Scam celebration music to Singo’s ears? Rosemary Ryan
THE move by award shows to embrace scam ads has met with mixed reaction from the ad industry with some branding it a “nonsense” while others said it would encourage more creative thinking.
AWARD this week held the first of its Scamfest Awards which involved creatives submitting ads for a series of made up products.
At the same time the London International Advertising Awards has launched a category devoted to scam ads.
Stalwart Australia creative Ted Horton was passionately opposed to the move.
He said it was bad for the advertising industry and bad for AWARD.
“I think Scamfest demeans AWARD,” Horton said. “I think it symbolises everything that clients think is wrong with our industry.
“It must be music to Singo’s ears.”
BMF’s Warren Brown panned Scamfest as a “nonsense” and a distraction from the business of advertising,
“It is a completely unnecessary diversion to the job that we are meant to be doing for clients.” Brown said.
“I’ve never subscribed to the idea of doing scam-type ads for the sake of showing how smart you are and impressing a small group of your own community. I just don’t see the point it. Why waste your time doing something that is never going to go anywhere.”
“Creative initiative is perfectly valid but if you have a great creative idea you should be pitching it to clients. If it is clever enough you will be able to get it up.”
“Doing scam ads is a bit like a soccer player saying they can do amazing things in training. What really counts is what you do when you get on the field—that’s where it matters, not being a legend in your own lunchtime.”
However, McDonald’s marketing director Joe Talcott gave the trend his support saying anything that encouraged creativity was a good thing for advertising.
“There are very few totally original ideas in advertising today so if this can inspire more creativity then that is great,” Talcott said.
“I think it gives creatives an opportunity to use their talents in a fun way when they are not under pressure of a client’s disapproval.
And if giving separate division and awards for scam ads helped to keep them out of the main awards that would be another bonus, Talcott said.
The Campaign Palace’s creative director Ron Mather said those who are critical of the move were taking it too seriously. “I think that it is a good thing, it is a bit of fun,” Mather said. “Advertising should be fun. It should also be end entertaining and informative.”
“Sadly not too much advertising that you see today is like that.”
Mather also said he thought the move would help keep scam ads out of the main awards. “If anything is going to trivialise the advertising industry that’s what will do it—scam ads getting into the main awards.”
Clemenger Brisbane creative and BAD Club vice-president Peter Goodall was also positive about the idea, saying it would be a creative and entertaining boost to those in the industry.
“Whenever people get a bit flat in the industry it’s usually because agencies are getting beaten around by the clients, and this is a great opportunity to let your hair down and have some fun,” he said.
“The category briefs are great too and offer a lot of scope for creativity. I mean, female viagra?
