Wednesday, March 9, 2011

What's wrong with our industry.


A friend just sent me three of the latest Geico spots. One involved a deer. Another, a pen and a sword. And the third involved a dog and a cat. I've posted my favorite above.

I laughed out loud. No, really.

For what seems like forever, the Martin Agency has been doing really brilliant work on Geico. Funny stuff that drives drives drives home Geico's sales message. In the process Geico has grown and grown. I like them.

As far as I can tell, the Martin Agency doesn't win awards for this work. I suppose it's too crass and commercial. Doesn't measure up to some inscrutable double-paged visual pun spread for Scrabble or some such.

Likewise, IBM. Year in and year out, Ogilvy does singularly intelligent, interesting, well-crafted work. It doesn't win awards either.

I know we're supposed to be in a creative field. I know we're allowed to goof around at work, play ping-pong, drink beer, wear our baseball caps backwards.

But reality (remember that?) is that advertising is a serious business. It's meant to move minds and hearts.

I don't want to enter any awards show that doesn't consider Geico and IBM's work award-winning.
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6 comments:

  1. Tore ClaessonMarch 9, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    I totally agree with you. The Geico work is almost always really good. And funny. IBM is almost always smart.

    ReplyDelete
  2. simon billingMarch 9, 2011 at 7:32 PM

    I am, as they say in my old country, gobsmacked that Geico wins no awards.

    ReplyDelete
  3. jeff kwiatekMarch 9, 2011 at 7:57 PM

    Maybe having the client come back asking for more brilliant work is enough for Ogilvy and the Martin Agency.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sean PeakeMarch 9, 2011 at 10:50 PM

    I thought Geico's Abe Lincoln spot was brilliant.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 10, 2011 at 7:39 AM

    How is your work doing this year George? Will you be winning gold at cannes, one show and D&AD?

    ReplyDelete
  6. george tannenbaumMarch 10, 2011 at 11:06 AM

    Anonymous. I try my best to do work that moves my clients' business. I never try to win an award. I try to do good work.

    ReplyDelete