Ad pollution
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Is it bad that I often side with Adbusters over AdAge? That I think a lot of guerilla and outdoor is cause for self-inflicted retinal damage? Maybe it's because 90% of the stuff that's screaming in our faces is non-sensical, annoying, and uninteresting. But advertising is so subjective that maybe I'm completely wrong.
Although, I doubt any consumer enjoys the visual raping at the hands of advertising they get every time they step into a public space (or sometimes private for that matter.)
The suggestion of having a career full of forced compromise and average work makes me cringe. One of the most valuable parts of this internship experience is getting a glimpse into the way things really work. At school we have this idealized world where we can do whatever we want. Damn the client, damn the media costs, the account ppl, fear, or any real restrictions. Being fortunate enough to get a taste of many different projects we've gotten to see how the client, existing campaigns, money, conflicting points of view, and anything and everything else can severely injure creative work. That's reality and our challenge. One of my biggest fear is contributing to the mountains of shitty advertising and not being allowed to say anything worthwhile. If it was easy everyone would do it, but I don't believe it really has to be this difficult.
Everyone is always talking about collaboration and the free marketplace of ideas. Good idea, poor execution. I've heard of media companies placing ads they haven't even seen. What is the point?! Yes, I'm being young and idealistic, but isn't that just common sense. How do these oversights happen on a daily basis?
Ugh, every time we are completely horrified by something, (i.e. the client actually rewriting the ads themselves, 19 and counting different versions of the simplest ad (many times being changed back into previous versions), miscommunication, etc.) our mentors tell us "welcome to advertising."
How long can we hang on to that horrified feeling, the feeling that viscerally we know that's not the way it should work, that we can do better, that the client deserves better? Or will we be strong-armed into being disgruntled graying cynics?
Is it bad that I often side with Adbusters over AdAge? That I think a lot of guerilla and outdoor is cause for self-inflicted retinal damage? Maybe it's because 90% of the stuff that's screaming in our faces is non-sensical, annoying, and uninteresting. But advertising is so subjective that maybe I'm completely wrong.
Although, I doubt any consumer enjoys the visual raping at the hands of advertising they get every time they step into a public space (or sometimes private for that matter.)
The suggestion of having a career full of forced compromise and average work makes me cringe. One of the most valuable parts of this internship experience is getting a glimpse into the way things really work. At school we have this idealized world where we can do whatever we want. Damn the client, damn the media costs, the account ppl, fear, or any real restrictions. Being fortunate enough to get a taste of many different projects we've gotten to see how the client, existing campaigns, money, conflicting points of view, and anything and everything else can severely injure creative work. That's reality and our challenge. One of my biggest fear is contributing to the mountains of shitty advertising and not being allowed to say anything worthwhile. If it was easy everyone would do it, but I don't believe it really has to be this difficult.
Everyone is always talking about collaboration and the free marketplace of ideas. Good idea, poor execution. I've heard of media companies placing ads they haven't even seen. What is the point?! Yes, I'm being young and idealistic, but isn't that just common sense. How do these oversights happen on a daily basis?
Ugh, every time we are completely horrified by something, (i.e. the client actually rewriting the ads themselves, 19 and counting different versions of the simplest ad (many times being changed back into previous versions), miscommunication, etc.) our mentors tell us "welcome to advertising."
How long can we hang on to that horrified feeling, the feeling that viscerally we know that's not the way it should work, that we can do better, that the client deserves better? Or will we be strong-armed into being disgruntled graying cynics?
posted by JL at 9:14 AM
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