May 11, 2006

Who do we think we are?

I give full credit to WAS for making me realize just how much this industry of ours really sucks. Thanks to WAS, I now see just how pathetic we are. We, the industry as a whole, are perhaps the only people who collectively hate what we do for a living, where each day is a living hell. There is no evidence of job satisfaction. Just take a look at the friends we have that DON’T work in advertising (if you even have friends outside of advertising) – rarely do you hear them complain with the spite and anger that we do. Sure, there is no perfect job, but everyone who doesn’t work in this industry just seems happier.

Which begs the question; Just who the hell do we think we are? I’m talking about us as professionals. I think the source of our anger is the fact that we think we are artists with great ideas, when in reality we are nothing but really creative salespeople. Is a good copywriter really a “writer?” Is an experienced Art Director an “artist?”

At the end of the day the work, the final product, is not even ours – it belongs to the client. They pay for it, so therefore they can change it and fuck with it as much as they want. This hurts… and this is perhaps what fuels our frustration as “artists” and explains our infamous reputation as egomaniacs. We get no recognition for the work we do. We are not the authors of our craft. For example, everyone talks about the “awesome Geico campaign,” but no one has a clue about the creators of the campaign. Geico is the genius, not the creative team. People DO talk about Speilberg’s latest work, they DO talk about Sedaris’ latest book; but no one talks about Jimmy The Copywriter’s awesome headline.

I guess we need to come to terms with the fact that, yes, we are artists, if you consider that selling well is an art form. Just like Donald Trump is the master of the “Art of the Deal,” we are masters of the Art of the Sell.

Thanks WAS. I've now come to terms with myself.

11 comments:

Joker said...

The precise problem with people in advertising (or one of them at least) is not that this industry sucks more than any other, though we probably give any sucky career a run for its money. It is that as you say, we are "artists" forcing ourselves to have a day job because we are either too afraid to take the risk, we don't have the benefit of having money to pay off all our debts along with our family's so we can just have a month or two to write paint or make music, or we're simply not good enough to jump into the artistic void.

Advertising is a day job and the people who are frustrated the most are those that don't realize this. It can actually be fun at times but we are seriously fooling ourselves when we tell people out of the industry that it's a job where we can express ourselves creatively. If anything, we're often limited because of budgets, clients, closed minds, old fashioned tactics and the tried and true ways most people fall back on.

We aren't artists, we're supposed to be professionals and a vast amount of people in this industry aren't. It's not that we're not talented, it's not that we don't work hard it's that we don't want to face the sad reality that we've grown up and have a job and responsibilities. In reality it sucks so bad because we don't get to play ALL day although some people apparently have that mythical job in that mythical agency where they never have to do crap work, they constantly get creative assignments, vast budgets, three week deadlines and total creative liberty.

Until we find that job or bite the bullet and give writing, film making, song writing or painting a chance, we shall forever be pissed off that we have to get to some place at or before 9 AM so we can make an honest buck.

Anonymous said...

I don't get It if you want to be an artist do it after your job and stop whining

Me said...

Yes, Dizzy. You are absolutely right. You don't get it.

Anonymous said...

Isn't that what I said, thanks for the confirmation

Joker said...

That's exactly what I do. Do my stuff after hours, or sometimes during hours but I don't mix work and play most times. The problem that some people might find in regards to working in advertising and expressing themselves creatively after hours is that they work such shitty hours that they don't ever have time to do what they really love doing and hobbies and artistic endeavours are limited to far away wet dreams.

I for the most part, come to work, do what I have to do, cash my check and tah tah. Some people can't come to terms with this.

Lucila said...

Amen!

Rajesh Rajoo said...

so now you agree with the bloke who said a copywriter is a salesman behind a typewriter. that's kinda true, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

The best thing about advertising is that Life is Never Boring. Most people work in advertising because they're not smart enough to be doctors or lawyers and they can't think of anything else they'd like to do.

I'm not speaking for anyone else - but I think there's a grain of truth in it.

Anonymous said...

Good post. Actually, I don't have any friends IN advertising. I like some of the people I've worked with over the years, but I've never been outside-work friends with them. My best friend in the world is an EMT and a house painter. If all you ever do outside work is socialize with other ad people, the work is going to show it. Incestuous crap.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes, the frustration brings out the best in us. Kind of sadistic, but addictive too.

Advertising never did attract the 9 to 5 types, did it? It was mostly us the round pegs in the square holes...

The most fun is that when you beat the client at his own game - can't show hair growth for a lotion brand - show a furry and a skinny dog. Can't show humans - show hair growing on a billiard ball.

Can't show skin for Axe deos, show a pencil with lots of sharpeners.

Don't just sit there and whine - jump the fence, climb over it, bring it down - brotha!

Now that's the creative thing to do.

Just ask the coffee machine - it'll agree.

farrukh

Anonymous said...

I KNOEW PEOPLE IN AD. I CAN SAY ALL OF THEM ARE FRUSTRATED AND NOT HAPPY. MOST OF THEM HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS THEY WANT OUT OF LIFE. MOST OF THEM HAVE LOST A SIGNIFICANT OTHER BECAUSE OF HRS, FRUSTRATIONS,AND JUST BEING SAD AND PISSED ALL DAY. SOMETIMES WE GET A JOB BECAUSE WE THINK WILL BE INTRESTING AND THE $IS GOOD,BUT I THINK QUALITY TIME,A NORMAL LIFE AND HAPPINES IS MUCH IMP. WE ARE ALL STILL YOUNG,ITS ABOUT TIME WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT OUT OF LIFE AND GO FOR IT. FAMILY, FRIENDS AND ... IS MUCH BETTER THAN A 14 HR JOB THAT MOST OF THE TIME YOU WILL NEVER HEAR A THANKS, GOOD JOB, WHATEVER IT IS BECAUSE AT THE END IF IT ALL YOU BUST YOUR ASS AND THE "MAN" GETS THE CREDICT. THINK ABOUT IT.I THINK YOU ALL AT AD PEOPLE ARE COOL AND FUN PEOPLE BUT A BIT PISSED AT LIFE. YOU AND ONLY YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE IT. MOST OF MY AD FRIENDS ARE SAD. DONT U BE ONE TOO.

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