Where Has All the Super Creative Gone?

Tom -- You use the phrase "begs the question" incorrectly in your post. "Begs the question" means "uses circular logic, or uses its conclusion as its premises." You mean "raise the question" here.

Otherwise, really interesting post! I definitely agree on the "form outweighing function" point: technology has made making flashy ads far too easy. It does seem like the simpler the concept the better. I was surprised the mid-90s Snapple ads didn't make it on. Those were pretty memorable for being so completely devoid of pretense and slickness.

Another issue may of course be that we live in a world awash with media, so it's difficult for anything to be particularly memorable when we're daily exposed to hundreds of clever things vying for our attention.

Your Technology point (#2) makes sense. It explains why the commercials sometimes seemed to have no point.

Creatives have to learn to work from a good strategy and then gently draw the execution out of it rather than come up with a funny (but non-product-related) idea and then slap some slick graphics and a logo on it.

Dear Tom,

I disagree with everything you have said.

First, Time. There was a time when agencies set the agenda and schedules. As brand managers became better at statistical analysis and method management techniques they began to track and quantify their advertising results. They determined which media was effective, which creative strategy distinguished their brand(s) and moved product and services. Their quantitative management gave them the right to call all of the shots and take the power that agencies once had in post-war America. This brand history kept by them gives them the right to call the shots. So why fight them, why not join them?

When an agency works in concert or unison with Brand Directors and Managers timing can be progressive where several creative strategies are tested in trial or test markets before the effort is implemented on a larger and more costly basis. When agency and advertiser work in unison, the timeline can be from a quarter to an ongoing five-year plan where each year the creative strategy is assessed, adjusted and evaluated for the next year. Doing this, agencies have all the time in the world to come up with "the big idea," as you put it.

In the fifties ad agencies developed unique selling propositions using features and benefits to distinguish the product. Where selling and telling dominated advertising.

Remember Ogilvy's Hathaway Man with his black eye patch? This is the "Image Era" where agencies used features and benefits, and unique selling propositions to differentiate the product in its category and to make the product memorable.

Then in the seventies came the "Positioning Era" fostered by Al Ries and Jack Trout where finding a place in the consumer's mind that bring relationship mindsets to the Brand.

In the mid-seventies, Brands became popular, replacing widgets in U.S. business schools. This extended into the eighties and became known as the "Branding Era" that was pushed by Brand Managers on agencies who would have them leverage their brand in the category and in time reducing the perceived differences between brands. Agencies were still stuck on "Positioning" trying to merge the two.

The "Branding Era" continued into the nineties and into the 21st century where somehow positioning and branding merged into a new hybrid form. In 2008 it is the "Mindset Era," where branding is not about telling and selling but about making positive associations with the brand and strategically positioning the brand in its category to create a consumer-brand relationship where the brand is a lifestyle statement. It is just as Ries and Trout envisioned it only now with a distinct brand purpose tied to brand management. For example, take automobiles: what are the mindset relationships between a Honda Hybrid and a Mercedes Benz C Class? Each brand targets the same consumer and each is positioned differently in its respective category making positive brand associations with the target consumer's lifestyle. When it is time to purchase which way will the target consumer go – to the brand that made the positive Mindset Associations and had developed two-way communication with the consumer instead of one-way telling and selling. How do we get in the consumer's mindset first, or get them to switch? Being first is everything. Being second, is well, second best.

Time is a tool that when used to in conjunction with the brand manager's goals and objectives and the creative strategy of the agency can be an ongoing testing and modification of the creative strategy to affect sales, volume and profits. Advertising agencies like brand manager want the same thing, so find the time both need and dovetail strategic planning and creative strategy activities – by making them coordinated, controlled and timed. This way both have the time they need.

Technology. Form outweighs function? Do you mean poor message strategy or creative strategy can't be glossed over with production technology? To me, technology refers not to production but to mass communications. New Media is changing all media placing it in a state of transition while the Internet becomes more and more important to marketers. I was impressed by the convergence of media witnessed by broadcast to Internet assessments and the results that the more sophisticated marketers and advertisers got using a multi-media approach to the spectacle. One could only use terms such as "spectacular, spectacular, in evaluating the successes of the broadcast to Internet success stories. Technology in the form of production provided plenty of dazzling effects that kept viewer attention while luring them to the Internet. Technology rules.

