Of big ideas and inspiration

Creative legend, Mike Schalit, said the biggest controversy was that these issues were being debated amongst themselves, when they should be raised with clients. But apparently marketers were put off by the conference due to the word "creativity" in the promo material - but how do marketers expect to get better results out of their agencies if they don't engage with the industry on critical issues?

Heavyweight marketer, Greg Garden, Nedbank's marketing director, hammered the ad agencies at the conference yesterday for being out of touch with reality. He said advertising agencies needed to take a time out from international awards and global ambitions to "recalibrate" as they were being 'stuffed up creatively'.

Garden, who spoke to the creative dominated audience with a smattering of marketers in the afternoon of the one-day conference, said that the advertising industry seemed to think it had a divine right to exist without taking into account the rest of the world. "You're still in your own cocoons... as a top 10 marketing spender in SA - from our side of the fence, advertising is increasingly a marginalised industry. It is no where near the driver of marketing it used to be."

Garden told the top creative minds who were present at the conference, including Mathew Bull, Mike Schalit, John Hunt, Nkwenkwe Nkomo (all speakers) and Graham Warsop, Qingqila 'Wingwing' Mdlulwa, Eric Miyeni and Boniswa Pezisa (panellists), to take some time out to get back to the basics.

But according to creative legend, John Hunt, it doesn't matter if one is local, global or glocal. "It matters as to whether you're holding advertising back, or not. The status quo is where you don't want to be. An ad is great if it resonates and you remember it. If it doesn't do that, it's just wallpaper."

Hunt, Worldwide Creative Director, TBWA\ Worldwide, said slick mediocrity was a global trend, and advertising was either going to be breakthrough, or forgotten.

Hunt was also 2005 Cannes Festival Jury Chairman, and says that the most asked question at Cannes this past year by the media was: 'Is the 30 sec TV commercial dead?' Hunt pointed out that yes, Tivo is coming (TV control that enables ads to be edited out by the viewer), but that consumers had been mentally 'editing out' commercials for far longer already.

"To do a really great campaign now is not about just filling a media schedule. Media is fragmented, the world is different, whether you Tivo things out with the gadget, or mentally, it's a trend all around the world that you can't get to people. So you have to find ways of finding people who want to listen to your commercial."

So how do we solve this?

The Big Idea

Hunt said agencies have to move out of 'ad-land' into 'idea-land'. "Clients should be saying, give me a big idea... I think we are still too hung up on silos."

Hunt explained that the lines had blurred in media - an ad for U2's new Vertigo album through iTunes confused the issue of who the ad was for or by, but it did the job in advertising both brands successfully. Blogging was another rise of a new media option that marketers and agencies were using to plant new campaigns on. The success of brand campaigns used by producers of hit TV shows like Absolute Vodka in 'Sex in the City' and Sony's PSP in 'Southpark' was another example of big idea's and successful advertising.

"When your brand is so cool, others come to feed off it, like bloggers, producers, other products, popular culture... If your brand is in a healthy state, it will ooze the coolness that makes others latch on."

Net#work BBDO's Group Creative Head, the irascible Mike Schalit gave a presentation that was basically about 'kak'. He asked the audience to "be proud of our South Africaness and doing it our own way".

"The best ideas are those that creep up on you and take you by surprise. Is that controversy? The best things happen sometimes by chance. Controversy is about new ideas," he said.

Creative expression

Creative heavyweight, Mathew Bull, said it was time to get back to the expression of creativity. "The South African ad industry has, over the last few years, gone through a period of introspection, quite rightly so... and I believe we are coming out of that period and all the hard work done is beginning to blossom."

Bull, CEO of Lowe Bull and now Chief Creative Officer of Lowe & Partners Worldwide, said it was now time for the industry to lead the country, show how well an empowered industry can work and flourish because it had its house in order.

"Creative people are like children: we needed to create a secure, stable environment... ensure all our ducks were in a row... so that as an industry, we can go out to play!"

Bull made his point about something special being needed to sell a Cannes Lions winning ad to a client, siting the hugely popular Honda "Hate Something, Change Something" ad by Weiden & Kennedy in London, that had everyone singing along at Loeries. "It is a brilliant piece of work to sell a better car engine." But it is also animated with bunnies, dear, seals and flowers... not an easy sell to the client!

'Production is weak in SA'

He added: "We are strong from a directors and photography point of view, but where we are really weak, is: casting - abysmal, music - good music is not just stuck on at the end, editing - it is a vital part of telling a story, voice overs - the direction and quality is shocking.

"I know that South Africa's level of thinking is a match for anywhere else in the world, but I do think we're letting ourselves down in terms of production.

"We also need to focus on long lasting ideas, such as those in campaigns for VW, Caltex, Dulux, Cell C, etc, ...long term vision is needed. I don't see that form of thinking coming through. In order to build fantastic brands, patience is required. We tend to bail a little earlier on our ideas... and it's magnificent work that comes through in long term campaigns. Honda's Power of Dreams campaign is in its fourth year and is a case in point," Bull explained.

Of madness and insane ideas

With a show of old ads, Schalit illustrated how far the industry has come in terms of what was controversial five years to a decade ago. "The clients on all of these groundbreaking ads asked the agency: 'Are you mad?' The answer to everyone of them is 'Yes!'.

Schalit also gave a rueful 'thanks' to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for "building" many great brands in South Africa..

"A great idea is not about doing the right thing, but doing the inspired thing."

Dirty words

Schalit said there were far too many "dirty words" in the business between client and agency... "There are too many cosy arrangements in this industry. The place for sacred cows is on the braai!"