The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

Have The People On ‘Changing Rooms’ Ruined Creative Agencies Reputation?

As we know, there is a growing trend amongst corporations to hire an Ad Agency and then dictate/change everything that has been done, to meet their own [quite often misguided or plain wrong] standards or vision.

So I was giving this some thought and wondered if programs like ‘Changing Rooms’ have added to distrust between client and agency.

Why?

Well given some of the rooms the so called ‘Interior Design Experts’ [read: Creatives] change are unmitigated disasters – maybe the public [and brand managers / marketing directors] subliminally believe that …

1. Creatives don’t understand reality.

2. People believe they can do a much better job themselves.

3. Creativity isn’t that hard [because when they get it right, it’s only cost 500 quid]

4. Creativity is cheap [because when they get it right, it’s only cost 500 quid]

5. Creative is based on the superficial [because the materials they use are cheap and nasty, even if they look good]

Just a thought … but why else would so many believe they are the ones with the creative talent and consumer understanding to make their brand and campaign a total success?

Maybe as an industry we should do ‘CHANGING MINDS’ – where a bunch of Agency people pit their wits against a bunch of Brand Managers/Marketing Directors with the goal of coming up with [and executing] an idea that makes an everyday consumer change their mind about a pre-designated brand. 

Maybe this will actually prove we know what we’re doing and should be encouraged to do it … rather than play second fiddle to the whims of certain clients who are about as ‘in-touch’ with reality as the Queen is.

We could even include representatives of other organisations who seem committed to undermining our value in motivating consumers – like my absolute favourite, the Management Consultant.

So whatcha reckon … any merit to this TV show idea or is it complete and utter balls? 

And don’t think subliminal prejudices don’t exist … if you were arrested of murder and there were 2 identical lawyers available to hire: who would you choose – the one with the posh London accent or the one with the thick Birmingham accent? Exactly!

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