Friday, December 14, 2012

Myths surrounding advertising

Let's get one thing out of the way first, no one really cares about advertising. You change channels when my hardwork comes on the TV in between Balika Vadhu. You use my paper ads as chewing gum coverings. You curse at the radio for playing too many ads. So yes, in a way what I do for a living is borderline detestable and generates the same amount of disinterest that only a Meira Kumar sex tape can match.

Yet I keep getting dollops of "Oh your job is so interesting", "I wish I could do it", "You live the life bro, is best bro, is best"
That's not the case. We in advertising do not live a charmed life. If anything we are at the extreme fag end of the spectrum. Our lives aren't that interesting and what makes it worse is that people believe otherwise.
I'm going to try dispel a few myths now.
This isn't an ad, so I hope you actually get till the end.

Myth #1 - Youtube
We often get accused for watching youtube videos all day. That's a lie as big as Sonakshi Sinha's forehead. We do not watch youtube videos all day. We play online games as well. We chat with our peers in different ad agencies because let's face it, the rest of you are too busy making this world a better place. The well ironed suits, the big meetings followed by working lunches, the excessive travelling, that's the kind of thing that makes the world tick. The important kind of shit. While you non-advertising folk do all the horsing around, we advertising folk provide Gagnam Style and Cat videos with the hits they need to become internet sensations.

Myth #2 - Loose morals
This is one rumour we so desperately wished was true. Who wouldn't mind morals being flung out of the window while you're ideating. Wouldn't it be bloody amazing to just point at someone and then get down and dirty almost instantaneously. But then, it's asking for too much and this world we live in isn't exactly orchestrated by Oprah Winfrey.
Just because we drop words like 'sex' and 'fuck' in normal conversations, doesn't make ours a filthy business. Unlike the hallowed halls of the corporate corridors where everything is so hushed you can almost hear the desperation. Once those suits are off, everyone is equally naked. At least we don't put on a garb between 9 to 5. We wake up the way we go to bed. Which is mostly alone, mind you.

Myth #3 - Drugs
Drugs are a rich man's indulgence and unfortunately we aren't exactly known for being the money ringers. "See that guy with dreadlocks?Oh, he looks like a junkie. Must be in advertising."
"Look, a bald guy with a tattoo. Must be one of those charlie sniffing creative kinds."
If you don't look like you've bathed in a tub full of dettol with a nice school boy haircut, you sir a filthy ad whore.

Myth #4 - We get paid like shit
Yep this one is true.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really insightful!

Overthinker said...

sarcasm much appreciated

Anonymous said...

will always be in love nonetheless

Overthinker said...

in love with advertising or the myths?

Anonymous said...

each step hurts having bled too much. the losing blood makes the mind weak, it seeks nourishing care, within a warm caress of a loved one.... it seeks sunshine after a long season of rain, it seeks to smell the roses, having held on to the thorns for too long. the lines of distinction which once looked vivid seem blurred. maybe their impressions have faded with time. with each coil attached to the web of mind, the mesh cannot be untangled. to simplify would mean to let go, let go of the early impressions, let go of the whistling sound of breeze which whispers a different secret in your ear each time, let go would mean giving a final kiss to the dreams, the dreams which are suffocating within the confines set by own mind.