WHYBIN SLAMS SCAMS IN CANNES
Scott Whybin, chairman of Whybin\ TBWA Australia and this year's Australian Press Juror (pictured left with Warren Brown yesterday), lead the charge against a myriad of scams entered. Here's what he has to say on the topic:
I was glad to judge Cannes this year. Let me just say that I was worried (as a lot of people have been) about the virus of visual puns and metaphors with logos bottom right becoming de rigeur to win a Lion. To be blunt, it’s often hard to stop, with 18 different countries judging the language barriers.
Lack of strategy, lack of brand ownership and generics can often be an insidious feature with international juries.
Having said that, there was a collective, well let’s say almost collective belief that as jurors, we had to get back to the stuff that really matters.
Whilst I can’t tell you the winners, let’s just say the Asia Pacific has done really well.
Scam ads must die (we’ll find you out). Propositions are back in fashion. Generics should be outlawed and Asia Pacific is back in town.
My bet?
Go Thailand, India, NZ and Australia and there might be a few surprises from other countries as well. I was quiet proud of our region in that it came to the real work the Asian Pacific region shone.
It seems that when Asia particularly stops thinking about barriers in regards to language and starts thinking about simple strategically based idea, they can do it with the best of them. There were no real country dominations, no domination by the US or the UK and a real spread internationally. This is a great thing. But something for you to think about: Asia Pacific did really well and one gets the feeling that once you get the scam ads out and back to the real business of advertising and ideas borne out of products, we can really kick arse. As a region I’m sure you’re going to like what you hear.
But this is just rumour from me.
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How can that old hack on his million dollar yacht talk up solidly thought out ads instead of done before visual puns? Who does he think he is..rich?..a judge?...some kind of expert?I for one am calling a meeting at my Surry Hills bedsit tonight to make sure he knows how much better off we are. Sure we got no finalists...but who needs a yacht and money and respect anyway???We have small logos...see you all at the Crown Hotel tonight (happy hour).
Long live "ideas borne out of products". Now all we need is to convince clients.
things like the san diego zoo ad from m&c. the land rover owners club ad from malaysia that looked conviently like a land rover ad. And the indian ad for midland's book shop. A small bookshop in mumbai!!! It was funny to see Neil french's name on it. The scam lives on.
I always find it funny that a mum n pop bookshop is a scam, but do the exact same ad for a bookshop chain and that's fine.You tring to tell me the "Wonderbra" ad that won last year with teacher accidentally rubbing out the maths equations wasn't a good ad? Check it out again and read the copy this time. Somthing along the lines of "Available at (insert lingerie shop name here) (insert address here).I personally thing the ad was tops scam or not.Flame on.
It's about time. I'm so sick of opening advertising annuals and seeing page after page of ads for charities. Anyone would think they are the clients that pay the bills.Let's bury the 'recipe for awards' of big visual, small logo, with possible addition of a small tag line (optional).There are otherways to do a good ad, you know.
you try telling me that saatchi sydney olay ad isn't a scam...i read who weekly and i see the olay ads...they are not them and as for that tooheys old ...point of purchase (yeh right)...they haven't won for the real work that the public really sees...eg. emirates,
Nice headline - you could get a job with 'The Sun' in the UK!Just kidding!
10:19, your problem is not that you haven't seen the ads, its that you read Who weekly!Get out and live a little bud because its sounding like you desperately want a job at Saatchi's.Why can't we just be happy that an Australian Agency is doing well at Cannes?Well done Saatchi's, well done BMF, well done Lowe ....etc.....etc....You guys have done us proud! Hopefuly other Aussie Agency's are inspired and hopefully we can start to attract a few international creatives here.Oh, one more thing 10:19 ... i recently saw a great Emirates ad at the airport the other day. Like said...you need to get out.
8:57, Is that the goal is it? To attract international creatives here? Gee, what a reward!
Nice speech from Scott. Yet if you check out the winners they are all exactly the same type of ads that have been winning at Cannes recently. All visual, tiny copyline at bottom right and a logo. Nothing is different.
I'd love to know which Emirates ad you saw at the airport.I was there yesterday and I didn't see anything other than utter pants.
8:57, whatever else one might make of your clumsy attempts to express yourself, you are illiterate. That being the case, you are a joke to yourself and an embarrassment to the industry. But you're hardly Robinson Crusoe.The industry is predominantly populated by people who don't have more than the most rudimentary grasp of the language.No wonder most ads these days feature a largely wordless picture puzzle that requires lengthy consideration before the penny eventually drops. "Oh,so THAT'S what it means!"Lynchy, when you come down off your Cannes high, we need an urgent discussion on this blog or in the magazine. Topic: Do we really have to tolerate art directors?