The sham(e) in scam ads

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: is not created in the normal interactions on the brand is taboo, and is a scam ad. Others are of the opinion that it perfectly fine to create ads especially for awards.

Their point of view being this: experimentation with bold ideas and raw techniques is often how any industry discovers new frontiers so it is perfectly fine for them to experiment and show the rest of their community the levels of creativity they can achieve. The ads then, when approved by equally award hungry clients, get legitimacy.

The problem is where is the money to create and release these ads? Well, given the benefits of fame, more businesses and promotions, these agencies, and clients set aside budgets for productionising and releasing the ads. Smaller and inexpensive newspapers for the last fortnight in December are happy to carry the ads for a pittance. That’s the final seal of authenticity as the ad has been released and is client approved.

There are enough examples of ad agencies creating ads for clients that are not theirs. Luxor is a case in point. It was amusing to read the clients reaction when told about their award win. The poor lad didn’t know whether to feel happy that Luxor had indeed won the award, or to hide her bewilderment at the fact that the agency who released the ad on the company’s behalf, wasn’t in fact their agency. It’s a well-known fact that agencies have two sets of people who work in creative departments. Those who create work for awards, and those who work on brands! Huh? And you thought clients paid to cover costs for actual people who worked on their brands.

And then, the worst kept secret is agencies that do three-day or week-long workshops with their best creative people to create work especially for awards.

What’s the right thing then? Here is my vote for whatever it is worth.

Surely, ad agencies and marketers believe that the reason for advertising is the need to sell the brand. If that in its simple form is correct, then anything that is a pretender, and is released without the purity of thought towards that simple objective is frankly wrong. You are cheating. Yourself. And the brand.