Why is it that even when CP+B does something good, they still manage to fuck it up?

Hey, I don’t mind if CP+B has finally come to its senses and decided that most of the stuff they’ve been doing for VW ever since they got the account sucks!!! With the mad German scientist taking the biscuit for juvenile bullshit. So now, they finally have some really nice print stuff out that is a direct “Homage”… I didn’t say rip-off… It’s the same fucking company for Christ’s sake, of the great DDB stuff of the sixties… But do me a favor… Own up. No one will think the less of you. It was great advertising then… It could be great advertising now. Just don’t put Burt Reynolds in the drivers seat… And for fucks sake get rid of ECD Andrew Keller, who when asked about the connection to the classic Julian Koenig/Helmut Krone ads, replied… “A Think Small - style revival may be big thinking, but it takes a distant backseat to the message. Ultimately, VW must be a transcendent brand. It must take stock and make sense of its historical position while creating a modern statement. These ads are not about bringing back old ads or paying homage; they're about pulling forward an enduring value." Oh, give me a fucking break Andrew, get over yourself… What the fuck is wrong with standing in the shadow of two of the greatest Ad Creatives who ever lived? Shit, what a wanker!!!

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The CP+B homage. Kinda big!

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The DDB original. Kinda small!

But tasty!

Comments

[makethelogobigger]

Who said the three columns of body copy was dead?

[marinobean]

nice to know that the xerox machine at CPB still works... i have a great idea! why not just make hommages from now on? at the current rate of decline the BDA's are going through, it's easier than expecting good work from the underpaid and overworked minions...CPB leads the way again...

[Tangerine Toad]

G: Can you fill us in on what the body copy says (or at least the gist of it)?

Thanks

[Steve Feinberg]

George, Keller's comment just underscores my general rule that talking about advertising to civilians makes anyone look like an idiot. When you tune out the stupid commentary, the ads themselves are beautifully written, as I noted on my own most recent post. Cheers.

[marinobean]

"These ads are not about bringing back old ads or paying homage; they're about pulling forward an enduring value."

translation: we had nothing, client's getting antsy so we "brought forward" something we knew they wouldn't object to...

i doubt keller was talking to civilians, civilians don't read ad guy interviews, let alone know who Helmut Krone was to ask a question about him.

[Don Pardo]

All due respect, Steve, but I wouldn't say the new VW ads are "beautifully written."

On the contrary, I find the copy to be clunky and choppy, lacking the grace, rhythm and wit of the originals.

Even the headlines are lacking.

Sure, "Fat" is nice. But "Stuffed Animal?" "Junk In The Trunk?" I thought puns were verboten these days.

All in all, they're not terrible ads. Just not terribly good. Although they're light years better than the recent "man on the ledge" commercial.

And I say this as one who actually liked some of Crispin's earlier work for VW.

[Don Pardo]

Oh, and I agree that Keller sounds like a total dink.

[makethelogobigger]

Puns are absolutely alive, unfortunately, among other jr. creative 101 miscues.

[George Parker]

Steve
I don't know about the copy... If I can find the ads were I can read them, I'll give my honest opinion about them. But as I say in my follow on post. The ads are nice, but not great... Because if you do do an homage, try and improve on the original. Just making everything bigger actually insults the original, because you know they did that because that's what the client wanted. And you sure as hell know that with their current situation... That's what the client gets. Still... Better than 90% of the current car print work out there.
Cheers/George

[theo kie]

"Junk in the Trunk"? Give a listen to the Mountain Dew radio campaign.

As for bringing an enduring value forward, the work done by Arnold did so far better than anything coming out of CP&B. It was both more original and soulful work.

These days CP&B seems to spend as much time creating excuses (the canned "Man Laws", reviled Orville Redenbacher TV) as they do coming up with interesting ideas.

[marinobean]

right on, theo... when questioned into a corner, most offenders will either cite the "but we had the numbers to go on..." mantra or ..."we were asked to be edgy and we delivered..." stance.

neither one explains the bad work, but delivers nice sounding bits like Kellers statement...like trying to sell a washing machine by reciting Shelley.

[theo kie]

"Like trying to sell a washing machine by reciting Shelley."

Brilliant stuff, marinobean.

[marinobean]

thanks, theo, i should be in advertising, huh?