Lance has yet another take on the whole messy pie fight fight going on in the blogosphere. I'm not going to weigh in on his main point in his post. Except to say that I visit Shakespeare's Sister way more than I visit Kos, which is to say I never visit Kos. But, hey I'm just a girl in the world who never was a student of women's studies (except in the game of life) but still thought (briefly, very briefly) that he was, as Shakespeare's Sister wrote, "dismissive and egotistical" in his rant about the reaction to his reaction to those who reacted angrily over his reaction to that stupid ad that I don't care two hoots about.
No, I want to focus and pontificate on this sentence at the beginning of Lance's post:
Some ad guys came up with a stupid ad to promote the stupid TV show based on the original stupid TV show.
Now, I don't work for TBS, but in my experience, having been in the advertising industry for more than 20 years, I would bet ten lemon meringue pies plus a jelly donut that it's not "Ad Guys" at all who came up with the very original idea that "sex will sell our stupid TV show based on the original stupid TV show."
I don't have to be a fly on the wall of a very dreary conference room watching a very boring meeting to know that "TV Guys" who are "Ad Guy Wannabees" came up with the idea for this spot.
Yes, as my son would say, these guys are posers.
I don't think TV networks hire outside agencies to do their advertising.
If they did, you would not have to suffer through such horrible promotional spots as the ones running now for Tucker Carlson's new show. Who picked those shots of him standing there looking so doofus-like? I know he's doofus-like to begin with, but it's their job to de-doofusize him as much as
possible. And they failed. What a shock.
No, I'm sure TV stations think that since they've got all this high tech equipment, and they've got employees who know how to produce graphics on this equipment, that that in and of itself, in their minds, translates to, "Well, why would we hire someone to do it? We'll save a bundle and do it
ourselves! How hard can it be?"
And in their very uncreative minds, (after all, look at the show that they are trying to promote), they put together a spot where, "...the actresses playing Mary Ann and Ginger are all wrong." Of course they are! Do you think TBS is going to invest in a casting agent? I think not. Actually I
know not.
The Ad-Guy wannabees think they know it all! Don't think so? Well, just set up a meeting and ask them.
See, even when companies do hire outside agencies to handle their advertising the client's resume suddenly expands. Hey, who doesn't love to get creative?
He or she may be very successful in the printing business, or the car parts business or the field of manufacturing Vitameatavegamin, but once the creative team comes back with ideas on how Company A can talk to their customers effectively -- ideas that are on-target and on-budget by the way -- the client suddenly loves to art director -- and write and produce and direct.
Then when the idea fails to grab new customers, the art director and the writer get yelled at to come up with better ideas! While they are already cringing that the public thinks it was them who came up with the silly idea in the first place.
No, being the Ad Guy holds all the appeal. After all, advertising is glamourous. It is creative. It's not really a "job!" Hell, anyone can do it. And so many do.
What these TV Guys don't get -- is that if they would focus their energies where they are supposed to be focused -- on creating good TV shows people would actually want to watch -- instead of playing "Ad Guy" -- maybe it would do their ratings some good.
Same goes with any business. They need to focus on building a better mousetrap, so that we can help convince people to buy them.
All of this ranting is not to say there aren't some really great clients out there. I've got great, great clients that focus on their business so that I can focus on mine. And it's not to say that ad agencies always come through with brilliance either. They don't.
Think about the campaign that ran recently, and ran a lot for Buick over the last couple of months. I'm sure a very big, expensive agency produced that campaign. And they had a lot of fun with the casting and the all the negotiations to use cool music.
They had the hot, beautiful chick in one gorgeous outfit after another doing all sorts of sexy poses while "Dream On" by Aerosmith blared throughout.
Again, what's the point? Sex. And my husband, who's an art director by the way -- loved her.
But, did we run out and buy a Buick? Did sales go up? Let's think a minute about the state of General Motors. I guess the spots didn't do them much good.
So maybe the moral to this story, besides the fact that TV Guys should stop being sorry, pathetic posers, may be that sex doesn't work so well anymore. In most cases, or some cases anyway.
That should make Shakespeare's Sister kinda happy.
bluegirl, on the whole I'm satisfied with my post, but I am kicking myself now for having exhibited both "wagon-ism" and "ad person-ism." Shame on me. But good on you for your post!
Posted by: Lance Mannion | June 13, 2005 at 03:52 PM
It works great (sex) in the Latino market. Ever watch South American TV? It is filled with girls in tight clothes...
Posted by: denisdekat | June 13, 2005 at 03:59 PM
Yes Lance, you are indeed a Wagonist. But, if that's the weakest link in your character chain -- well, you're doing darn good.
