Life vs. Advertising

At least once a month somebody comes to me to share that they've realized life (namely having one) is more important than advertising. With about the same frequency someone comes to me and says that it can change the world and is important. The answer is likely some mash-up of the two. Advertising is not life, advertising is YOUR life. It's more than your job. It consumes you. It wears you out and it makes you happy, occasionally even in love. Tell me you've never gotten that sparkly euphoric feeling when you've cracked a problem? Tell me that and I'll tell you you're in the wrong field.

There's something messed up in our heads as creatives, because it actually does matter to us, and because of that it is important to the world. To quote an ad (yes, that's what us ad people do) "the ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do".

Ads or not, it leaves a legacy. I have a framed VW ad in my home. People quote commercials and sing jingles when they're in shopping aisles. We're leaving something behind. We want to make it good.