Ad club schmoozing and the chaos of Bob Garfield

So last week was Advertising Week Baltimore, put together by the local chapter of the AAF. For some reason, they thought it was a good idea to have me on the board. Bless their hearts, I suppose they needed someone to finish the half-empties people left behind at cocktail hours.

The week got off to a smashing start with opening night featuring a presentation - or maybe it was a performance - by Ad Age's Bob Garfield. Jeff Goodby may have panned Bob's book, but there's no arguing that Garfield brings to light a few things that should be keeping the industry awake at night.

Equal parts doomsday predictions, podium soapbox histrionics, and level-headed insight, Bob worked a room full'a ad wonks over pretty good. Folks stayed glued to their seats despite the open bar just outside auditorium.

There's a testimonial for you.

Garfield and unknown assailant.

Here's Bob's take:


The Chaos Scenario by Bob Garfield - The best bloopers are a click away

Read more...

Friday(ish) Ad Haiku: Offending Consumers

Caving to the outcry from some very vocal and thoroughly offended folks in the gay and lesbian community (and, of course, Bob Garfield), BBDO's Snickers spot--featuring Mr. T doing a drive-by on a speedwalker with a Gatling gun that fires candy bars--has been bounced from TV.

Personally, I thought the ad was funny--and well-positioned for the brand's core consumers: teenagers who eat too much crap and laugh at low-comedy. I certainly didn't see it as a candy-coated gay-hating manifesto, and I said as much on AdRants. Naturally, with a topic like this, there were some who disagreed with me. A lot. Nothing like a friendly debate to remind you why this business is so much fun.

With the recent imbroglio over offensive advertising--from anti-gay to anti-pit bull-- I've been left wondering a few things. Namely, can great advertising survive this current tide of hyper-political correctness and the continual kid-gloving of special interest groups? Or are we destined to sink into a pool of safeness, to drown in the vanilla extract of soft mediocrity?

Channeling legend Ed McCabe, adstud Dave Trott reminds us: An ad that doesn't cause a ruckus is a lousy ad.

Pissing people off is simply the occasional tax on your investment in making ads that get people's attention. I'll take that over shelling out for FICA every two weeks.

Your work has managed
not to offend anyone.
Now clean out your desk.

Previously in the Friday 5-7-5: Finding the Muse.


M.M.McDermott, ACD/Mr. Wrong

Read more...