I'm a big fan of the advertising work of this era, it always seems more succinct, witty, sharp, and hardworking than the work of today. These are superbly crafted ads, well worth a look HERE.
The Ads Of Ron Collins
Damon Collins has created a site to share some of the print work of his late father (and advertising legend) Ron Collins. "He's best known for his television writing for the likes of Texaco (the one with Morcambe and Wise and James Hunt), Cinzano (the one with Leonard Rossitter and Joan Collins), Carling Black Label ("I bet he drinks Carling Black Label") and Qualcast lawnmowers ("It's a lot less bovver than a hovver"). But he was also a gifted print art director. These are a few of his pieces of work."
I'm a big fan of the advertising work of this era, it always seems more succinct, witty, sharp, and hardworking than the work of today. These are superbly crafted ads, well worth a look HERE.
I'm a big fan of the advertising work of this era, it always seems more succinct, witty, sharp, and hardworking than the work of today. These are superbly crafted ads, well worth a look HERE.
Bill Bernbach Said #49
Number 49 in our Bernbach series...
“Maybe we’re getting bogged down in too much detail. Maybe our advertising ideas are being ground up in that multi-level American efficiency machine.”
Read all of the previous Bernbach Said posts here.
Kempfolds
Brighten up your Monday with a visit to Kempfolds. A dedicated blog to the art of folding Ross Kemp's face. You can see plenty more here [Thanks for sharing, Rich].
Sell! Sell! Goes On The Road
Sell! Sell! operative and man-about-town Ryan spent last Friday on an expedition to the frozen north (well Carlisle) to spread the good word to the students of the Graphic Design and Illustration (GRILLUST) courses at The University of Cumbria (where he was once a student himself dontchaknow). You can read an account from the receiving end, on the GRILLUST blog, here.
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| What an attractive lot. |
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| "Don't be a dick" - solid career advice. |
Bill Bernbach Said #48
Number 48 in our Bernbach series...
“Getting a product known isn’t the answer. Getting it WANTED is the answer. Some of the best known product names have failed.”
Read all of the previous Bernbach Said posts here.
Does Working Longer And Harder Really Lead To Better Work?
A theory persists in ad agencies that to do the best work, you have to work longer and harder than other people. So the pressure is often on for creatives to burn the midnight oil, work weekends and generally spend all of their waking hours at the coal face.
It's not the case everywhere, one agency that I worked at for a bit had a definite lean towards not encouraging people to work through lunch or late (and they had a good creative reputation at the time). That said though, they once forced us to go in on a Saturday for no particular reason, which didn't go down well. But there are those places around town that have a reputation for making people work long hours and weekends. And some of these do have good creative reputations. Do the two things go hand-in-hand?
I don't think so. Okay, I do know genuinely good people who are in the habit of working long and hard. But I've also known plenty of people who worked really long hours who never came up with anything great. Then there are the ones who never seem to be around, or working, but who always come up with something great. (We'll ignore the very last category - those who don't work long and hard, and don't come up up with anything good - because they don't last very long anyway.)
I don't see any definite correlation between hours spent and the quality of the work. Over here we take coming up with creative ideas very, very seriously, seriously enough to know not to take it too seriously.
If you push people too hard, too long, it has the opposite to the desired effect. People think differently (not in a good way) when put under too much pressure, or worked too hard. You are more focused on doing something than on allowing yourself to find things. It narrows the mind.
I think you need a freewheeling, uninhibited mind to come up with good stuff. Sometimes you have to really work hard through something, really apply yourself. But equally it can mean allowing yourself the freedom to get away from the desk.
We like to keep it relaxed and fun at Sell! Towers, and we don't want people staying late or working weekends (we've only worked one weekend day in six years). I'd rather a brief was in someone's mind while they were getting on with enjoying and experiencing life, than forcing them to sit in a room all weekend trying to crack it. I'm certain it's not the only way of getting great stuff, but it works out well for us, and I believe in it way more than the battery hen, beating-with-a-stick approach.
I'm interested to know what you think though, dear reader. Does more pressure and longer hours work out better for you? Do you think great work is linked to working longer and harder?
Have a great weekend!
It's not the case everywhere, one agency that I worked at for a bit had a definite lean towards not encouraging people to work through lunch or late (and they had a good creative reputation at the time). That said though, they once forced us to go in on a Saturday for no particular reason, which didn't go down well. But there are those places around town that have a reputation for making people work long hours and weekends. And some of these do have good creative reputations. Do the two things go hand-in-hand?
I don't think so. Okay, I do know genuinely good people who are in the habit of working long and hard. But I've also known plenty of people who worked really long hours who never came up with anything great. Then there are the ones who never seem to be around, or working, but who always come up with something great. (We'll ignore the very last category - those who don't work long and hard, and don't come up up with anything good - because they don't last very long anyway.)
I don't see any definite correlation between hours spent and the quality of the work. Over here we take coming up with creative ideas very, very seriously, seriously enough to know not to take it too seriously.
If you push people too hard, too long, it has the opposite to the desired effect. People think differently (not in a good way) when put under too much pressure, or worked too hard. You are more focused on doing something than on allowing yourself to find things. It narrows the mind.
I think you need a freewheeling, uninhibited mind to come up with good stuff. Sometimes you have to really work hard through something, really apply yourself. But equally it can mean allowing yourself the freedom to get away from the desk.
We like to keep it relaxed and fun at Sell! Towers, and we don't want people staying late or working weekends (we've only worked one weekend day in six years). I'd rather a brief was in someone's mind while they were getting on with enjoying and experiencing life, than forcing them to sit in a room all weekend trying to crack it. I'm certain it's not the only way of getting great stuff, but it works out well for us, and I believe in it way more than the battery hen, beating-with-a-stick approach.
I'm interested to know what you think though, dear reader. Does more pressure and longer hours work out better for you? Do you think great work is linked to working longer and harder?
Have a great weekend!
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