Jesus-H-Christ these guys were thick. It is stories like this that brighten up my day. Now this did happen a few months ago. But I am not a fucking newspaper here.
First some background. There’s a website called adsoftheworld.com (if you’ve not been to it then do. It gets the Dave Balls stamp of approval). The site lets creative show-off to the world with their work. It’s a bit like Archive, only not as up its own arse and best of all you can slag off the work – now you see why I like it.
So anyway, these two Joeys decide to put this on:
For the short sighted ones - and if my mum was right, that is most of us, becasue we're ad wankers and it sends you blind - the line is 'Rebuild it, Lego'.
A nano-second later, the rest of the world is ready to lynch them - especially the Americans who think using the deaths of thousands of people to sell a kids building block is a tad off brief. Now, it seems these two creative fuckheads expected the world to applaud them for being advertising gods. And in order to receive their full credit these brain-donor numpties gave their names and said the work was produced on behalf of their agency - Saatchi’s
Now, Saatchi’s finds out. I assume 2 nano-seconds later and make them pen a grovelling letter apologising for being so fucking stupid:
How many people apologise to the whole world, then end it 'Warm Regards'? They just keep getting stupider by the nano-second.
But it doesn’t end there. It gets better, stay with me. Saatchi’s then release this:
SAATCHI & SAATCHI
Statement from Saatchi & Saatchi China:
I would like to call to your attention to clarify that the previous LEGO ads posted here did not come from Saatchi & Saatchi China. Lego is not our China client. The creation of these fake ads was purely personal behavior. Saatchi & Saatchi China ( the company, senior executives, and our creative directors) have never seen nor approved to run these ads. After indepth investigation, two staff have been dismissed today as their irresponsible personal behavior have severely affected our company's professional image. Their illegally using Saatchi & Saatchi's name, and the senior director's name behind those ads without our company's consent is an intolerable act. We, Saatchi & Saatchi, reserve the right to take legal action against these individuals.
Head of HI and Admin,
Ms. Cherry Yang
Saatchi & Saatchi Guangzhou, China
I love stories with a moral. And the moral of this one is - no matter how hard you try to be creative, chances are you're a knob-rash.
Actually i think it was quite a clever add.
ReplyDeleteI did not really find it anymore distasteful than any of the US army, navy etc. adds, where weapons of destruction are portrait and the military is glorified.
I remember adds involving WW2, vietnam and other conflicts - i don't see why images from those conflicts can be used, however an image of the smokey NY skyline is off limits.
They probably should not have used the company logo/name, since the work was not authorized and Lego was in no way involved.
But apart from that it was amusing and clever.
Shame they got fired - they have shown they can think outside the box.
Thinking outside the box is only useful if you can think inside the box aswell.
ReplyDeleteDave Balls welcomes criticism and comments. It reminds him of client meetings where every fucker has an opinion.
ReplyDeleteSo, in reply Dave balls would like to point one thing out. Actually, fuck it; I want to point out a few things:
In the story there is no mention of the ad not being creative.
But if you're going to ask me - it's not. Being creative in advertising, is about coming up with an idea which sells a product. Period.
So, the question is - would this ad sell Lego?
Hands up all those who'd buy building blocks from people making jokes about murder. All those with your hands up, go stand up against that wall.
Anyone can be offensive. Do ads for Barbie using a shot of a decapitated puppy whose entrails have been ripped out and have been strung across the page to read 'I wanted a fucking Barbie'.
Lego is a kid's toy, a thing for small children to play with; the visual is of mass murder.
This is why it is distasteful. Pointing out what other people have done don't justify it.
And finally, 'Thinking outside the box'. Jargon for ‘Jerking-off inside the office’