December 15, 2004
creative, cultural, technological
Keith, in the comment section of an earlier post, says:
Let’s face it, most advertising is 99.9% complete shit. After working in this biz most of my life, I’m still amazed that the agency’s clients haven’t caught on yet. They continually eat the same crap being fed to them from the assholes in the ad biz; same crap, different packaging.
Well, I happen to think the clients have caught on; they just haven’t found a new alternative. Yet. As a global brand director of a large, global brand once told me about agencies, “Their business models suck and they’re expensive for what you get.”
The Hughtrain is targeted to brand managers who think likewise. Folk looking for new ways ahead. But it’s not a replacement for traditional advertising. It’s a way forward, not the final destination.
There is no final destination. Not any more.
Like The Hughtrain says, the future of advertising is internal. In other words, how you talk to each other is more important than how the you talk to everybody else:
Why is your brand great? Why does your brand matter? Seriously. If you don12 Responses to “creative, cultural, technological”
Hugh,
There never has been a final destination. That is part of the illusion. There has only ever been the journey and at different parts of our lives different places seem like the detination.
I know little to nothing about the advertising industry, however in organisations in general I found that the way forward, the way to success, is to create an atmosphere where everyone is part of the process. As you say where everyone talks to one another.
But this is difficult to achieve in industries where individuals have been raised in a blame culture.
Thanks for your thoughts I find them stimulating
Graham
“There never has been a final destination. That is part of the illusion. There has only ever been the journey and at different parts of our lives different places seem like the detination.”
Yeah, I agree with that. Although, to be fair, it’s not a pitch that works very well on GM or McDonald’s when you’re trying to convince them to fork over $300 million.
Where Bad Ideas Come From
This might not be Hugh’s best cartoon on advertising/branding.
“It
Mengenlehre mal anders
Mengenlehre mal anders
I’m not sure what the message behind the cartoon for today, but I was thinking about it and I realized that even if you are really bright you fall into category z (full of bad ideas). Nobody is full of good ideas.
Obvious conclusion, for good ideas have lots of ideas and not resources on your bad ideas.
My previous post had so many typos it hurt…trying again.
I’m not sure what the message behind the cartoon for today was, but I was thinking about it and I realized that even if you are really bright you fall into category z (full of bad ideas category). Nobody is full of good ideas.
Obvious conclusion, for good ideas, have lots of ideas and don’t waste resources on your bad ideas.
In order for the cultural part to happen, you have to understand the stories and values of the people you are trying to communicate with. One of the reasons George Bush (such as he is) could win in the US was that he told the stories the US population wanted to hear about themselves. All the muck about “values” being tossed around misses the point that he did talk about things that mattered to a good number of people. Habits (even cultural ones) are easily changed. I think that is what most advertising is trying to do. Really changing things demands that you understand and can present counter stories that move people to do something differently.
“Is it just me, or has that sort of marketing-speak removed our ability so speak passionately with sincerity? Or am I just a cynical bastard?”
You’re a cynical bastard
Still, point taken. I like to think I can speak passionately about stuff, when I’m good n’ stoked. Depends on the mood, depends on the subject matter etc.
You may find that whole “conviction, courage, belief” angle hard to take. Fair enough. Frankly, what’s more interesting to me re. The Hughtrain is the thought,
“We humans want to believe in our own species. And we want people, companies and products in our lives that make it easier to do so. That is human nature.”
Anybody want to debate that one, I’m game
“We humans want to believe in our own species. And we want people, companies and products in our lives that make it easier to do so. That is human nature.”
Anybody want to debate that one, I’m game
The first place is the relationship with people, after that comes companies and product.
In my life what has turned me on and kept me working for someone and buying the same product is the person. Their fire, their energy, their enthusiasm. I bought into the person and after that came the product.
I found it easier to work with and get work from people who had a dream, who were able to articulate the dream and were really energised about what they were doing.
The relationshp with the person. To be part of their energy, to be part of their dream.
Graham
This cartoon is one of my favorites (I work for an ad agency).
I also like Graham’s post above. It is about the relationship…with people first. That’s the philosophy I’m trying to push inside our shop.
Keep one thing in mind: the greatest advertising concept in the world can’t sell a product that is shit. It can get it tried (or bought) once, but then the lie is exposed. (see: used car dealers)