Funny, we in advertising used to read ad busters all the time. Because although we ARE advertising, those of us on the creative end also know that we're just doing it because we get constant approval for our clever ideas and we can make a living doing it. We all wish there was a way to use our skills to help better humanity as well as our pocketbooks and egos and so we have this skewed, secret kinship with the anti-globalization guys. Some of try to do a few PSA's here and there, but honestly, we're no more responsible than Bankers and Newscasters.
That's how the real, adult world works. If you want to change it, the only way is from the inside. Become CEO of a giant holding company--and if you still have the fire inside--then sure buddy, go ahead, call up your TV exec friends and run your agenda. Let's see if you're ready to risk your yacht and your retirement egg.
Now, Adbusters had a good platform to say something good, something that could maybe open people's eyes and help change the way people think. They could've given some constructive suggestions for how to help the advertising industry change and be more proactive in good causes. But they blew it.
Instead, they've turned too many people off. They're too fringe. Too angry. They rant about this and that and globalism and the corporate monster. They don't have a unified message that invites everyone in. Half the time, their articles walk a thin line between befuddled pir-in-the-sky fantasy and outright adolescent calls for anarchy. You know what they need? An ad agency to get to the point.
I'm not a big fan of Ogilvy myself, but I still think the hijacking's logic is skewed. If I am a 10+mil potential client, I'd be more inclined to give my money to people who take things seriously. Then the big serious Ogilvy can just hire the not-so-serious freelance creatives to come up with the stunts.
Who cares? Isn't this whole thing immature? All this does is just reinforce the widespread notion that way too much of the ad scene is completely self-absorbed and self-important. If only as much effort and energy was focused into making great work that stood out our industry would be better off.
Funny on one hand, I guess, in the ad world. But if I was a client I'd think it was just a sophomoric prank. I wouldn't give it much beyond a passing smirk before retyping the correct address. Multi-million dollar business it a lot more than a lucky break or clever joke. And I'm not so sure the act of this hijacking really does prove it's point. It brings up too many fundamental questions for me...like; did they really have that much time on their hands to rush and buy up the domain...and did they take away time from their real client's business? In the end, it probably just reinforces Ogilvy's position--who could just easily counter that they're much too busy solving their client's problems than trying to defend their own site from every snafu imaginable. Or they do even better and not even acknowledge it, as is the usual accepted response to hijacking. Witty though.
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Sometimes I re-read my own posts aand realize I sound slightly insane myself. I guess that can be a good thing though.
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