One of my London spies informs me that There's a big scandal brewing in the teaching world over there. Apparently, the teaching unions are currently asking for more pay and less hours... and against this backdrop TDA (the Teaching Development Agency) send out a direct mail pack to loads of ex-teachers telling them how the hours are now less and the pay more! Even better, the fucking idiots sent the pack out to a bunch of teachers who'd resigned on mental health grounds. And here's the best fucking bit... Who have we to thank for this stroke of genius? Why DraftFCB, of course! They hold the TDA account... I wonder if Hughie, Dewey and Louie are flying over to sort out this cock up? You can read all about it in The Times, here.
.
They didn't have teachers like that when I was at school!
You've got to admire their consistency: This clearly assuages my disappointment that they weren't responsbile for the Liberty Mutual fiasco...gotta love Draft/FCB: You can always count on those clowns to fuck up. They are simply the very worst in the business... and in every possible way!
Posted by: LAM | March 27, 2008 at 02:02 PM
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I have to defend the fuck heads. Afterall, wasn't this an assignment? If you tell me that it was Daft's idea to approach ex-teachers who've already experienced shell shock in an attempt to save the TDA money, then I'm with you. These teachers were probably already getting union money for disability so it would be cheaper to get these guys back on the job as opposed to hiring new.
It'll be the same thing for the ad profession soon, no one will want to work in the business. I can see the recruiters talking about what "great fun" it is, and how you make more money than you did 10 years ago. Of course rent and the cost of living is probably at least 30 or 40% higher than it was 10 years ago too, so that's a worthless point. A pension would be nice after 20 years at a BDA, however.
Posted by: Auntie Christ | March 27, 2008 at 03:13 PM
...oh, and I've been a very bad pupil...
Posted by: Auntie Christ | March 27, 2008 at 03:15 PM
what do you mean soon?
it's like that now, for years bad assignments have been pawned off as "showing team spirit", "you can have some fun with it", "we need a fresh pair of eyes on it", and the ever popular: "it'll be good for your book, round it out a bit..."
there is a massive problem on both sides of the table: the clients refuse to walk to tall and try and lead the category and the agencies have stopped trying to show them how to do it.
more and more, i talk to other creatives and the attitude seeping in is one of resignation: "what do you want? when? o.k. fine, i'll have something by then..." and being forced to phone it in due to client and account side hesitancy to actually SAY anything in the work.
Daft is just leading the charge into the new phase of communications: walk in grabbing your ankles and avoid having to disrupt the meeting by doing so in the middle.
Posted by: the lower depths | March 28, 2008 at 05:04 AM
I believe my resignation to it all is showing. L.D., you are correct - it shouldn't be so. And you forgot the ever popular "The sooner we get it done the sooner we can move on."
Posted by: Auntie Christ | March 28, 2008 at 07:05 AM
just had a really long couple of days of that ...
stopped off at Morrell Wine Company and picked up a bottle of 30 year old Ferrand cognac...
that should make me a pleasant chap this weekend!
cheers all, :p
Posted by: the lower depths | March 28, 2008 at 05:41 PM