Follow Ogilvy to SxSW in Austin, TX – March 11-20
March 7 2011, 1:11 pm | | 45 Comments
Ogilvy Australia is sending three of its geekiest to SxSW – and they’ll be reporting back daily.
Follow innovation director – strategy Damian Damjanovski (far left), creative director Barrie Seppings (near left) and innovation director – creative Brian Merrifield (centre) from March 11 at Ogilvy’s dedicated website.
45 Comments
You lost me at “follow ogilvy”.
2.21 – if you were lost so early in the piece, other than because you’re an odious little turd, why did you feel the need to make any comment?
Congrats guys – enjoy the junket!!
Congrats on getting hitched Bri!
Dear Ogilvy Staffer (aka 2.43pm),
Do you really want to know all the reasons why Singleton Ogilvy & Mather isn’t an agency I’d follow?
SO&M has made an art form of prospering from the conventional. Sending a few people to sxsw (and bragging about how few agencies are doing likewise) isn’t likely to change that.
But have fun over there. Oh, and I don’t think I’ve ever been called an odious little turd before. Makes it sound like we’re in a 1940’s British novella or something. Maybe not the turd bit, but certainly the odious.
Hi there 2:21/4:39,
Thanks for your thoroughly misinformed feedback.
Perhaps you can put your actual name to your comments so that we can see what amazing work you’ve done lately?
Also, it’s Ogilvy & Mather, not Singleton (perhaps you’ve not bothered to read a single industry publication in the past half-decade).
Look, we get it, you’re not a fan of some of the past work, but surely you can put something more constructive forward than a shitty little comment like that? We’re actually trying to do good work, and putting our selves out there whilst you hide behind your anonymity.
Grow a pair, put your name forward, and perhaps we can discuss like mature adults, the pros and cons of sending people to SxSW and what impact it can have on what our industry produces.
Cheers,
D
Damian
Putting your name, and the reference to the sheer quantity of work on your blog (we won’t take up the issue of quality) to your comments here doesn’t really translate to courage (‘a pair’ as you put it), or adult maturity, nor certainly to any superiority over the work or lack thereof from any commenter who chooses to remain anonymous.
Anonymity is a feature of this blog, one that has been used by great writers throughout history to separate their personal selves from their points of view, and the choice to use it does not imply a cowardice on the part of the writer, as identity has very little to do with the substance of an argument, anymore than your super-identification, one might call it self aggrandising, self advertising, self publicising has to do with the value of your argument here, or the writing (one might call it typing) on ‘Refined Geek’.
The point that 2:21/4:39 were making is a simple one that can be verified by any number of serious creatives in the ad industry worldwide and that is that O&M is essentially a retail agency, and nowhere more so than in Sydney with the former Singleton’s. They are also pointing out that sending ‘creatives’ from SO&M to what has truly been a creative enclave for music and film and lately interactive at SxSW is akin to sending sign painters on a field trip to the Louvre. The festival doesn’t want you there, nor do they want anyone from advertising truthfully, even the creative agencies of the world, of which yours is not we assure you, nor do they want you PRing yourselves with a fourth rate video and an amateur website that is a step above a Powerpoint presentation.
I can only hope that the only place in Texas worth saving gives the three of you the welcome you deserve, and we’re not talking the key to Austin. Wake up and smell the reality ’cause it’s not that fresh.
Well said Damian.
Oh yeah, I clicked your link and it seems you have a lot say. Good stuff.
I will follow SxSW and I’m sure a lot of the haters will too.
Most on here know, you can’t knock everything down and then call yourself creative.
Fight !Fight! Fight!
@7.28 – Thank you for your thorough feedback.
For what it’s worth, I completely disagree. Hiding behind anonymity (regardless of whoever uses it) is simply a refuge for those who don’t have the conviction to stand by their words (or demonstrate that they aren’t being hypocritical).
My name and link is referenced, because I happily stand by my opinions regardless of whether or not you agree with them, or even like them (which by the sounds of it, you don’t, and that’s fine) it’s not “self-aggrandising, it’s hyper-linking – look it up some time, it’s taking the world by storm.
Why exactly should you need to separate your point-of-view from your personal-self, unless all you’re trying to do is needlessly hack on others because you’ve nothing better to do with your time. We’re not protecting state secrets here, we’re advertising. Jesus.
And again, thank you for a completely mis-informed analysis there, but perhaps if you bothered to read anything at all after your outrage at the fact that somebody may have stated an opinion on here without it being snide and snarky, you may have noticed that I’m not actually a creative, but rather a strategist (please, feel free to take a shot at that too).
Maybe instead of you, 2:21 and 4:39 throwing rhetoric around in order to appease your ego, you could stop for a second and talk about the interesting things we and our industry might have to learn from the creativity at SxSW and other events that are actually deeply founded in creativity. After all, that’s why we’re going, to learn – but I suppose we cannot possibly learn, right, because we’re from Ogilvy?.
