More Of The Best (And Worst) Things Ever Said About Advertising (Free).
Read and reap.
Previously: The Best (And Worst) Things Ever Said About Advertising (also Free).
First off, a message for you marketers who “talk” a good game. The game is, and will always be, creative ads that have nothing to do with marketing.
RELATED: Many of you marketing folks bend the knee to Gary Vaynerchuk, which makes sense because he has no respect for creative ads despite never creating one in his life. But he is full poop, as I lay out here.
So: 12 more quotes below that will, hopefully, help steer you in the right direction going forward. Because otherwise, creative advertising will die. No doubt.
The ad industry (really all industries) has became dangerously enamored with Tech, The “New”.
TECHNOLOGY
1. JOHN HEGARTY (The “H” in BBH)
“Tech” is never an “Idea”. It is, by definition a “technique”, and execution.
2. DAVE TROTT
Because people = talent = creativity = separation from your competition. A reason to buy your ad agency. Tech is never a reason to buy. If you’re unfamiliar with Trott, become familiar with him.
3. BILL BERNBACH
Said in the 1960s. Even more true in 2024.
4. SAM ALTMAN
ALT. MAN. What a perfect name for a robotic Dystopian monster who’s never created a good ad in his fucking life, hasn’t a clue what it takes. If he wins, advertising loses. humanity loses.
CREATIVE PROCESS
1. DAVE TROTT & LUKE SULLIVAN
FEAR. Abject FEAR. Marketers have no idea what the creative process is like. How grinding it is. How stressful it is. I worked at one small agency for 20+ years as the only staff copywriter. I’ve created, literally, thousands of ads—some great, some more, good, even more, average+, and a ton of bad ones.
If you lose the “fear”, you are DEAD. Quit your job. Came up with a good TV spot yesterday? It’s no longer yesterday; you’re back to ZERO. Repeat ad fucking infinitum. Day after day, year after year.
2. TOR MYHREN, GREG HAHN, KEVIN BRADY
But that doesn’t mean the atmosphere should be fearful, because fear kills creativity. No, you keep the fear inside, “like a pilot light”. FUN. Fun invites insanity which enables thinking that no one has thought before which leads to truly original ads. Which are magical. Which are fun.
CREATIVITY
1. JOHN HEGARTY
“Say more” doesn’t mean speaking more in meetings, “guru”. And he doesn’t mean “write less” thoughts. He means write fewer words to get to those thoughts.
2. DAVID ABBOTT (The “A” in AMV/BBDO)
Turnarounds are faster than they’ve ever been. Tough Titty Toenails. You need to make the time to take the time to write. Rewrite. Rethink. Wrote a good idea? How nice. Write 10 more versions of it. Then, write 10 different versions of the same basic idea. And so on. And do it on paper. When typing, you delete things you don’t like in that moment. Thing is, an hour/a day/a week from then, that shitty idea just might spawn a great idea. It happens. I know from experience.
3. BILLBOARDS/OUTDOOR
Don’t know who said this, but it’s 100% spot on. Folks don’t stop their cars or themselves to read your fucking ad. People hate ads, as they should. Ya got two seconds to un-hate them.
Pilot light of fear 📍