Digithoughts

Last week, the local screening of ART & COPY played at the Birch North Park Theatre. Before the curtains opened the crowd gathered for a pre-show mixer at The Office bar, which was brimming with the local flavor of designers, architects, advertising professionals, students and your random tag-a-longs. Most people sipped drinks and talked shop before moving over to the theatre.

Daiga, our Executive Creative Director and I didn’t know exactly what to expect from the film. The few people I had asked gave only occasional thumbs up. I had watched the trailer online and was familiar with most of the advertising legends in the film like Dan Weiden, Lee Clow, Hal Riney and Jeff Goodby. But for the most part I wanted to keep an open mind about the film. We found our seats and settled in. The crowd continued to be restless with excitement. So after a very generous and disappointing raffle (because neither Daiga nor I won anything) the film began.

It started as a narrative revealing the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creative gurus of our time; TBWA/Chiat/Day, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, W+K, and so forth. It continued to highlight the rebellious spirit and tenacity of these advertising Goliaths, but to me it ended up painting them more as out-dated egomaniacs.

Don’t get me wrong; I was very entertained by the humor and wit of George Lois and the wisdom and calm nature of Hal Riney. I was also very touched by Mary Wells determined nature and her rather vulnerable speech about what it was like to be the first woman to own and run an ad agency and the first female to take a company public.

These individuals all had a few things in common; a strong will to see their visions out, fighting for what they believe in and how they over came the circumstances of their times. But what I felt the film fell short on was carrying the conversation into today’s world. Advertising in the 50s, 60s, 70s and on is like comparing the Apple II to the iPad. Everything has changed! This generation doesn’t fall for catchy taglines placed over a beautifully manipulated photo or some jingle played on the radio again and again (I wonder if they even listen to the radio with Pandora seeming to be the choice these days). They have the knowledge and experience to look at advertising and see its true colors.

As much as I respect and am inspired by the work of these legends, I didn’t feel the film was true to how advertising is changing. I would’ve loved to hear how Jeff Goodby and his company are evolving with the times. How he’s had to adapt his creative process and company structure to the ever-changing landscape of our economy and the world of smart phones, banner ads, iPads and social media.

Advertising just ain’t what it used to be, but what is?

Paul Drohan Creative Director

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