Then your take on "Favor Impact over Impressions," statement. Where you said imagine today asking a client to spend over a million and then telling them is would only run once ... seems to me that was exactly what every agency did asked of advertisers. Hopefully they get more mileage out of the spots then the one time broadcast event provides, that with the Internet they'll on into infinity. I really scratched my head on this one. Not only could I imagine it, it is what every agency that produced spots did. To me it was a testimonial that advertising really does work.

Then "Leadership." Sounds like you're the one whining. Advertising is a growing industry. When looked at as a whole, it is an international growth industry. And all indicators suggest that it will continue to grow. It is mass communications primarily media that is in transition and in the midst of change that is changing how advertising agencies promote brands. But your comment about Agencies framing their work in terms business and not creative terms is surely the kiss of death. Advertising Agencies are about creativity. It is that creative product that they produce that catapults businesses to higher ground. And it is there ability to continually find this new ground through the methods and techniques previously stated that separates good agencies from bad. Ads are big ideas, and the concept of 'just an ad' is abhorrent to all of the creative advertising people I know. I don't know if I'd care to trust your 'informed' opinion unless you have a track record of success in my industry. This harkens back to what I said earlier about working in unison with Advertisers. Unless the client is new to the business they are in, they have the information you need – forming cohesive relationship with marketing and sales and finding the data they have amassed and harvesting it to yield new strategies is far better evidence than me-too recommendations with a creative spin.

Finally, Training. The best form of organization from a training standpoint is what the U.S. Army uses. When one leader takes one in the head, the next dummy jumps in to take their place. It is a pure form of communism where everyone has a place and everyone is being trained to assume the duty of the next in the chain of command. I'd hate to work at your agency where 'pushing' is the preferred method of encouraging creativity. Dr. Demmings book on management taught the Japanese in what is now called the Japanese miracle. Simply put it promoted working in groups where everyone makes contributions. Thus feeling an integral part of the group thus becoming more productive. Advertising agencies should be cohesive groups of "Individuals" who each bring ideas and solutions to the group, the creative teams or account services and creative production should be better than the suits and sandals sets. It is a known fact that today everyone at an advertising agency has to be "creative," looking for the next big idea and creative strategy to change our clients business or keep it where they want it – no matter where it comes from.

I believe that agencies should develop better relationships with higher education institutions that teach advertising – by providing two-way communication with them agencies can provide input as to the candidates that they want and in the process help educators and students better understand the realities of the advertising business. How many dreamy-eyed newcomers have entered the twilight zone when faced with agencies realities – this could be eliminated by better intern programs and with more two-way relationships between higher education and advertising agencies.

Tom, your insights are spot on...pun intended ;)

It seems that many marketers have been caught up in trying to outdo each other rather than create stories that are engaging and consistent with their overall brand messaging (perhaps they're confused about what that is, but still...)

Daryl, dude, what's with the dissertation-like responses? Perspective is always great, but leave some room for other folks to comment. Brevity, simplification and poignancy, my friend, that's what our craft is all about...

Dear Gunther,

I'll dumb-it-down for the advertising "hey-Dude-Quasi-Intellectuals" out there.

To Tom advertising seems to be a mystery as to why the lion's share of remembered spots came from the eighties, thus his (...) "Further, if you were to make your own list of additions or replacements, you'll likely find that most of those too where produced pre-2000. Which begs the question, why? And more importantly, what can we do about it?"

I was answering Tom's questions.

Put my response in context to Tom's questions and the answers seem clear ... that advertising, like advertising media is in a transition period now. I cited known advertising periods in sequential timelines to answer Tom's big 80's question. I left out the Minneapolis-Style of Advertising in the eighties that had a profound affect on print because we were addressing broadcast.

