Friday, February 15, 2008

mADvertising from the mADison Street

Madison Street, New York has become more or less the metonym for the modern advertising business, especially because the top global agencies are domiciled there.
Beyond this geographical affinity is the MAD-IS-ON dimension that has characterized the advertising business. I mean the MAD stereotypes in advertising practices, creative execution and even human resource.
It’s a popular cliché that an AD-man is MAD because he lives on the edge and interprets the world as an inverted sequence of manageable entropy.
I believe this is what brings out the awarding winning creatives that have made great brands that we celebrate today.

However, within this MAD-IS-ON space is the growing demand for accountability
Millward Brown Impact study (2007) claimed that 20% of all advertising was not only ineffective but actually damaged the brand. That is mADvertising!

I like great AD because they win awards at Cannes; but I am more concerned about CREATIVES that WIN the very elusive mindset of the consumers. They are actually multiple-award winners because they have secured WINS in many hearts and minds to the advantage of the brand WINNING the better share of the market.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great stuff
MADison is MAD!
However we need mAD people to survive the AD business
. The challenge is striking the balance and that's what Effie awards are all about

Toyin said...

Good stuff
MAD IS ON is what actually describes the AD business anyway their is need 4 balance.however this is a great stuff more pls

Anonymous said...

I think is an injustice to this this business madvertising. i think Sadvertising might be a better expression

ablackjamesbond said...

Let me ask you a question.

How creative do you think a strategic ad can be?

Some pple believe too much strategy stiffles creativity and since you only get recognised in this business for ur creativity, what u find is that most agencies tend to sacrifice strategy at the alter of creativity.

Thank God for Effies though, but what i have found out is that the industry celebrates Cannes Lions more than they celebrate Effies.

Case in point- Grey Worldwide. This agency network wins effies all the time because they believe so much in strat but that sometimes becomes counter productive for them in the sense that most prospective clients tend to invite agencies based on creativity and not campaign effectiveness.

dremak said...

MAD-IS-(actually)ON, on the street in question,and that is an understatement in the state(Newyork)as a whole. And for the Ad man to thrive in that environment(and indeed the average business man),you have to have a little bit of MADness in you... (Lagos too by the way)

However,as your analysis describes, beyond winning pitches, the (creative)agency needs to connect (the brand)to the defined target market both emotionally while also aligning the product(or brand if you will)to meet the need(s)of the end user.

In my opinion, I agree with you that a good AD must not only win awards,but be seen to have met and satisfied a need, this guarantees a mutual success to all parties involved...

Anonymous said...

I agree with Dremak
and the blackjamesbond
Effie must be accorded higher honour than the excesses of Cannes
Lets learn to be accountable

Anonymous said...

This theory of mADvertising is an injustice to the guys who make this industry exciting.
Strategists like Bayo, Blackjamesbond and Dremark must realise that advertising in an art not science
People love this business because of the emotionally stimulating ads they watch on their TVCs and not the charts,numbers and statistics in your powerpoint strategy
We must stop crucifying guys who make this industry worthwhile