK advertising and i don’t see that ambition anymore. except for some Mother stuff.
it has become much stiffer and stilted. a lot of it doesn’t even feel English in any way.
theescapepod // June 19, 2009 at 10:52 pm |
you’re right dan. good meeting you btw. it’s back to basics!
Dan // June 19, 2009 at 11:43 pm |
Great finally meeting you guys too.
Nice space. Lots of passion – no ranting.
Would be an honor to do great work with you guys some day.