It seems clear that the merger of Advertising Agencies and Brand Managers/Director, and today's CMO's has had a profound affect on advertising ... thus the lack of memorable spots from the 21st century.

Conjecture would say that we are now in a period of transition, if we were to use Tom's assessment and the twenty-five most remembered spots as a guide, then there is a disconnect between Ries and Trouts' "Positioning Era" most remembered spots and the "Mindset Era" spots done today. The answer is that better agency-advertiser (Brand Manager/Director) relationships need to established where agency's are free to practice the "Positioning" taught to us by Ries and Trout. So, do you get it now?

My opinion.

Advertising's value is diminishing because the value of good creative has diminished. Bottom line, if you want to see a resurgence in good advertising budget for it, believe in it and culture it. It's not all about excel charts and numbers, sometimes the nonsensical and the genius comes through in simple strokes of genius.

Tom,

Great post. I too was baffled by the lack of creativity.

Seriously, who in the board room thought the idea of using "thriller" and dancing lizards (which probably worked as a free ad for Geico) was a good idea. I would have fired those people for incompetency. Or, Budweiser having to borrow from "Rocky", please....what a waste of time and energy.

There are new ideas out there...stop playing it safe a try something new. Safe is stale...and thus will be your brand.

Sounds like the simple answer that would explain "where all the great creative has gone" lies in the age of the people you are asking. That USA Today survey and majority of ad folks who would cite the 80's and 90's ads probably all came of age in the industry around that time. Ask the retirees and I guarantee they'll all comment on how the best ads were done in the 70's. Ask some kid fresh out of ad school in CPB's basement, and every ad they cite will be from 2000 onwards. Great ads are being made in the same quantity and quality as ever, it's just that some people are becoming fogies and can't see that Honda's Grrr is every bit as big as Apple's 1984.

I think Roman has a point in that survey sample probably is effecting the outcome of the USA results as well as my own -- I am a child of the 80's.

But I find it interesting Roman that the ad you cite is UK not USA. Which leads to an entirely different discussion of why the ads in the UK tend to be considered amongst ad folks as far better...but that's a different post.

Thanks again to all for reading and commenting. If you want to read more of my stuff in between Ad Age posts -- stop by www.tommartin.typepad.com.

Daryl, I think you're missing the point. And Jack Trout's ideas, in my humble opinion, are a little outdated.

If you'd like to discuss or debate over the state of the media landscape, positioning, higher education or any other non-sequiturs feel free to contact me.

This is one of the best posts I have read in a long time. And the phrase I would like to pick out in particular is:

'It has become easy to allow form to outweigh function' - absolutely

There is a lot of talk about how technology is going to change everything in advertising. Rubbish. Technology can help (in particular, in targetting audiences). But technology is not a replacement for creativity (entertaining / emotional engagement). Yes, creative people must understand digital and technology in general (and how these affect audiences). They must even play a creative role in working out how technology can best be used. But creative people must also carry on doing what they are good at: entertaining / emotional engaging advertising. Because people are people , and will always enjoy being made to laugh / looking at interesting visuals / listening to interesting stories / being entertained, in general, and so on. And proof in the pudding for the effectiveness of traditional creative advertising can be found in successes such as Cadbury's Gorilla, and more.

Also, I have featured this post on my blog www.spotlightideas.co.uk
One of my pet subjects at the moment is brand utility. I would be grateful, Tom, for your views (and anyone else's) on the value of 'brand utility' (perhaps you could do a post on this subject on your blog ..).

Sorry, but this is just me and my opinion.

BUT -- Daryl, why don't you start a blog and post your lengthy, argumentative comments there? Then you can just post a link here.

I also don't get the animosity in your posts.
("The 'hey-dude quasi-intellectuals out there"? WTF? Was that really called for? It's kind of hard to have a adult discussion and exchange of ideas when one party wants to call names for no good reason.

You should learn to express yourself a bit more consisely.

Dude.

wn for the Then you can just leave a link here. I don't understand the animonsity in your comments.

Sorry about the typing and posting errors in the my comment. Clearly I'm an idiot.

