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


What Australian Television Understands That Cannes Doesn’t …
July 22, 2016, 6:20 am
Filed under: Comment

So Cannes has happened and while there some genuine pieces of excellence were rightfully awarded, there was – as I feared – some utter bullshit given shiny awards when they should have been thrown out and humiliated for bringing the whole industry into disrepute.

I’ve written about how awards encourage agencies to humiliate themselves and I’ve written about how the award organisers could help stop this happen … but it’s not really surprising that my voice is ignored.

Not just because no one reads this blog or that a sparrow has more credibility than I do, but because agencies, clients and awards organisers are co-dependents, each offering something the other party wants and needs for their own ego and value.

Clients need to feel they are doing something unique in the category.

Agencies need to let their clients think they are working with someone who can do things others aspire to doing.

[Not to mention needing to think we’re uber-creative despite being our own client & audience]

Award Organisers need agencies to feel their accolade is more important and valuable than everyone else’s so they can keep the money rolling in.

It’s honestly like the Emperor’s new clothes, but what makes it especially annoying is that even an Australian Television program can see how futile and pointless it all is, which goes to show another problem with our industry.

We say we ‘get culture’ but we can’t even hear them when they’re shouting in our faces.

22 Comments

22 Comments so far
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2 campbells. now that is fucking scary.

Comment by andy@cynic July 22, 2016 @ 6:36 am

Scarier than the Donald.

Comment by Billy Whizz July 22, 2016 @ 7:47 am

John sent me this a day or so ago and I have to say my reaction was the same as your reaction.

Comment by Rob July 22, 2016 @ 8:20 am

im assuming thats why you posted it you sick fuck dodds.

Comment by andy@cynic July 22, 2016 @ 6:38 am

campbell you talk a fuckload of planner shit most of the time but now youre talking about something thats fucking shit. or it would be if anyone of importance or value in the real world gave a flying fuck about advertising.

Comment by andy@cynic July 22, 2016 @ 7:34 am

Yes, that is the only saving grace.

Comment by Rob July 22, 2016 @ 8:21 am

Ironic a nation of thieves talk about an industry of scam artists.

Comment by Bazza July 22, 2016 @ 7:38 am

I learnt something from this. Aussies have TV. Shocked.

Comment by Billy Whizz July 22, 2016 @ 7:49 am

I learnt something today. You can read. Shocked.

Comment by DH July 22, 2016 @ 7:59 am

Fuck you.

Comment by Billy Whizz July 22, 2016 @ 8:17 am

Snappy comeback Billy.

Comment by Bazza July 22, 2016 @ 10:06 am

Fuck you too.

Comment by Billy Whizz July 23, 2016 @ 12:06 am

I’m impressed Billy. It only took you 24 hours to come up with that witty response.

Comment by DH July 23, 2016 @ 4:14 am

Best thing you’ve ever written Baz.

Comment by Rob July 22, 2016 @ 8:22 am

I’m actually stealing it. Yes … a post about scam and theft is being stolen. But then I am from Nottingham.

Comment by Rob July 22, 2016 @ 8:28 am

Nothing unexpected there Rob.

Comment by Bazza July 22, 2016 @ 10:06 am

It’s not in the interests of anyone who indulges in this habit to stop it Rob. You said it yourself. What surprises me is good agencies and clients still pay to be a part of it. That makes no sense to me at all.

Comment by DH July 22, 2016 @ 8:01 am

That’s a very good point Dave. You’d think the ones who actually show the best – and real – side of advertising would run a mile from being associated with this sort of thing and yet they continue with it.

I know proportionately there’s more real than fake but the reputation of many award shows is now tainted because of scam ads that have awarded a medal [made worse by the fact that many are allowed to keep it even when it has been proved to have been faked] … so why they stay blows me away.

Comment by Rob July 22, 2016 @ 8:27 am

Good post Robert. It is very unfortunate this sort of behaviour is being rewarded by award shows. But good clients ask good questions so they can determine whether they’re being presented fact or fiction.

Comment by Lee Hill July 22, 2016 @ 1:08 pm

I don’t talk about the work I’m doing and I don’t talk about who I’m doing it for. My clients seem to enjoy my discretion so I think thing might be changing a little.

Comment by Marcus July 22, 2016 @ 2:56 pm

[…] I know I’ve written about this a lot before – hell, I wrote something just 2 weeks ago – but I have to […]

Pingback by When GREY Turns Black … | The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!] August 5, 2016 @ 6:17 am


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