PERHAPS THIS RECESSION IS DOING US ALL SOME GOOD

I was struck by this interview from Dave Trott. Specifically I was struck with his comments in the first minute or so about advertising in a recession.

You see, most people are not too keen on the whole recession thing. Less money in businesses means less air time for commericals, less pages of print and generally less of just about everything. So why would anyone be excited about making an ad during this time? Conventional thinking says they wouldn't; but if you've read much about advertising you know conventional thinking has little to no place there.

Dave said it was very good for creative work that we are in a recession because the less money you have to spend the more exciting your ideas have to be. Since you don't have millions to beat an idea into a person's head by buying tons and tons of media, although it is getting increasingly more difficult to do this thanks to narrowcasting, your ideas have to stick out. The work has to be really truly good for the first time in a while.

I like that a lot.

There are still some companies that don't get that really really good work resonates better than blind repetition. I'm under the impression there always will be. Nevertheless this is an exciting time to be getting into advertising. Every dollar is worth so much more, every piece you create has to try a little bit harder. New shops run by fantastic creatives are popping up all over and we're about to get in on the bottom floor.

I do not think the recession was necessarily good for the business of advertising. What I do believe is that it has been good for advertising as a whole. The system needs a little shaking up from time to time, just be thankful you're around while it's happening.