Who Stole The Ads From Ad Week?

I'm on my third morning at Advertising Week and I've yet to see an ad.

I've seen absurd panel discussions about what marketing will be like in 2030. I've seen a disgraceful PR event disguised as information about the dreadful "McAgency."

I've heard solemn discussions of every mind-numbing cliché in the marketing lexicon: breaking down silos, and storytelling, and authenticity, and ecosystems and so many fucking consumer journeys that you can't swing a brain dead cmo without hitting one.

But there's one thing I haven't seen -- an ad.

It's like going to Music Week and not hearing a song. Or going to Photography Week and not seeing a picture.

It's completely insane and perfectly indicative of our industry. The ads themselves are of no interest anymore.

We are not in the advertising business. We are in the advertising business business.

It is very dispiriting and not a little infuriating.

There is no laughter. There is no joy.

It's not just media buying that has become programmatic. We have.