I guess for you it’s much easier to be a keyboard warrior and talk about what the opinons of “serious creatives” are, right?
You’re everything that’s wrong with the industry. Negative, snarky, always looking back, baseless opinions, not bothering to open your eyes to anything new or try something different.
So go on, write another retort – but be a man, put your name to it. God forbid somebody might be able to connect the “opinion” you to the “real” you.
7:28 #winning
Those guys just scream ROCK and ROLL. bet they get invites to all the coolest parties. Enjoy the buffalo wings and Miller lite lads.
By the way, I don’t agree with Damian’s view that SxSW is more relevant and worthwhile than going to Cannes. It’s alright if you are launching a new digital idea (like the creators of Twitter and FourSquare) but if you’re in the advertising and communications business (like Ogilvy is) Cannes is really where it’s at – which is why the best (Crispin, BBH, Mother, Goodby, TBWA, Droga5, Saatchi) still go there. Last year the STW contingent (which includes Ogilvy) to Cannes was quite large – I wonder if that will be the case this year. Anyone from STW got an answer on that?
Oh Damian, this is like shooting fish in a barrel.
As a ‘strategist’, and let’s assume for the moment that your particular job description includes some insight into how an audience will respond to any particular approach to marketing, you might have anticipated that PRing in an industry trade publication your and your cohorts’ adventures at an event, in advance of actually attending the event, one that is all about new creative ideas and executions in music, film, and interactive, and meant to be a gathering of creative people exchanging ideas, may not have been particularly well received, especially given the lack of creativity associated with your agency. Imagine McDonalds announcing to the culinary world in ‘Cuisine’ or ‘Gourmet’ that three of their marketers and menu developers were attending a convention of chefs and restauranteurs at the Cordon Bleu in Paris. I can hear the knives being sharpened.
If your objective with this PR exercise, including an extraordinarily amateur mixture of animation and text with a bit of stock footage thrown in for a video trailer and a singularly unimaginative website, was to draw further ridicule and scorn to your already creatively suspect agency, then your strategy has been a complete success. If this was Brian’s idea of innovation, then Houston we have a problem. As for Barry, the CD, just skulk away into the darkness, and do your best to keep Damian, the wordsmith, off of the web. As a writer, Damian, you’re a brilliant strategist.
For your own safety, we beg you not to reveal the promo video or the site to anyone in Austin as it will just reflect negatively on the whole of Australia, unless this again was one of your ‘strategic’ goals, in which case, well done.
Lastly, when someone from Ogilvy starts reflecting on what’s “wrong with the industry” we all need to take stock, then do our best to restrain the hysterical laughter that is bound to follow.
By the way, I’m no longer anonymous, I’m 7:28, still no hyperlink though, as this is just too new of a technological invention for me grasp.
Good luck in Texas, son. They’re just gonna love you.
Looking forward to following the tweets,especially what Bri tweets. Shame about the crappy intro video though. Was it really necessary?
Interestingly it would seem that no-one (including the organisers) is using a small “x” in SXSW.
http://www.google.com.au/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=sxsw
Just sayin’.
When will people begin to understand that our business is selling brands creatively. Nothing else. Nothing more.
Don’t pretend to be cool and cutting edge and creative like. Don’t go to creative festivals and tell everyone you are going.
Be really, really good at selling things in 30 seconds, or on the web, or in a print ad.
And if you don’t want to write an ad that sells something – then get out of Dodge….go to Austin.
Oh yeah you are.
It’s a bunch of guys trying to better themselves, and no doubt an agency trying to better itself. Not really much more than that.
You can’t really blame Ogilvy trying to get some mileage out of it.
I think some of these commentators are over complicating it, and perhaps showing off some prejudices against Ogilvy.
A lot of agencies have had an up and down ride over the years on being successfully creative, especially in the interactive arena… maybe Ogilvy is trying to change. Maybe it doesn’t want to.
Good luck guys – hope you have a great trip, whatever the motivation. Austin is a great destination.
I’m with 1:18
Who give a toss who goes or which agency sends them?
In fact, hats off to Ogilvy for fronting the cash to send three people over to Texas to better themselves – and, if their reports are any good, other people interested in what the fuck’s happening in the digital / interactive / gaming arena.
If Ogilvy are on the rise – good on them.
If the boys come back and do something extraordinary afterward – even better.
The vitriol against them was particularly low.
Enjoy it.
Wish I was going.
1:18 and Mr. Flemming –
What is this, emotional rehab? Is an agency attached to the wealthiest holding group in the ad biz, and by the way, the lowest common denominator of creativity, in need of our attentions just for springing for three plane tickets and a hotel bill?
