WTF

We all know that the first law of advertising is: don't fall in love with your work. Because as good, smart, right and beautiful as it may be, chances are the client has something else in mind. Still, when one hires an agency and pays a substantial amount of money (monthly) for their expertise, one probably expect this agency to understand and know a thing or too better than themselves. Or do they? After 20 years (or more) in advertising, I'd expect myself to get used to this ritual. But alas, I did not. After creating a truly smart and beautiful (and spot on the strategy) campaign last month the client decided he knows best and changed it into a simple-stupid, generic looking campaign. Browsing through the daily papers, as I do everyday, I came across a campaign horrifyingly similar to my own (sorry, but I am not going to show you). Yes we were first, and yes we still look better, and yes ordinarily I'd say, "shit happens". But this time I didn't. So I made the account manager sent both ads straight to the client, but as we all know that when a client is "smart" enough to design his/her own campaign, they are also "smart" enough to understand the size of the error. Ye right. So, for me all thats left is to blow off some steam here with you, and hope the next campaign will debut as god (or I) intended.