Craft or Crap?

An art instillation exploring how the proliferation of digital content is devaluing the things we make and spend time with.

Craft or Crap?

“The thing I hate the most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious young people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists. Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little.”― Banksy

What I love about this Banksy quote is that it shines a light on something that I’ve always felt to be true. That despite its many flaws, the ad industry has always served as a sort of sanctuary for “creative and ambitious young people.” To be honest, this quote used to make me feel good about going into advertising. However, I read it much differently today than I did 4 years ago.

For the last 100 years, the ad industry has been making a trade with creatives: Agencies provided access to expensive production tools in trade for creative talent and time. Today the creative and ambitious have a lot more choice. Access to the latest state-of-the-art production tools are available to anyone with a smartphone. On top of that, organizations like Maker Studios, Victors & Spoils, and Creator Republic are providing much more interesting and rewarding opportunities for creative people. This is draining the life-blood out of the industry.

Exhibit A:

While many don’t consider anonymous “Mike” the creative authority on advertising, he actually is. Never before has the creative direction of ad content been so heavily influenced by people just like him. The ability to comment and critique has advertisers struggling to make sense of it all. And the overwhelming amount of content available provides guys like Mike the power to simply watch something else, like a video from Maker Studios.

What does this mean? It means the flood of digital tools and technologies is quickly eroding the familiar advertising backed communications landscape. The question is weather or not this destruction will reveal a more fertile environment for creative concepts to thrive, or will this tidal wave simply resolve in a shallow swamp of the unspectacular where nothing of significance can really stand out or survive. There is certainly evidence of both—which makes the future state of the creative communications industry equally fascinating and frustrating.

As we look to the future it is impossible to determine weather the proliferation of digital creation tools is the rekindling a creative revolution, or is it simply providing less talented people access to tools they are using to make more noise. With this question in mind I created my final project: “Craft or Crap”

Artist Statement:

This piece explores how the explosion of creative expression is eroding the value of the things we create and share. While the instillation recognizes the skills and tools of the past are important—it shows that they do not hold the attention and therefore value they once did. The environment is evolving and the creative product will continue and evolve with it, but the value of that product created is still very much in question.

In this piece the F&T not only stands for craft, it represents the important and valuable thing that creative and ambitions people bring to any project they choose to work on: “fucking talent “and “fucking time.” Projects that fail to persuade these kinds of dedicated creators to provide these things end up producing what amounts to a valueless piece of crap.

See the work

Class Reflection #4

After learning that Stephen Butcher had taken the time to answer every single question the class threw out I was really looking forward to hearing him speak. His genuine appreciation for everyone’s time was obvious—and after learning he was a fan of some of my favorite bands it was hard not to like him.

So while I did enjoy his presentation—I also found it well, frustrating. Not for lack of content but perspective. Full transparency: when the companies/industries you’ve spent a career in service of are held up as ‘the bad guys’ it is hard to be objective. That said because of my experience I found his points revealed a lack of understanding.

I love Mr. Butcher’s punk rock approach to business. It’s important to always question authority and the wisdom of decision makers. I’ve sort of built a career on it. But if you want to change things for the better it’s important to understand why they are the way they are. Without that—the solution is more likely to be worse than the problem.

Not that the brewing industry is not without issues—and distribution is certainly what separates the major players from microbrews, but there are pros and cons for each. Poor distribution can actually help a brand. Coors is a great example. The plot of the 1977 movie Smokey and the Bandit, where semi truck hauls a shipment of Coors beer from Texas to Georgia could have easily been titled Coors Has Crappy Distribution. This is what made Coors desirable and helped it to grow. A playbook every microbrew is and should use to its full advantage today.

My point is trying to ‘fix’ an industry without understanding it is like marching into a forest. You could look at the big trees as resource hogs taking up the water and light the saplings need to grow. You can see those big branches as shelters to vultures and rats. That’s easy. What’s hard is understanding the bigger picture that, that huge tree was once a sapling. Wind will blow and lighting will strike—and the sapling in the right place at the right time—will benefit from those events.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Butcher’s perspective and presentation. It got me thinking for sure. Perhaps it’s part of my punk rock roots that makes me a chronic contrarian.

Reading Reflection #4 | 2/19/14

So far my favorite reading of this class has been Give and Take by Adam Grant. Right off the bat this book had me hooked. Almost immediately I was taking an inventory to try and figure out if I was a giver, matcher, or taker—leading to the realization that I’m most likely all of them in different relationships and situations.