Denisdekat: I know sex sells -- but, it's got to be done right. And it's like defining what's obscene -- you just know it's good when you see it, and you instantly know it's bad when you see it. And if you can do it so women AND men love it -- well, all the better.
Posted by: blue girl | June 13, 2005 at 04:10 PM
Is Wagonist like arriviste?
And how come no one has remade Petticoat Junction?
Posted by: Linkmeister | June 13, 2005 at 04:56 PM
"you just know it's good when you see it"
Depending on who sees it right ;) ?
Posted by: denisdekat | June 13, 2005 at 05:41 PM
Denisdekat: Yes. Yes. Yes. There will always be disagreement -- I'll give ya that.
Posted by: blue girl | June 13, 2005 at 09:36 PM
Linkmeister: I love the theme song to Petticoat Junction! Why hasn't a rap artist incorporated that into the background of one of their songs yet?
And Denisdekat: Another question and thought for you -- simple sex, easy sex, bad sex sells to any young person with hormones raging -- that's pretty much what the music industry's all about -- but, since I'm not that acquainted with the Latino demographic -- do you think it "sells" to those in their mid-30s and older? Just wondering.
Posted by: blue girl | June 13, 2005 at 10:45 PM
Unfortunately, blue girl, wagonism is the least of my vices.
Link, you're right. The time is ripe! Especially needed is a remaking of that opening with the water tower! As long as it isn't made by the same guys who did the Ginger vs. Mary Ann pie fight.
Posted by: Lance Mannion | June 13, 2005 at 10:50 PM
Yes, most Latino males define their maleness by constantly chasing and wanting women. I do not know many male Latinos (except gay ones) who are not always on the prowl...
I am a bit of an anomaly as I was brought up by a single mom (no Latino father influence), and I came to America at 10. So I am a bit more gringo in this respect...
This is only my observations, not very scientific ;)
Posted by: denisdekat | June 15, 2005 at 02:14 PM
What am I? A gringette? A gringesse?
Posted by: blue girl | June 15, 2005 at 04:00 PM
gringa
for girls it ends with an "a" generally ;) "ette" is for the Frogs...
Posted by: denisdekat | June 15, 2005 at 06:38 PM
Then Gringa it is. Wouldn't want the little frogs to feel slighted in any way.
Posted by: blue girl | June 15, 2005 at 07:54 PM
re tucker's promo
something about the angle emphasizes his womanly hips. makes me laugh.
Posted by: hello | June 15, 2005 at 11:56 PM
Hello Hello!
I know exactly what you mean. Especially the full body shot -- where he looking upward from the side. Truly bizarre that they chose to handle it that way.
Posted by: blue girl | June 16, 2005 at 09:03 AM
I don't know who came up with the concept but I read in Media Daily News that Stun Creative out of LA did the ad.
So I'm wondering what you think of the MARC Watch, Ride, Report poster. Inhouse idea or out?
Posted by: Idyllopus | June 17, 2005 at 07:24 PM
Idyllopus: Let me read up, I'll get back to ya.
My first google search shows more graphic design than advertising -- but I've got some research to do. Want to see more.
Oh! Did Stun Creative do the Pie Fight ad? Or the Tucker Carlson promos? ....interesting.
Posted by: blue girl | June 17, 2005 at 10:08 PM
Idyllopus: From a design standpoint -- who knows? I didn't read who did them -- but, they could've been done in-house or out -- design is so subjective.
Whoever designed them had a very strict mind, though. Not too much creativity -- the illustrations were stiff and the type was heavy and authoritative -- and this might seem judgmental, but I always think in-house talent is less, well, talented.
Right off the bat -- my impression of the design is very, "Germany - 1938" -- I'll read up on it though.
Posted by: blue girl | June 17, 2005 at 11:06 PM
A-ha! Just read they were done by an ad agency in Florida -- well, you never know who calls themselves an ad agency -- they missed the mark for sure -- in my opinion.
Posted by: blue girl | June 17, 2005 at 11:10 PM
Sorry, should have clarified that Stun Creative did the pie ad.
I had read some postulations that the MARC ad had been done as a kind of joke by an ad agency artist that slipped by. My take on it was in-house idea shipped out to an ad agency to do. The little I know of ad agencies, my opinion was you wouldn't have an art director trying to slip an intentional parody (vagely based on Social realist art) past MARC.
But that was my take as someone who has only peripheral experience, knowing photographers, graphics artists and musicians who have been involved in ad work in some way or another.
I could be wrong! As you say, who knows.
Posted by: Idyllopus | June 18, 2005 at 11:40 AM