Bigger And Badder

As I've said here previously, the agency business is comprised of two primary elements: ads and bullshit.

Pretty much everything we do that is not related to the creation or distribution of ads is bullshit.

There are many reasons why the globalization of the agency business is a bad thing. But worst of all is that the bullshit component, which was always secondary, has now achieved primacy.

Anyone who has worked in a large organization can tell you that bigness breeds bullshit. It's not that bullshit doesn't exist in small organizations, it's just that it flourishes in big ones.

Read their press releases. Listen to their leaders. Watch what they do compared to what they say. Talk to the people who work for them. For every ounce of advertising, they produce a pound of bullshit.

There was a time in this industry when all you had to worry about was making great ads. If you made great ads, smart companies would find you and you'd be successful.

Those days are gone.

The bullshit artists have created a culture of trendy nonsense, obfuscation and false goals.

And we all have to pretend to believe in it or we can't compete.

The agency business has become like politics: You are permitted to say everything but the truth.

Hypocrisy Update...
I've tried Twitter a couple of times and thought it was useless and pathetic. However, I am often reminded by my readers that I am a narrow-minded, reactionary, old ferret. Consequently, I am going to suffer for my art and re-establish my Twitter account for a while. You can find me here.