Dear Woodie,

Your blog gave me pause to rethink what I have been doing. Recently I read that the columnist Sapphire found himself wandering in cyberspace and to his chagrin he found that while trying to be relevant he was instead fast becoming irrelevant, something I can commiserate with.

Yes, I should provide simple concise answers like you, but for me the simple e-mail responses lack all substance and reason. Like casting pearls to swine Blogging is for someone other than me -- without facts, examples, and other items of substance it is just so much tripe. I had two mentors, post-war TV guys and Madison Ave Alumni and journalism graduates of Columbia and Minnesota Schools of Journalism -- who said if you can't say it in a one-page letter, you couldn't say it at all. They were correct of course, but the concise 'wheel suck' mentality of a classic military type letter in Blogging to answer complex issues in our discipline, to me, is part of what's wrong with our discipline.

When I worked for clients, the idea of writing extensive articles on how we beat the competition, with statistical facts and proofs was a subject that would have gotten me fired. How many trade secrets are never revealed – esoteric is the reality of advertising, correctly earning it the title of a smoke and mirror industry. I have seen academics trying to figure out what advertising agencies really do and their interpretations are sometimes so off the mark it makes me wonder how their students perceive them after a dose of real-world advertising where your competition hires attractive women to bed perspective clients, or lavish gift-giving and exotic vacation seminars to bribe clients. As a perspective brand client for agencies, I loved the pitches they gave me telling me all of their secrets, how they test their creative concepts before ever expending dollars, and their creative formulas for strategic category marketing; and how only they know the true path to media Nirvana – as if they were some sort of public service for marketers.

Advertising's trade secrets are not to be found in textbooks, but perhaps at professional forums like I had thought I'd found at Ad Age. An actual forum for professional advertising people appealed to me, thus my Blogging. But looking back on it all, it is all really just a waste of time. Like I use to tell my employees about awards – these awards are from private businesses funded by the big siphoning agencies on the lookout to siphon all talent away from smaller agencies – around here our reward is getting the big clients and big bucks that goes with it, not worthless pieces of paper or other plastic awards. Your real award is a portfolio filled with major client work and the salary that goes along with it. Same here, where's the beef?

The concept of a promotional blog is valid, but the only ones that are noticed -- if the topic is over the top like the recent Richard Rapaport article on snide. One that I couldn't help responding to, like a cry from the desert I was compelled to respond. What this guy doesn't know about advertising could fill a book. And that response wasn't concise, that's someone else's thing – like yours.

Reviewing what I have written, as a critic, has me believing it is all just so much keyboard diarrhea, with it all resulting in so much loose sh*t. It stinks. When I write for money I perform like a professional, structuring and editing my work – but when I blog I somehow become emotional and incoherent, even to myself. I cringe when I re-read what I have written along with all of my grammatical errors -- I don't have five layers of proofing any longer. I am here out on my own.

So I bid ado to Blogging, been there, did that.

I have my own brand to tend and to mend, Blend's Liquor Ice Cream. It is stalled because the SEC has threatened me several times with sanctions if I try to pitch the sale of the company's stock again. These guys are teamed-up with other regulatory agencies believing liquor ice cream is on a par with kiddie-porn, where I am trying to corrupt American society, especially defenseless women and children, to make them all alcoholics and must be stopped. Like advertising, no one gave me laurels, just money.

I am writing a novel entitled: Hong Kong Escape, that covers my recent two-years as a professor teaching public relations and advertising to Chinese students. My experiences were unique, one where diehard Western adman meets Asian reality in a country where advertising was banned in 1949 as a western evil. I hope to have the manuscript in front of a publisher sometime this year, even sooner if I stop Blogging.

It not only addresses my experiences there, but serves up tidbits from my advertising career and liquor ice cream experiences. I am somehow compelled to write it, but hopefully unlike Blogging it leads to something with meaning and more substance. Although in writing, curiously enough, like you recommended, concise comes up again, like in Hemmingway's modern writing style - say it with economy. He once bet he could write an entire novel in 5 words: Baby-booties for sale, never used. Yeah, he cheated with the hyphen, but they bought him drinks anyway.