A busman’s holiday, perhaps, but I’ve just returned from a trip to Canada to honour its latest Effie winners.
Understated as it may be compared to its noisy neighbour to the South, Canada is that rarest of things: a market whose creative zeal is matched by effectiveness chops. Toronto’s Rethink, you may remember, was named Independent Agency of the Year at Cannes this year and picked up the Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix along the way (for Heinz).
With Canada in mind, the UK Effie gala to follow imminently and the global Effies competition now residing in the (Cannes) Lions’ den, there seems to be a growing sense that this effectiveness stuff’ is no longer the preserve of the geeks. That it may, in fact, be more important than ever if our industry is to ‘right itself’, by which I mean finding its way back to one that builds profitable brands, not just immediate sales; enjoys the goodwill of its audiences; and maybe even supports quality journalism and democracy. (Don’t laugh: it used to.)
To do so will not be easy. We’ll have to doggedly present our case as a compelling vision of the future rather than some sepia-tinted blueprint from the past..and slay some dragons along the way.
So as pantomime season approaches – and as Feathers McGraw returns to our screens – I propose a personal shortlist of creative effectiveness villains for us to do battle with…
1. False binaries: creative vs effective; brand vs performance. Both-ism rules.
2. That said, both-ism still means pushing back on short: horizons, investment, CMO tenure, agency relationships, even time-lengths. Impatience is our enemy.
3. One-off creative. A diversion, at best (and worst). Light fires, not fireworks.
4. Simplistic prescriptions and interpretations. When we call ‘the most effective Christmas ads’ a month before Christmas, we look like fools. Enough already! 5.
5. Opaque media supply chains. A column of its own.
6. The false god of precision. Broad is good. ‘Wastage’ may be brand fame, future demand in disguise. And it’s still better to be roughly right than precisely wrong.
7. Vanity metrics. Get over yourselves.
8. ROI as our default. The quickest way to improve this is to cut your budget.
9. Promotional myopia. The 4P’s start with product. The other two are quite important also.
10. Gen AI. Because, for now, it’s better at generating dull, generic messaging than interesting, distinctive meaning.
Good luck in the stalls seats. Be prepared to declare ‘Oh no it isn’t!’ when it’s not.
Laurence Green is the UK IPA’s director of effectiveness.
