Comments on: Buddha & Bernbach

By: eaon pritchard

eaon pritchard — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:52:08 +0000

A key concept in Buddhism is the notion of impermanance. So logically, existence means ability to cause change or be changed. Therefore, what is
changeless is unable to do work and therefore does not exist. Watching MadMen (yeah i know its exaggerated but…)and seeing how little the advertising industry has changed in 40 years. well, y’know.
just stumbled on your blog, by the way. stirring stuff!

By: John

John — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:16:52 +0000

And let’s not forget people’s insecurities. It’s easier to share the blame between two people when things go sour.

By: Dave Trott

Dave Trott — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:04:21 +0000

Hi Scamp,
I once read “The time to worry is when the avante-garde becomes the status-quo.”
Bhudda and Bernbach were both rebelling against the establishment.
Their rebellion then became the establishment, exactly the thing (complacency, smugness) they were rebelling against.
In one of the radio shows, Sid James once said to Tony Hancock “Why are you wearing that beret, sandals, and Breton fisherman’s jersey?”
Hancock says “I meet with a group of people, and we show our individuality by refusing to wear the bowler hat and suit unifiorm of the bourgeousie.”
Sid say “And what do all the others wear?”
Hancock says “The same as me, that’s how you know we’re rebels.”
It’s very hard to be creative.
It’s much easier tro copy someone who was creative.

By: Dave Trott

Dave Trott — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:55:45 +0000

Hi Scamp.
The point is no one can tell you what to replace it with.
As soon as it’s that, it isn’t that.
That’s what creativity is, you have to create it fresh every time.
You can’t look at Buddha or Bill Bernbach and copy their answer.
You have to re-invent the wheel all over again.
That’s what makes it tough.
That’s why people don’t do it.

By: Scamp

Scamp — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:42:17 +0000

Love it. Only thing is, it seems Buddha was advocating replacing those statues with nothing. Do we replace creative teams with nothing? Surely not. So what structure works better? There isn’t one at the mo, is there?

By: Borat

Borat — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:10:08 +0000

but there are people that work by themselves, you see them in every agency, how does that work?

By: John

John — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:38:58 +0000

Dear Mr Trott, I love this post. I agree we do have a tendency to worship the creed and forget the message as humans beings.

I’m a middleweight creative and no matter how much agencies like my book (which I did on my own), they all asked me to get a partner.

Frankly, I find it disappointing that I just can’t get hired on my own merits. It’s absurd.

Americans don’t have that problem. They’d take, individuals, teams, people with 2 noses, etc. They just don’t care as long as you have the talent to produce brilliant work. They seem to ‘get it’.

One last thing, if Bill Bernbach were alive today and he’d be looking for a job in the UK, no one will hire him on the basis that he wouldn’t have a partner.

Does that make any sense?

By: Adam Richardson

Adam Richardson — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:08:36 +0000

completely, I have just been offered a job at a good agency…

on the basis that they find me a writer. I’m now unemployed and in limbo until they find another member of staff to hire so they can hire me.

Now try explaining that to people in the pub.