While thumbing through the pile of magazines in reception at our agency I came across “Creative – Australia’s No.1 selling creative magazine”. It featured “The Brave Issue – courageous creatives to watch in 2012″. I almost puked.
I think it’s about time we got creative and thought of a new way to describe doing our job properly – if ever there was an inappropriate, overblown case of hyperbole, it’s our industry describing itself as brave, simply because it puts a few ideas out there that may ruffle a few feathers. It may in the minds of some to be brave because the idea was poor in the first place. But that’s not brave, it’s just stupid.
Let’s just agree that descriptions such as brave and courageous should be reserved for those who actually do things that involve real danger to them while trying to help others – be it physical or mental harm, or in worse cases – death. A bunch of agency creatives who have to put themselves out there and break a few rules are not being brave or full of courage – they are just doing what they are paid to do. How many times do you hear clichés such as “challenge the brief”? Well that’s not brave, it’s Creative 101. And it will never be brave, or courageous – just shut up and do your job.
In highlighting the top 20 creatives, when asked whether or not they were ‘brave’ in the execution of their work, thankfully some saw the folly of such a description. Unfortunately, however, some believe they are brave in their job. Yawn, I hope they didn’t show their clients a copy of the article.
The Carlton Big Ad was mentioned by some as brave. It’s not brave, it’s just a big idea well executed. The client was the one with fortitude. Smart yes, but certainly not brave or courageous.
