Oh dear! What can you do about it?
I’ve been writing about my time at PKL which taught me a lot – and changed my life.
At that time it was seen as the world’s most creative agency.
But also one of the worst run – in London, anyhow, where I worked.
In the end the agency was sold to Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn – BBDO … which the great W. C. Field made a good joke about.
He said BBDO sounded like a man dragging a heavy trunk down a flight of stairs.
It was very, very hard to compete with others at PKL who were more talented.
On top of that it was almost impossible to satisfy Joe Sacco, my boss.
The agency advertised cigarettes – when no one realised how dangerous they were.
We worked with several brands, and and Joe wanted me to write the slogan for one.
I don’t care for slogans but clients love them .
I set about the task and came up with a few which he said were no good.
He sent me away to try again. “Give me 100 ideas!”
I was beyond disheartened, I thought I knew what I was doing.
I went back to my little flat in Queensway in London in tears.
“In tears?” you ask.
Amazing, even ludicrous. But I have always felt one thing about what I do.
A job may not be important – but it is important to do it as well as you can.
I was utterly determined not to fail.
So I grafted away to obey his command – come up with 100 lines.
He chose two, and said “Give me 5 like that.”
I doubt any were used.
I’ve always been astonished at the time wasted in agencies producing things that are never used for one reason or another.
My art director Marty Stein, a New Yorker with a great turn of phrase, said having clients review your copy was like being “nibbled to death by ducks.”
(At one time Andy Warhol who started out as a shoe illustrator had done work for Marty).
Marty was quite a wag. He commented on how people rise to the top of business, with a little song that ran:
“There’s a brown ring round his nose; and every day it grows and grows.”
In my experience most who get to the top are better at following their nose, so to speak, than doing their jobs.
Anyhow having your ideas rejected by people who haven’t the vaguest idea what makes for good copy is bloody depressing.
It builds mountains of anguish, wasted time and money – and bad blood.
This led Gary Halbert to have a big sign in his office saying “Clients suck”.
Claude Hopkins, the greatest ever copywriter, simply said “All clients are pigs.”
This is because not one client in 100 studies what makes good copy.
They think they’re qualified to judge it simply because they can write and read.
To make things worse, too many cooks spoil the broth.
David Ogilvy had a simple recipe for how it should be done, but I doubt you’ve ever heard of it.
First: never have more than two people involved.
One to judge and one, more senior, to review when people can’t agree or aren’t sure.
This very rarely happens.
So there you are – something helpful on a Sunday for you, whether you’re trying to judge your own copy or someone else’s.
If ever you seek advice on what works, what doesn’t and why … or even how to get stuff that does, drop me a line.
I always reply unless I mislay your message.
So If I don’t – chase me again!
Best,
Drayton
P.S. Know anyone who’d appreciate my Bird Droppings? Tell them to sign up to my mailing list here.