What I’ve found particularly interesting in the book is the idea of ‘givers fatigue.’ I know I’ve certainly felt exhausted by the constant asks of clients and coworkers. After awhile, it’s hard not to feel like a doormat. I’ve seen givers fatigue turn several talented writers into pessimists and cynics. The get used up. What started out as the joy of helping turns into indentured servitude to a particular skill. They become so reliable at one thing they’re typecast, put in a box and become suffocated by requests that the fresh air they need to continue to grow and give in other ways begins to die off.

I was very happy to see that shortly after this Adam introduced the idea of the “otherish giver.” The otherish giver has a clear understanding of their own needs. The need to give to themselves so they are able to give to others. It isn’t about boundaries or saying no as much as it is about giving to those people and projects that are fulfilling and have a sense of shared meaning and purpose.

That’s my goal. To give otherish. To give where it matters most—and in the process grow to give more and more.

Class Reflection #3

Well, I’m really disappointed I was unable to attend class this week. Especially after scanning through some of the class reflections. The work the Seattle PD has been doing in regard to social media has been really impressive and simple. To Jamie’s point good social strategy is actually dead simple. So it’s sort of amazing brands have such a hard time getting it right. However you have to remember they’ve spent decades in control of the message, so they’ve forgotten what a conversation actually is.

I did spend a little time ‘reflecting’ as I was home sick. I spent a lot of time thinking about my final project and how I’m going to do what it is I want to do. I also spent some time hanging out with my little girl Quinn. She’s sick too : ( I’m still struggling with the idea that this is my time to spend time the way I want to spend it. I’m starting to consider ways to make project time—time with her… just not sure how to do that yet.

Class Reflection #2 | 1/27/14

After our class I was struggling a little to ground everything we’d discussed into a cohesive thought. I don’t think that is a bad thing necessarily, rather that there was a lot to think about and consider.

What stuck with me the most was the conversation around John Maeda. I brought it up with my wife Michele as we were walking Sunday morning. As an artist and designer, I knew she’d be familiar with RISD and John’s story. When I had mentioned that he’d recently left her reaction was kind of perfect.

“Why do all the good ones get forced out?” She said and went on to share the story of Jeffrey Deitch – a NY art Mogul brought on to help turn around MOCA LA. You can guess how it ended.

The crux of the matter seems to be that people want a leader to change the institution—right up until a leader puts the challenge of change back on them to do.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/21/fashion/jeffrey-deitch-faces-critics-at-moca.html?pagewanted=1

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/26/arts/design/in-los-angeles-art-museum-arrival-a-foreshadowing-of-a-departure.html?_r=0

COM 536 | Wade Campbell | Reflection Paper #2 | 1.22.14

Tell Your Story Well

“I was a paper millionaire for about three days, and then I was sleeping on my dad’s couch. In some ways you couldn’t ask for a better first gig. I had this incredible insight into my strengths and weaknesses as a leader, as a manager.” —Brian O’Kelley

This quote from Brian O’Kelly in the New Your Times interview struck me. It spoke to me on several fronts. First of all, I’m a big believer in Strengths Based Leadership as a management philosophy, so any leader who uses moments like these to help better understand their own strengths is good by me. Beyond that, I was impressed with how he was able to take something as personal and painful as an early career failure and explain it with enough distance to allow himself the perspective to learn from, and leverage it into a positive experience.

The other thing that struck me about this was the passing mention of his ‘dad.’ Impossible to read that word without thinking of my own. My dad and I are a lot a like, he worked as a salesman and with that made his living a story teller. He’s amazing at it. A total charmer. Unfortunately the story that matters most—he’s done a poor job of telling. The adversaries in his personal narrative are never overcome. They are unjust, unfair and the source of great frustration. While his story certainly connects—it doesn’t deliver that sense of accomplishment that O’Kelly is able to share.

The takeaway: Do yourself the favor of telling your story in a way that makes you the hero. After all, it is your story—and you deserve that.

COM 536 | Wade Campbell | Reflection Paper #1 | 1.8.14

I’m a huge Seth Godin fan. When I saw The Icarus Deception on the reading list I was very excited to get stared with this class.

I was introduced to Seth Godin years ago by Morgan McAlenney, the Digital Czar at the Integer Group. Morgan had a really big impact on the way I see the world. He was a very persuasive pitchman convincing me (while trying to convince the agency) of the need to “embrace digital.” I was a true believer in his vision of the future. As early as 2005, it was clear to Morgan that digital technology would fundamentally disrupt the communications business. He’s been pretty dead on. When he recommended The Purple Cow, I was all over it and have been a Godin fan ever since.