Imagine and execute interesting work across any platform you like and PR it here on the blog as your creative accomplishments in the industry, but don’t self promote your class field trip to see what’s new in the big time at an ideas festival and then expect anything other than vitriol, deservedly. This is a forum for discussing work, or personnel moves, but not research. Let’s do that kind of business on our own time and not be looking for too much in the way of approbation for heading abroad to have a squizz at other people’s creative efforts, shall we?
The work produced by these boys, in the form of a promo video and a site is beyond ordinary, and the subtext of it all is an even lower attempt at publicity for sponsoring a junket. WTF are we talking about?
O&M should focus on getting better as an agency, spending more money to bring better creative talent to the shop, pitch with these stars or youngsters for genuinely creative accounts and produce groundbreaking advertising for the web, the side of a bus, the tube, or wherever it fits, then post it on the blog to tell us all about it, and how much pride there is in the results. Until then, please STFU.
The tube in London, or the tube attached to your crack pipe?
7.18
‘O&M should focus on getting better as an agency.’
Then why are you dissing them for for trying to do exactly that?
Also, by the looks of it, they are actually giving everyone the opportunity to see what they see – not just boasting about ‘three plane tickets and a hotel bill.’
Hope what they report back is interesting.
7.18 we nailed them and they know it…..hopeless attempt at being cool. You are right – just do the work and post it…..simple
4:58
‘We nailed them.’
Yep. That comment could only have come from an anonymous cunt.
Who, by the way, could be working in fucking Ideaworks for all we know.
I haven’t seen any work from anyone. Droga5 for Renault? WTF?
How about all you negative dicks just do something other than waste a whole day trying to nail people you clearly don’t know. Sad mother fuckers, seriously.
Ogilvy is an easy target. They are shit. But they’re PR’ing SXSW. Hey maybe all the other agencies will see this and cotton onto it. And maybe next year send some of their people. Any digital agency of worth is and will be there. Including R/GA and up and comers like ‘Your Majesty’. They’ll be there, actively there. Learning.
Cannes is just about dollars now. It only puts the recognised stage. There’s more to life than Cannes. I wish I was going. I’ll be following your tweets. Thanks.
I’m sure that O&M and the WPP group are happy to have so many apologists in Australia to explain away their slack performance and transparent attempts at press for doing nothing more than getting on a plane, spending a few days seeing what real creative people do, and returning home to ‘strategize’ how to imitate what they’ve seen and reconfigure it for the home market, on the cheap of course.
5.28 go and have a Drink and Relax.
You must be buggered – all that typing on the blog defending your agency for PR-ing their saucy little jaunt.
It’s just not fair.
Some people just don’t understand darling – tinkle twinkle!
Kids, peashooters down.
If you don’t like it, don’t read it. If you don’t believe a place can change, don’t leave your house. And if you’re just angry with what seems a tremendous deal of time on your hands, may I suggest http://erkie.github.com/.
Lads, have a great time over there, try to fit a few gigs into your busy schedule of digital discovery, and we’ll be reading your posts intently.
Bri, massive congrats on the knot tying, I heard it was a lovely affair. Also, in case I don’t see you before you head, I want some new bands to get excited about so let me know if you find any.
Cheerio Lads. Best of luck, bon voyage and all that. Sounds like jolly good fun, what?
Never mind the bollocks, you’re the sex pistols!
Have a rollicking good time, boys, and we’ll all be expecting new playlists of the hippest, gear new bands back here at the old agency.
Tally ho, Pip pip.
Sticks and stones, men, sticks and stones.
That’s the fighting spirit, we’re all about change here.
Small change, but change nonetheless. You know our motto, if it’s worth doing, then let’s find a way to do it cheaper. As Uncle Marty always says, it’s not someone else’s idea if you don’t mention their name.
Been on a bit of an internet hiatus for a while due to marrige in NZ and low access to teh internets. Thanks to march 7th’s 3pm and Sam’s congratulatory message on getting married… i’m stoked! Although Bex isn’t too happy that I’m going to Texas 1 day after coming back from NZ.
As for us going and PR-ing it and all that stuff… Seems like some people get it and others don’t. This blog’s always been fun when reading how ‘the industry’ comments on anything posted here but when you read negative comments it makes you take stock with what you’re doing, if it’s right or not. It seems pretty right to me – so why not tell people about it? It’s all a bit of fun isn’t it – trolls and h8ers and counter-trolls and support.
Loving Damian’s passionate comments here and the fact that it’s sparked so much debate. The video’s just an overview for those that know nothing about the event. With more time we could’ve done something else but hey… it does its job. ☺ We’re not entering it into Cannes… go read the article on Mumbrella to get more of an insight into what we’re thinking.
