As a client I have blushed when my agency sent me notice or a trophy indicating that my brand had been recognised for creative excellence. I have felt pride on seeing pictures and reports of the ceremony in the newspapers. As an agency head, I have taken part in these awards and will do so in the future.
But I believe the awards should be re-named the Creative Recognition Awards. The Creative Team is the lifeblood of any agency but they don’t get to put their signature on their art, so no one knows who they are. They are mostly invisible souls toiling in solitude, submerged in their cubicle, trying to find a piece of magic and coming up for air, from time to time, in search of inspiration (or food).
So when I see agencies bragging about awards for creative work that clearly did not work; since the campaign was discontinued after a week that irks me. It troubles me because we already have a credibility problem in the advertising business and this helps to position us as snake oil salesmen. Advertising must essentially achieve two things; build deeper connections between brands and people, as well as help brands sell tons of product. And advertising awards that claim excellence for campaigns that sell no product are simply disingenuous.
Advertising awards, like advertising itself, should be the truth, well told.
