You Sleep When You Die

What’s most interesting about this whole debate is that it’s getting so much attention. If we attached as much importance to creating great work that works for our clients, we would be much better off. To suggest that being banned from entering an awards show for five years could signal the end of a career is ridiculous. I guarantee you that if you create work that produces results for your clients, they won’t care if you never win another award…and neither will other potential clients.

Many industry experts were surprised about the recent announcement that VW and Crispin are parting ways. After all, VW’s market share actually improved in recent months and although sales were still down, the decline wasn’t as steep as the automotive industry as a whole. In addition, the four-year partnership resulted in some memorable and much talked about advertising.

Crispin certainly helped elevate VW to a new level of ‘coolness.’ Unfortunately, to be cool is often to be niche. And when your job is to market a brand that is dependent on the mainstream masses, coolness alone just isn’t going to cut it. And that’s precisely where Crispin missed it with VW.

Lowe’s Mark Wnek says, “The most important quality that all good creative directors share is a passion for great work.” Wnek goes on to argue that creatives are not politicians or actors, and that new business pitches aren’t supposed to be ‘vaudeville.’ Listen, don’t get me wrong: passion for great work should be a given to walk in the door for a job, but it’s not the most important thing that separates you from the others.

To me, great work means nothing if it doesn’t run, and the work won’t sell shit if it cannot even sell the client.

I’ve never been one to run from a little criticism…or even harsh criticism for that matter. I can take it – my skin is thick. So when I caught shit last year for suggesting we get rid of all the excess surrounding Cannes – the huge entourages, extravagant parties, private yachts – I let it roll off my back. And boy did I catch some flak – you would have thought I said that we should get rid of the ad industry entirely!!

Should we strive to produce great creative? Of course. Should we even accept an award for it? Sure. But cut through all the other crap of Cannes and every other big awards show out there and focus on creating great work that works great.

I told you so.

A recent article in Ad Age announced the cancellation of many of the parties and other festivities scheduled at this year’s Cannes Festival. “You’d have to be tone-deaf to throw a big party this year in Cannes,” says DDB Worldwide CEO Chuck Brymer. According to the article, Cannes 2009 will be more focused on learning and improvement than parties and socializing.