We can all think back to great jingles, taglines, commercials, and wonder what happened. Where did the talent go? Some of us remember the “It’s Morning in America Again” political ad from the Reagan era, others the “Misfits” ad for Apple. Some a moving content story ad read during college in a magazine.
Wanna know something? It makes us sound old and crotchety to say things like that.
It makes us sound shallow, selfish and cheap.
Just as we can remember great examples of ads, we can remember great skits from the “good seasons” of SNL. But do you remember the bad ones from those same seasons? No.
Quality sticks with us, especially if it is examples of our craft that move us.
I always return to David Ogilvy, as one of standard bearers of quality in advertising, promoting marketing at the time before it was even fashionable to call it that.
It is depressing to me to watch this at times because the video was so long ago, and we are still talking about the same imminent future today. Why? Why aren’t we better now?
We aren’t better now for the same reason there aren’t top quality ads from every company, every year. Because clients and companies don’t take chances and undervalue quality and excellence.
- If you want high quality copywriters, ones that understand there’s more to copy writing than pulling copy out of your butt and performing like a dancing monkey on cue without time, background or thinking, then hire them and pay for them.
- If you want good solid strategic thinking behind marketing, instead of shorthanded approaches that cobble together short term tactics to throw against the wall to see what sticks, then hire strategic thinkers with marketing experience who are willing to dig into the data, industry and background, develop the personas and short, medium and long term approaches, and only then determining tactics and calendars appropriate to the different audiences.
- If you want high quality advertising and marketing, don’t publicly bemoan the lack of talent, because it’s clear that it means it’s the lack of talent within your organization. The talent is out there, but your unwillingness to place a value on the quality you are looking for means you are not really willing to put that same value on your company or the products you produce.
If you really believe you cannot find the talent, then you should really reassess the process you are using.
- Is your description not attracting the right caliber of candidate?Rewrite it to reach that audience.
- Are your experience requirements not matching the quality you need? Demand the experience and expertise, but be willing to support it.
- Are you simply not seeing the candidates you expected?Perhaps you should review your screening process of applicants before they reach your desk.
The talent is out there. You’re either not attracting it or not willing to commit to it.