Tom Messner did a comment on my earlier post “Keep gaming fucktards off the road.” He asks when my much promised visit to New York and my possible hosting of a panel of old, gnarly ad dudes, will take place… The answer is… With the current state of the fucking economy, I have no idea.” Having said that… I have a plan. But first, in answer to his question… “Who is the best Art Director you have ever worked with?” I have to answer… There are many… But, to fine it down to a short list of three, I would have to say… Gene Federico, Elaine Gargano and Hubert Graff… Apologies to all the other wonderful Art Directors I have worked with over the centuries, but these three I experienced long before most AdScammers were born. Anyway… Here’s what I am going to do. I will issue a challenge to AdAge, AdWeek and psfk… There’s fuck all else out there worth reading… To host an evening with a bunch of gnarly old fucktards who will discuss how fucked up the business has become… And might… Just might, have some insights on how we can correct the ultimate demise of what used to be a great, fun filled, drink your brains out, smoke ‘til your lungs turn to leather, and shag yourself silly business. I shall be contacting Jonah, Alison and Piers to see who will win the ultimate cage match to promote this event. Stay tuned.
Yeah... I used to be in advertising, Then I discovered mushrooms!
Tom is a smart guy... he's the one to tell me here (on adscam) to renegotiate rent, and every bill possible rather than having layoffs if things got tough..
Well I took his advice... started doing serious cut cutting... changing the phone system for example dropped 1000 bucks a month.. and about 100 other costs like that... over the course of the year saved me tens of thousands...
Then after all was said and done.. I had clients call me saying they were running into money problems and had to cut back... well because I took Tom's advice... it allowed them to cut back a bit.. and me not to fire anyone..
Posted by: The Founder | July 07, 2009 at 06:57 PM
@Founder...
Yeah, Tom is one smart old gnarly dude. I have issued the challenge to both AdAge and Adweek to host a "wise old fuck panel" it will be interesting to see what their response will be... If any!!!
Cheers/George
Posted by: George Parker | July 07, 2009 at 07:05 PM
if you haven't worked with Ivan as AD then you're fucked. he was my instructor at art center and there's no better. he's a true giant.
Posted by: Godot. | July 07, 2009 at 07:35 PM
I am in Texas for three weeks with a client
Best Art Directors in Texas.
No. 3 Michael Anderson at McGarrahJesse
No. 2 Jesus Felix at GSDM
No.1 Brent Ladd, at GSDM. No one even close.
Posted by: oy | July 07, 2009 at 08:14 PM
Having worked with Hubert Graf I second the motion!
And if invited, the first round is on me!
Oh wait, what's the definition of a gnarly old fucktard? Does 40 years in this business count even though gnarly doesn't yet fit?
Posted by: Paul Benjou | July 07, 2009 at 08:15 PM
And lets bring back polio too! What a waste of time.
Posted by: tosspot | July 07, 2009 at 09:17 PM
Best Ad's ever. I 2nd Gene Fderico,Gino Giambalvo from BBDO back in the day, he came up with "I'd rather fight than switch" campaign" (Taryton) I'd walk a mile for a camel" and was a fixture at Ratazzi's....and of course George Lois......
Posted by: racoonboy | July 08, 2009 at 06:10 AM
@racoon...
Definitely Georg Lois and Helmut Krone. But I was only listing the one's I'd actually worked with.
Cheers/George
Posted by: George Parker | July 08, 2009 at 06:44 AM
As an official old, gnarly ad guy - over four decades in the business - I think a panel of old, gnarly ad guys sounds about as pleasurable as an ice water enema. What are they going to talk about? How good things were? How bad they've become? Will they relate can-you-top-this war stories? Lessons that fall into the coulda-woulda- shoulda realm?
Only the refreshments after the event hold any appeal to me, even though I've generally walked away from polite adult beverages as I've grown older and wiser. But in honor of your presence, George, I'd have a beer or two, maybe a fine single malt. Just to be a convivial kind of guy.
Don't bother with Ad Age, Adweek or another sponsor. Ask Tom to send a plane. A small one will do, right?
Best ADs... Ralph Ammirati, Clem McCarthy (Ammirati Puris AvRutick). Mike Tesch, Barry Vetere (Carl Ally Inc./Ally & Gargano). Lou Di Joseph (Y&R NY). Arthur Vibert (O&M Chicago, McCann NY, O'Rielly O'Brien Clow/RSCG NY, Hal Riney & Partners SF). Tom McConnaughy (O&M Chicago). Ron Anderson (Bozell Mpls. when it was known as Knox Reeves).
BTW...
Anyone who cares about "truth in advertising" should listen to Sarah Koenig's great story about her father, Julian Koenig.
It's about who did what when modern advertising was inventing itself and thus who rightfully deserves the lion's share of the credit, not only for VW's iconic advertising but also some other great work.
The story ran on This American Life, the public radio show.
http://www.robertho.com/addict/?p=849
Posted by: Curvin O'Rielly | July 08, 2009 at 09:54 AM
@tosspot - Because the kids are really hitting that shit outta the park with talking babies these days. And that Taco Bell work didn’t win anything at Cannes?
Amazing.
Posted by: Hitler’s left nut. | July 08, 2009 at 12:01 PM
actually i sent that message from a bar on the upper west side that has really good wireless...
was sitting with a couple of guys even older and certainly wiser than I....
BUT---in the middle of what was going to be a grand colloquy, the wireless connection go screwed up and then the computer faded out and somebody said let's re-charge the battery and by then we had moved on to attacking each other's political views...
Posted by: Tom Messner | July 09, 2009 at 01:36 PM
also to clarify---i wasn't pitching the idea of a panel, i was just wondering when you'd be in new york to do a pub tour of former ad joints...
i also don't think a panel of old guys is necessarily what is interesting are those old guys (parker and o'reilly) who maintain a vibrant behavior.....In 1985 I was on panel sponsored by the One Club. The 60s and the 80s was the theme. For the 80s, I was lucky to glom some reflected glory from Jay Chiat and Tony Angotti. For the 60s, the three were Jerry Della Femina, Jim Durfee, and Len Sirowitz. I wondered then and I still do now how smart guys like Jerry, Jim, and Len would be willing to represent an era long-gone.
Posted by: Tom Messner | July 09, 2009 at 01:47 PM
WOW, a bunch of old fuckers sitting around spitting the same crap they spit on their blogs. How exciting. We all know the ad industry is a pile of steaming maggot ridden horseshit, but we don't need a panel of some old dudes telling us about it just to convince everyone that they're still somehow relevant in the world...
We know what's wrong with the industry, it's just that the powers-that-be don't give a shit. After all they are doing just fine collecting their millions out of the pockets of the hard working people that are actually DOING the work and coming up with the ideas.
Posted by: AgencyBS | July 09, 2009 at 07:59 PM
AgencyBS:
George's motivation for the panel seemed to be airfare to the East Coast; Curvin seconded or firsted actually your notion that the panel wouldn't be interesting; I added that the panel wasn't really what I was planning, but rather an afternoon and evening of benign drinking and malignant talking.
Founder:
Appreciate your words and wish you and your company and its employees well.
AgencyBS:
When people used to grumble (and they always grumbled), agency management at first generation agencies would always say, "You don't like it, well start your own agency." In their minds, both a challenge and a defense. Bad economic times are always good for new agencies or related enterprises. If you're "DOING the work and coming up with the ideas," start your own business right now or you will only be bitter for having forsaken the moment. (This last piece of advice courtesy of Mary Wells who was always right.)
Posted by: Tom Messner | July 10, 2009 at 05:40 AM