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Ruling the Roost: Newest CP+B article
Another great article that brings us the lastest from CP+B. Support Fast Company, it's a great magazine.
Posted by bryan chiao in A Word to the Wise, Inspiration, via Fast Company | Permalink
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So, I figured I'd try and start a discussion here by being a bit controversial.
Hasn't this article been written - a million times about a million great shops in the past and now. I think CP+B is amazing and really setting the standard for the future of advertising. Everyone askes themselves these days "What would CP+B do?" But I'm kind of over such shallow articles about hot creative shops. SO this is a critique on marketing journalism more than anything.
They always start with a bit in the "kooky" board room setting. So we can all go "WOW! Aren't those guys CrrraaAAAAzY!"
And then my favorite is how they put together the subheads to read like these are the declarations of CP+B success. These are the same things creative hot shops have been doing for ever:
1. Picking the Right Clients - how often have we heard stories of cool shops turning down clients that don't fit? (yawn)
2. Build A Strategic Platform - hmmm, guess CP+B figured that out, eh? Not years after Jane Newman and Chiat brought strategic planning to this country or anything. But hey, our journalist would like you to believe this is something breakthrough.
3. Create an Idea Culture - this verges on being interesting, but in my career I have read more books and articles about how the industry is changing to a "culture of ideas" for a while now. Does CP+B do it better than most...yes, they do. But the whole industry - whole society for that matter - has been moving to an idea culture.
4. Be the Ninjas - you could insert Maveriks, Pirates and any other title we have heard creative hot shops give to themselves when describing their culture.
I guess, over all, I am disappointed in this article. It's a generic picture of the industry used to describe a great agency. It's unfortunate that journalists can tell no other stories about great agencies than the typical - "Look at that kooky creative agency with their over-the-top personalities and left-of-center thinking." Duh, that's what makes them all cut from the same cloth. Now tell me how this one is different...
Agree? Disagree? Thoughts?
Posted by: Jodi | Mar 24, 2005 2:19:54 PM
I felt I was jumping on the bandwagon by posting that article on Crispin. But in my opinion, any instance where we can elevate our industry in the eyes of the client is a good one. The readers of Fast Company are in a way our "future clients". Crispin has actually opened the doors for many smaller creative shops and also opened the minds of Madison Ave. clients. You know what they say, good work begets good work.
That's not to say Crispin is the best. Some people say that the Crispin thinking has been going through agency hallways before Crispin made their name. It's just finally starting to evolve due to the decline of TV. And they've found the ways to get it sold. You have to wonder what Crispin would be without all their non-traditional advertising.
If you think about it, the article is like a recruitment for talent and new business. But Crispin doesn't need any more PR now. They do their best PR through their work. I think this article best serves the people who haven't heard of Crispin or have been hiding under a rock for the past 4 years.
All this being said, Crispin is going to do the new Coke Zero campaign.
http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000847127
Posted by: Bryan | Mar 24, 2005 7:26:37 PM
"I think this article best serves the people who haven't heard of Crispin or have been hiding under a rock for the past 4 years."
Good point! Maybe that was my problem with it. From an industry standpoint I wanted to see something with more substance. I think the article does makes it seem a bit like they are the first and/or only to think this way. When in reality, as you said, it is the power of the actual product of this thinking that really makes heads turn in their direction.
Posted by: Jodi | Mar 25, 2005 1:20:33 PM
