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Mark Duffy has written the Copyranter blog for 11 years and is a freelancing copywriter with 25-plus years of experience. His hockey wrist shot is better than yours.
It’s not just the general public and “Banksy” anymore. Even most ad men and women hate it now. Even the “creatives” who like to shove that their job is “creative” — and yours isn’t — in your face, hate it. Even creatives making well over six figures now hate it. Boo. Hoo.
The reason? The product has never sucked harder than it does right now. It sucks the butt of the biggest ass beast in the Ass Beast Cavern of Hell.
Or, as The Ad Contrarian Bob Hoffman described the current business state: “A pig’s breakfast of insufferable bullshit, dreadful jargon, stupid gimmicks and amateur bumblers producing horrific crap.”
On Monday, Campaign published the results of its second-annual ad industry survey. “Morale” has dropped big time, 36 percent from 2015. Nearly half of the respondents reported that their morale was “low” or “dangerously low.” (What exactly is “dangerously” low? Is that like, “I’m ready to go spree-killing” low? Seriously, why word it that way, Campaign?)
Here are some noteworthy comments from respondents on why their morale sucks:
• “THE AMERICAN ADVERTISING INDUSTRY IS RACIST AS FUCK.” — Black male, working at a media agency, making $50,000—$100,000.
• “Sociopathic partners.” (Been there.)
• “Everything being a bake off versus having ownership. Creative shops love to make things. Not endless talk about making things.” — White female, creative agency, making $101,000—$250,000.
• “ There’s a complete lack of compassion from most in leadership positions. It is completely bizarre. Who raised these people?” — White female, creative agency, making $251,000—$500,000.
• “Toxic culture, ego driven, boys club.” — White female, creative agency, making $101,000—$250,000.
• “Age discrimination is even stronger than racial or gender. It is truly automatic.” — 60 year-old freelancer, Hispanic male, making $101,000—$250,000.
I can angrily ditto the age discrimination.
The only people in the world who don’t hate advertising right now are the exceedingly rich holding company CEOs like Sir Martin Sorrell. Also, ad tech execs, because they’re making scads of scam cash because too many of you marketing bozos buy into their completely unproven bullshit sell-message that “data” collection and “metrics” measuring has improved advertising by making it more relevant.
Billy Mays would still love advertising, but, yeah: God rest his yelling, selling soul.
To help soothe the Hurt, Campaign is holding a #MoraleCamp on Twitter this week. Morale Camp! No thanks. I’ll be hanging out in the Ass Beast Cavern.
Anyway, hang in there ad folk! At least you’re not getting chlorine gas dumped on you in Aleppo.
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