There’s something about this wonderful business that inspires lunacy on the part of sane individuals.
We sit in meetings and become passionate about the most inane things.
Clients high-five over new product launches. “Way to go team! Our Parmesan Raccoon flavored soup is a massive hit!” It’s like all reasonable behavior goes out the window in the pursuit of, well, nothing of great merit. We don’t save lives - unless we are doing a campaign for giving blood - we sell stuff and create advertising that 99.9 percent of viewers don’t actually care if they ever see again.
BUT we imbue everything we do with great importance.
I remember sitting in a client presentation the day after the start of the Gulf War. A day of global uncertainty, pending all-out war and a news blitz bigger than a Spice Girls reunion.
I felt compelled to start the meeting with an observation on the dramatic happenings:
“Wow a major war in our time, this is very troubling!”
Blank stares.
“Yes, sales of spackle were up the last month. Can you believe it?!”
I’ve had clients tell me (proudly) that they checked their messages while they were on honeymoon. Clients that would rather lose a limb than try something radical like change the font style. It’s marketing, folks. People will not die if the ads have a logo that is 15 percent smaller.
An art director friend and I used to fantasize that ad guys should have cars equipped with sirens so that we could “get the ads through” during busy traffic. The major public services would therefore be: police, fire, ambulance and advertising guy. All with a job to do, all saving lives.
Imagine the scene. A massive house fire, somebody trapped on the fourth floor. A plaintive voice screaming into the night:
“For God’s sake, we need a headline written up here!”
It should go further in fact. We should be allowed off planes first, just so the trade ad for Windex can be sold.
Preferential treatment should be a given at fine restaurants: “Why, Mr. Jones, your table is awaiting you. I simply love your latest tri-fold for Meaty Bone.”
Yes, in the great scheme of things, our ads are remembered by our peers and them alone.
Advertising: it’s not a matter of life or death. It’s way more important than that.
