The debate on scam ad rages on. Here is an extremely well-written and brilliantly argued piece of writing on scam ads by Suman Srivastava, CEO of EuroRSCG. We will not be able to capture the power of the argument fully here, but the gist of Suman’s argument is this: we celebrate creativity & skill that are not put to practice in everyday life (e.g. Fashion Shows, F1 racing). So why can’t we ‘celebrate’ scam ads in creative awards?
Suman says ‘Creative awards are meant to recognize work that has pushed the boundaries of communication. Effectiveness awards recognize work that has pushed sales or other results for the client.’ No issues. On creative awards the argument is that ‘creative awards should be looking for unique insights, creative expressions and execution techniques. These insights, expressions and techniques could be demonstrated in the form of scam ads. That’s fine. What is important is their brilliance, their creativity’.
Hmmm, iffy. If our business is about making a difference to our client’s business through ideas, can we delink that aspect completely from awards that celebrate our ideas? If our only currency is ideas, can those ideas be independent of business constraints and complexities that are a part of our everyday life? Don’t constraints bring out the best in us? Biomat, a laundry detergent from P&G had to address the orthodox Jews who simply shun TV. This forced them to think out of the proverbial box and it won them a Cannes couple of years ago. There are many such examples.
If scam ads are legitimized and we celebrate ‘unfettered ideation’, it may occupy more mind space than what it already does among the creative folks. A number of young copywriters who come up with brilliant ideas on brands or categories we don’t work on. It’s a way of showing how creative they are. But one would start worrying if it becomes an unhealthy obsession. We are paid (poorly, some may say) to think about our client’s brand and deliver ideas that work. Scam ads are a ‘high’ already but if it occupies my creative team’s mind space no more than what is absolutely necessary, it would be acause for worry. Legitimizing scam ads may lead us into this path.
What do you think? Send us your views.
The article did draw my attention since I do hold the author in high regard. But his arguments did not hold water, and the Formula I and Fashion Show comparisons were a little far fetched.
If ads are allowed to be entered irrespective of their legitimacy, without a client backing it, then what is the difference between a student showcase and an award entry?
Also the right comparison should be with Design Awards or Architectural Awards; both are not awarded to projects on paper but to real life products.
Let the debate continue.