It does seem on the surface that Ad people aren’t welcome at SXSW. But I think the geeks are just trying to keep the event close to its original format and ad peeps do have a reputation of twisting cool events to their advantage. Just look at the schedule – which is hurting my brain because of the vastness of it – you’ll see that advertising, branding, design, etc is a primary focus for a lot of the seminars. It’s not all about tech. I’m struggling at the moment to cull my list down from going to four things every hour.
I’m stoked to go both as a geek and an Ogilvy ad peep. Follow me or not, that’s your prerogative (cue Bobby Brown). At the very least you know that we’re going and we’re willing to share what we learn.
Hey, how exciting this digital discovery business. We’re all with you pioneering boys as you head off on the long road to improvement.
And if your reports back from the front are half as good as we hope, and no pressure but we spent the entire year’s PR budget on that video and the website, then we should be able to mock up some of the ideas for our retail clients before you touch down back here in Sydney. Oh, we’ll change a few bits and bobs to make it look just different enough, no worries there. If there’s one the team here can do well it’s take a strong idea and flatten it down just enough to sell as our own.
Keep up the good work, and go easy on the BBQ ribs there Damian, we don’t want to have to cover any excess charges with the airline.
@Andy Flemming
On the blog as an apologist for O&M while ANZ is busy waving goodbye. Have some of that free Panadol lying around the office, as long as they’e still and account.
@Sam – a fat joke? Really?
Oh dear.
7:28 you are a joy to read. please stay on the blog I love you.
5:47
Erm..
Panadol have never been with M&C as far as I can tell.. maybe ‘they’e still and account’ with some other agency.
@ 5:47
You’re right of course, the account is with Andy’s mates at O&M. Maybe they can lend him some for his vigorous defence of their efforts, or he can find it at Woolies. They haven’t left M&C yet have they?
Anonymous is one thing, but using my name, really? I don’t have the time nor the inclination to keep watching this forum so as to counter each of your fantastically witty comments (you’re so damn funny and smart!) but if you wish to keep parodying me than maybe you’d like to meet me in person? Name the time and place and I’ll have a beer there waiting for you.
Most of these comments make me ashamed to work in advertising. Particularly you Sam – you are one pathetic human being.
Damian, good on you for sharing your passion. I personally look forward to all your insights. And no, I don’t work at Ogilvy.
Again, so damn funny and smart!
So which is it, so damn funny and smart, or one pathetic human being?
In truth, aren’t we all just a bit of each?
Seriously, from the moment this article hit the blog it’s been a self-parody, and any of the comments from Sam, not the real one, or his son, or 7:28, or 7:18, when he lost ten minutes laughing have probably written themselves.
Maybe if we take all the characters together as a cast in a comedy skit, Damian with his heartfelt sincerity, stumbling use of the language, and pride in being a ‘strategist’, Brian, or ‘bboybri’ the loveable newlywed ‘innovation director’ (whatever that is), Andy, the CD from another B- level agency rallying to their defence like a knight in baggy armour, Sam the offended saviour who’s certain that the use of his generic name is a sin, if only the impostor weren’t so much ‘funn(ier) and smart(er)”, we could develop a ‘Fawlty Towers’ set in an ad agency. We’ll call it ‘Had Men’, just as a working title, because they are all so easily . . .
Lighten up boys. If the blog is the ultimate anonymous social experiment, and at least half the people contributing and/or paying attention are writers/creators of some major/minor sort, or imagine themselves to be, then why is anyone surprised to have their offerings sent up, when they’re clearly so ripe for the picking?
Besides, 11:20, we all work in advertising, and we’re all ashamed, or at least we should be. It was HG Wells who said that “Advertising is legalised lying”, and
F Scott Fitzgerald who was convinced that, “Advertising is a racket, like the movies and the brokerage business. You cannot be honest without admitting that its constructive contribution to humanity is exactly minus zero.” Lastly, I leave you with this thought from your historical mentor, “Advertising is a business of words, but advertising agencies are infested with men and women who cannot write. They cannot write advertisements, and they cannot write plans. They are helpless as deaf mutes on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera,” David Ogilvy.
Now wasn’t all this acerbic banter a bit more fun than ‘Follow(ing) Ogilvy” anywhere?
This whole feed is embarrassing. Such a childish, ego driven rant off.
And your contribution, Ed, if that really is your name, would be included in the ’embarrassing, childish, ego driven rant off’ you so eloquently describe?
Ah, there’s the rub.
“He wrapped himself in quotations – as a beggar would enfold himself in the purple of Emperors.”
– Kipling
“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”
– Oscar Wilde
“In its grossest and most servile form quotation is a lazy folly; a thought has received some signal or notorious expression, and as often as the old sense, or something like it, recurs, the old phrase rises to the lips. This degenerates to simple phrase-mongering, and those who practise it are not vigilantly jealous of their meaning.”
– Walter Raleigh