There's a buzz going around that Chicago's advertising community, creatively-speaking, has kind of gone to Hell - droves of clients fleeing from an apocalyptic plague of hoary mundanity and agencies sinking themselves further into a fiery lake of brimstone-laden banality.
Not surprisingly, the Chicago Sun-Times' very own prophet of Windy City promotion, Lewis Lazare, has a few things to say on the matter.
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Come on, let's face it people: the problems of Chicago's advertising are a sign of the times, the root of which seems to be bad suits (there's really no shortage of creative talent). Go into any big agency, and you'll find that the suits are the clowns behind Everything That's Wrong With This Business.
The problem, it seems, is that all the smart people in the world would rather work in other industries.
So we're left with a bunch of Hewlett Packard rejects who fall into advertising by default.
Not because they love advertising. Or creativity.
Which means they don't know how to fight for great work. Or how to educate clients in recognizing it. They simply don't have the passion.
So what results is watered-down creative, clients who overstep their bounds, and cynical creatives who realize the futility of busting their arses to do great work.
Over time, the bar gets lower and lower; and the creative work worse and worse. Brands begin to languish because the advertising is crap, so they shuffle off to other agencies. Creatives lose their jobs. Suits lose their jobs. Everyone panics.
What's left?
A couple of 5 year-old One Show annuals to inspire the next generation who hopefully'll turn it all around...
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