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.