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

Or should I say, pissed off posts about the small group of people who manage to fuck our industry up in big ways.

Well, as its the last day of week, I thought I may as well finish it with one final rant.

I should point out none of this is because I hate our industry … far from it.

If truth be told, while there are many things that annoy me about it, I love it.

The creativity.
The possibility.
The imagination.

Advertising has provided me with a life I could never have dreamed of.

That’s not some vacuous statement, I mean it. It has provided me – and still provides me – with experiences, opportunities and people who have shaped, enhanced and educated almost every part of my life. I consider it a huge privilege.

And here’s the thing, I want others to have that too … because not only is it filled with incredible talent and creativity that can make a huge difference to what we can do, achieve and create for culture, colleagues and companies all around the world, but the more we provide those opportunities, the more our industry will be a beacon for greater talent, creativity and success.

Now, I appreciate for this to happen, everyone in my position needs to help make this happen … but by the same token, it should not just be down to individuals, but the industry as a whole. And frankly, for all the claims – I’m not sure if that is the case.

On one level I get it …

Times are tough and companies need to look after themselves, but with a blinkered focus on the present, we not only betray what we tell our clients to value, we create an industry full of interchangeable, generic companies and approaches … which is the fastest way to leave us far behind.

Which leads me to the point of this post and the choice of that image at the top of this post …

Remember when people used to say “I remember when MTV was about music?”

Let’s be honest, they weren’t wrong.

And while it took its time, MTV’s focus on the short term – regardless what it led them to do or become in the quest for cash, ratings or delusional importance – resulted in them no longer existing.

And why?

Because they had refused to acknowledge they were becoming the beast they were born to slay so eventually it reached a point where even the most blinkered company exec had to accept they were no longer relevant, interesting or culturally compelling.

Didn’t have to be that way, but they chose to stick their head in the sand rather than accept what they were complicit in creating.

And why am I saying this?

Because I remember when Cannes was about creativity and advertising.

Just saying.