Some critique Godin’s work as is somewhat repetitive. This is hard to argue because there are anthems in his writing that come up again and again. That said, I’ve found most of his books build upon the last. Linchpin, for example was about being indispensable. It provided “how to” direction to become a successful individual/standout/rock-star in the post-industrial age. The Icarus Deception picks up from there—providing a field guide to navigating a world littered with the cruft of outdated ideology.

What I like most about Godin’s work is that you can open it to just about any page and get a fantastic articulation of something that rings true. Take page 68 for example. A passage I was so enamored with on August 3^rd that I posted it to Instagram. http://instagram.com/p/ckFkB-zWrc/

This passage about typos struck a particular chord with me because as a creative writer I struggle with grammar and spelling. For someone who makes a living using English this is beyond embarrassing.

What Seth does is provides the little pep-talk I need: ‘You are creative. Be creative. Don’t let the critics let you believe that your idea is no good because of an error.’ Thanks Seth… time to ship.

Study Buddy

A Creative Opportunity—Lost?

Addendum to My Terms Of Engagement

One of my greatest fears about the digital revolution has been that it won’t really happen—that the opportunity will be sabotaged by bean counters and MBA’s. (This is still a fear). As a creative, I find this extremely frustrating. Years ago I’d convinced myself that the digital/social revolution I was a creative revolution as well. But after watching so my creative colleagues sit on the sidelines—I started to question weather this was really our moment after all.

This is one of the things I’m exploring as I go through this program. The role of the creative in the digital revolution. I personally think it’s is more than an opportunity—almost a duty to step up and lead audiences, businesses, and brands with creativity. I was very pleased to see how Brent has had such success doing just that. I was also inspired by the work and history of Maker Studios. That said, I’m at the same time suspicious of their work as well. I don’t see the role of creatives tomorrow—the same as they are today. Task masters and doers working in service to the demands of the advertising dollar. I’m hoping that instead we elevate the creative as a leader of communities through content. A lynchpin to connecting ideas, brands, and products to an audience.

Week 5 Presentations

Well another Saturday has come and gone. My thoughts on the day.

 

Pod 5 | Envisioning the Future

Overall I really enjoyed your presentation. Loved the use of humor and video in your presentation. If this were a real world presentation I would have liked to know of the 10% budget we are taking what other programs would this come out of to pay for this. Really well done. Loved the characters. Thank you for making this fun.

 

Pod 8 | Trendy Trends

Thank you for stepping up and sharing your stuff today. I think you’re presentation could have benefited from an upfront ‘elevator pitch’ outlining what your idea was. To be honest I felt a little frustrated trying to figure out what the company did and what your proposal was. The promise of ASANA is actually really exciting—the idea of a world without e-mail is a brilliant vision. I don’t think you did yourself any favors by insisting project management and B to B is boring. I think what you were trying to say was that ‘most B to B marketing is not very interesting’ — you don’t need a video example to make that point. Got it—move on. I agree with your overall premise that this is an important space to play—and in principal I wouldn’t be opposed to spending 20% of a companies marketing budget on this

 

Pod 7 | The Open Communication
You guys were really fantastic presenters and you should be proud of your work. Your use of humor was really very engaging and I think your team did a really nice job presenting. I did have a bit of a hard time understanding the proposal. Thank you for clarifying at the end. Our group suffered the same—we got so familiar with the project we forgot to spend the time to re-explain the problem. Overall I really liked it. If it were a real presentation I’m not sure exactly what I’d change but if this were the real world not sure the Tracy Morgan video would work in the board room.

 

Pod 6 | The Platform Dilemma

Thought the way you guys opened this up with the word game was really strong. Getting people involved is always a great way to kick off a presentation. It makes everyone feel like they are part if the show and it wakes people up which is smart after a long lunch. Overall I found the presentation well thought out, researched and organized. It was clear that you took the Amazon culture into consideration which went a long way. It’s unrealistic and irritating to get advice or proposals when people don’t understand how things actually work. Well done.

 

Pod 4 | Growing Up Digital

I really liked that this group took a fresh take on the much talked about Millennial conversation. To be honest I’m a bit tired of all the stereotypical millennial buzz so I was glad to see the group grounded the conversation with comparisons that helped put things into context. I’m a big believer that the business world has to change—but to frame it up as appeasing a future work force of millennials is the wrong way to think about it. The world is changing and businesses need to change with it. 

 

It’s been fun. Thanks everyone.