A few years ago, on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, comedian Louis C.K. made the sharp observation that “everything is amazing right now and nobody’s happy”.
Google that title and it’ll take you straight to the video. Amazing, right?
It’s funny.
And, possibly a fair reflection of the sentiment that seems to be pervading our industry at the moment.
Or, so it seems.
After all, as I write this, I’m sure several more articles are being penned questioning the state of advertising.
You know the kind.
TV is history. AI will eat your lunch. Everyone predicting “The Death” of this and “The Future” of that.
[photo by Jim Bufis]
Just like my wonderful clickbait headline up there, it’s a familiar trope.
I think it’s time we redressed the balance though.
Otherwise, all these doomsday predictions might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I’m not saying things aren’t different now.
Or that, as an industry, we have our issues.
It’s to be expected.
Change and a certain amount of disruption (both good and bad) is inevitable.
Let’s remember though, it’s happening across all industries.
It’s happening across all parts of our lives too.
But are things really as terrible as we’re making them out to be?
Let’s look at some of the more common themes:
The End Of Advertising Is Nigh
If advertising is indeed dying, can somebody please tell two of the largest tech companies on the planet? Both Google and Facebook are built on the back of it. Both of them have also embraced the use of traditional media channels to, heaven forbid, advertise. You can even throw Apple in for good measure while you’re at it. The global iPhone outdoor campaign, being just one recent example. I’d agree that new media channels and technology have made things more complex, yet that only makes the canvas larger and more exciting, right?
People Don’t Like Ads
Well, yeah, by and large they don’t. Name me a time when people did like them. It has always been our responsibility to make things interesting enough for people to want to exchange their attention, time or money for. We need to remember that we’re not competing against other advertising, but all other forms of pop culture. As the “Socrates of San Francisco”, Howard Gossage, once said, “People don’t read advertising – they read what interests them, and sometimes, that’s advertising”. It’s on us to make it as good as it can be.
Creativity In Crisis
Ads aren’t as good now as they were in the “golden days”, apparently. Hmmm, I’m pretty sure there has always been great work and not so great work. Like there has always been great books, art, songs, films, et al and the not so great. That’s life. While it’s human nature to look back on our ad lives with a certain degree of sentimentality, I do believe amazing advertising things will continue to be made. The good old days are now. It’s up to us to make the most of them.
In conclusion, here are two themes of my own that you’re more than welcome to propagate (or ignore):
- Beware The Bullsh*t
There is so much nonsense being spouted about our industry (yes, the irony of this article isn’t lost on me) that it is very easy to be distracted by the “emperor’s new clothes”. Stay strong. It’s a simple business and there’s still only one thing that really matters – creating compelling work that actually works.
- Advertising, F*ck Yeah
Advertising shifts product, makes brands famous, and helps make the world go around. It’s still a great business to be in. We should remind ourselves that more often. While we’re at it, we (both agencies and clients) should constantly strive to make each other do better. Because when one of us wins, we all win.
I guess what I’m really advocating for here is a little more positivity.
Why?
Well, I thought this quote from an investment analyst (of all people) summed it up nicely – “In investing, it can be more profitable to be optimistic and occasionally wrong, rather than pessimistic and occasionally right.”
We should apply the same principle to advertising too.
Rob Martin Murphy is executive creative director of Ikon Communications.