Today, still lounging and suffering from the fucking cold - I have coughed so much shit I think I have a new set of abdominals - I decided to chat over messenger with one of my best friends. We have known each other for almost 15 years and started working on this shit about the same time.
We did the same routine. How are you. How's everything going, yada yada yada. Then, the topic comes up. The same thing people of our age working in advertising at one time or another talk about: quitting the biz. It came about because I asked him how was work and he retorted with: I'm here for the check. Ugh. Know the feeling, yes sir. So I asked him... Why don't you leave? He answered, honestly, like most of us would. "I don't know what I want to do next, but it's not advertising anymore".
We're gonna need a bigger boat.
We're getting old. We're getting tired. We're getting tired of the same cycle. Get a brief, do the job, get revisions, do the job again, get revisions again, this time way stupid ones, do the work, publish the work... get another brief. Is that all? I honestly believed that there was a corporate ladder of some sort that I could climb. I thought, maybe when I'm 40 I will be at an administrative position and I will not write another goddamn radio copy ever again. Um. Bullshit.
Only a few lucky people can climb the corporate ladder, my friends. Like my man Flavor Flav said: Don't believe the Hype. We are all working bees. Yes, I do have my own studio, I do make my own rules, still, I am a worker bee just the same. If you are naive enough to believe that even if you start up your own business you will stop living in the ad cycle, you are mistaken. You would have to hit the jackpot so damn hard, you would need to dedicate years and years in order to have a chance to be a real boss.
The one thing I don't get is this: I do know a lot of bosses. Instead of living the life and delegating work, they still insist on working. I know an old geezer that still hands out layouts, only to have his clients say Ugh and Yuck. Yeah, just like us handing them over, but his are special. His designs are soooo old and done. Not current. Not anything. Does he realize that he should just quit the day to day and just hang around for more important stuff? Even go and play Golf, dammit. That would help so much more than insisting still have talent???
Look. Ric Flair just quit. He realized his time was up. Why can't we?
And if we do... What do we do next?
1 comments:
I started asking myself that question when I realized that in any given agency there are very few active copywriters/art directors over the age 40. What happens to creatives after 40? Have you ever met a creative that retired from an agency?
The people who survive (and by “survive” I am talking about those who manage to climb the corporate ladder referred to in the original post) are the typical hardcore workaholic types who truly get a great sense of satisfaction from what they do. Believe it or not, some people thrive on the thrill of deadlines, meeting client expectations, clinching the deal, increasing market share, etc. These are the people who go one to become Senior VPs and above.
As for the rest of us? Well, let me share:
A good copywriter friend of mine went on to try his luck as a Hollywood scriptwriter and script doctor.
Another copywriter friend opened up a BBQ catering business.
An art director friend left the game and now teaches kite surfing and surfing all over the Caribbean.
I’ve also heard of creatives who’ve left the game and went on to teach kids and the elderly how to use computers; other’s who’ve opened restaurants and hotels; some have turned into professional photographers; others have gone into teaching.
The point is, apparently, when creatives get out of the game, they pursue their true passion and do alright. I’ve heard of very few cases of people who actually stick around and do anything advertising or marketing related.
What’s in store for us? Only time will tell.
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