A pet peeve

Visual trickery vs. the real world advertising.



It seems to me we*re in a sort of creative vacuum at the moment. There*s always been that cacophony of *similar ideas*, but the whole formulaic thing is getting out of hand. And since so many people seem read the same *edgy* design pubs and books and cruise the same *offbeat* websites, it seems to be getting worse. I mean, I found a book the other day--written by some German guy--that broke down ads into different formulas and tricks.

Why you buy this book and refer to it to make ads? Sure, it would help to learn the techniques and then find new ways of communication...but if you believe you are truly creative, why would you need a rule book?



Pick up the latest ad annuals. In it you will find a lot of brilliance. There will always be those few. But so much in it now is visual gimmick-swill.



Finding a visual gimmick and slapping a logo on it doesn*t actually do anything for a brand. It in no way shows that you can solve a real life marketing problem. Plus, you risk the indignity of having the same thing in your book as your competition.



Here*s an example; those who have found a picture of a big hand photoshopped holding a small car. I*ve seen this used in about 5 campaigns already --and they*re 5 different ones that have all one different awards too. Same with the piercing studios. And the torture museums. The rocket-balloons following the cars. The paper-doll cut-outs...etc, etc.



Check these two ads out



http//www.creativehotlist.com/portfolios/52684/content_163905_8.html



http//www.creativecircus.com/ad22.html



Now, I*m not saying either of these guys *ripped* the other off, but this is not really creative advertising. It is *creative appropriation.* Someone saw it and said that would make a cool ad for ________. That*s not how advertising works; we don*t make and ad and then try to find a client (be honest--unless trying to scam it) so why do we award and promote stuff like this? And it*s not really showing how clever you are. I*d rather be seeing strange, new, different ideas that may or maay not be *clever* than a steady barrage of these mind-numbing, meaningless visual puns. Especially when looking through the award books.



Wouldn*t you?

Wow. Even more of the same. Just reinforces my point.



http//coloribus.com/admirror/?action=detailedView&item=93&language=en

I agree that they do communicate as ads, Dabitch, but they raise the question; "are they creative?" I don*t see really creativity at work in those...what I do see is an appropriation of an image or technique as a device for selling. The fact that a few of those ads have won *creativity* awards is what irks me. I*m just getting tired of seeing the same ideas.