What Are They Thinking?
Creative licence is the liberty for ad types to mess with grammar, punctuation, and other acceptable standards in the pursuit of "creating" memorable and artistic ads, tv spots, radio messages and the like. Once was that creative license was fun. It allowed creatives to develop headlines and interesting copy that actually drew people into an ad message or to create double-entendres with words and visuals.
But, what are they thinking now? Seems anything goes. (SEE VIDEO)
If you have watched TV at all and actually paid attention to commercials it has to be obvious to you that most of these stupid ads are being conceptualized and produced by a horde of hippies on the last day of woodstock, or the village of the mindless and uncreative.
It has pretty much always been the unwritten rule that you create ads to appeal to the mind set of a 13 year old, and that's okay if you're JW Crew or some cell phone company hawking text messaging.
Responsible Creativity
However, it seems the "13 rule" applies to all ad messages. Ad messages are disjointed, full of hackneyed phrases, or so ridiculous that getting to the remote to make the switch can't happen fast enough. A lot of what we seem is simply stupid, insulting and a big waste of time, and even worse, valuable ad dollars. Who approves and pays for this crap? Maybe those making the executive approval decisions are even more responsible than those putting forth this stuff as "good advertising".
The problem it seems lies in the fact that today those doing the creating seem to be disconnected from everyday commerce. They don't seem to understand that being creative is a responsibility not only to the client, but to the marketplace as well. They have a responsibility to present brands, products, services and company identities in a way that attracts viewers, not drives them away in herds.
Yes, entertainment value is important, especially in the new society where so much information is now visual, but entertainment value has to create positive messages that are poignant, germane, and actually entertaining.
Humor is very effective when properly inserted into advertising messages.
There are some commercials that make us smile and actually look forward to the next sequence. Take for instance the Gieco Gecko. The message is well-targeted and message centered, the character is personable, and memorable. In all, a perfect mix of entertainment, humor, and brand identification. Conversely, the Geico "cavemen" where the message is unclear, the characters annoying (all that whining over nothing) and frankly it is a negative hit to the brand.
The Budwieser commercials are generally very well done. There is humor, (the frogs) and emotional connection (Clysdales) that invite people to pay attention. The growth and popularity of the brand are a testament to the the creative responsibility of the ad team and the executives approving the creative.
What's This Have to Do with Your Stuff?
Distilling the horrors of awful advertising, and bringing into focus as is applies to you and your more conservative budgets; it is incumbent on all of us creative types and clients, to understand that creativity should not come at the expense of "dumbing-down" the your products, services, or company image. It's not about just being creative because you personally think something is cute or the "culture" will understand. It is about being on-message and doing the best job for the client's particular marketplace.
Creative drivel is not advertising. (SEE VIDEO)

Do's and Don't's of Being Creatively Responsible
. Do select creative talent who will explain the rationale for their concepts and how it will positively affect your brand and your company image.

. Do know what your company image is and what you want it to project. Be adamant that branding messages reflect your corporate culture, not the culture of society.

.Do insist that your professional creatives give you a profile of the demographics the concepts are meant to target. You will be surprised how many creatives can't answer this question.

.Do set your budget in stone, and unless you approve something "in addition" to what was agreed, don't be talked into fancy extras with no inherent value.

.Do require face-to-face meeting on a regular basis (preferably no less than monthly) Email presentations and correspondence are no substitute for a real get-together where you can question the aspects of your campaign or project.

.Do hire creative people with solid credentials and successes. Forget the awards they have won. Awards, though impressive and often deserved, do not distill down to an understanding of the business and the marketplace.


.Don't accept just one concept or idea. Insist that you are given at least two choices for any campaign or project. This of course, after you have committed to a relationship with your creative agency. Don't expect good creative houses to give you "spec presentations". That would be paramount to your prospects expecting to get your product or service for free just to try out. Spec presentations are expensive, and time-consuming with no assurances of getting the contract.

.Don't be sold on unnecessary or unrelated technology. When you are marketing to the 13 to 18 market, then technology like flash, animation, and the like might be worthwhile. Most b2b companies don't need the fancy extras on web sites and in presentations. In fact, research establishes that most internet buyers are looking for solid information, not "wow-me" flash presentations and cumbersome "find me if you can" drop downs and the like.

.Don't fill your print with copy, be visually creative and succinct. People don't read like they used to do.
. Don't be fooled into thinking you need some big impressive and expensive ad agency to get what you need. Many smaller boutique agencies are in general, very client-centered and will often give you much more then you are charged for.