The statues are stacked in neat rows along office walls. It’s come to define our industry. Kids are told they need to win ’em to impress the creative director and secure that job. Creative directors are told they needs to win ’em to impress the MD and prove their relevance in a competitive industry. MDs care because they are told the talent cares, and with a bit of spin and a celebratory lunch, the client might be induced to care, too.
That’s a lot of caring taking place right there, so why am I seeing more and more stories along the lines of ‘Death to Design Awards‘, published on the influential design blog Design Observer, or “What’s wrong with advertising award shows?“, published on Adsoftheworld?
I suspect the centre of the industry is moving. Moving on, to be precise. The Great Recession, as the last economic crisis is increasingly being called, changed our industry more than it might care to admit.
It has put consumers firmly back on the agenda of brand managers, who wants agencies to forget about awards and stay focused instead on the strategic importance of the conversation that gets people engaged with a brand – and keeps them engaged.
Read the full story on BizCommunity.com.