We used to judge ads by whether they’d entered culture.
Or if I translate that modern industry phrase…
‘Did the public gave a sh*t?’.
Were the ads being talked about?
Being spoofed on TV shows or in newspapers?
Had the straplines and jingles becoming part of everyday language?
Even today if you begin to sing ‘Do the Shake n’ Vac…’ or ‘Will it be chips or jacket spuds?…’ to anyone of a certain age they’ll finish the lyrics. And they’re ads from 40-odd years ago.
That’s further back in time than Marty McFly travels.*
Our job as creatives is to make work that connects.
Work that’s popular.
The industry can be obsessed with new tech, the latest trend, buzzwords, industry press coverage or awards.
But forget the actual people out in the world.
In fact, I’ve sometimes seen a snooty, condescending view of work that the public likes. I’ve even heard of agencies trying to kill off their own popular campaigns because they weren’t cool or award-worthy.
John Webster said ‘The pinnacle is to be parodied on the cover of The Sun’.
I agree.
All day, every day I’d rather have people in the pub, supermarket or online talking about, laughing at, liking and loving the creative I’ve been involved with than anyone in the industry (not that I don’t want your praise too).
Who cares if it’s off-trend, uncool, old-fashioned, cheesy or, god forbid, popular.
Do things real people will love.
*Side note: It’s horrifying to think that if Back To The Future was set now the 30 years you’d travel back takes you to 1995. Is my youth as alien to today’s teenagers as the 1950s were? Probably.
