The Heavy Burden of College Tuition Bills

Last week I wrote about how the ad industry could solve its growing talent crisis. The post was republished on AgencySpy and Adweak and found its way around the Twittersphere.

I received quite a bit of email from disgruntled advertising creatives (are there any other kind?) who thanked me for saying what so many were thinking.

I suspect there was quite a bit of sharing, which these days simply requires one creative to nudge the other -- sitting two feet away at the IncrediDesk™-- to slide over in their cheap Herman Niller knock off chair and read it on their screen.

Even as I am writing this post, there are folks chiming in on Facebook and Linkedin.com.

One colleague said I had "created the perfect blueprint for the agency of the future."

Not surprisingly, web traffic shot through the roof. And the post cracked the RoundSeventeen Top Ten. I love when that happens.

Make no mistake, I understand that the machinations of this blog and its incumbent pitiful readership means nothing in this world, or if I can quote my daughter, "literally nothing". And that navel gazing is just a sure sign that I am living in a digital bubble. But it's my bubble. And the things that amuse me are getting tinier and tinier. As I suspect it does for most 44 year olds.

That said, "Top Ten, Woo-hoo!"

So how do I top myself?
 I could write another scathing piece on Account Management.

One time, while flying in a GulfStream 4, Lee Clow confided to me that if it were up to him, he'd fire all the account people at the agency and replace them with Broadcast Producers. They, he explained, knew how to get things done. They magically got music rights, booked unbookable directors and secured A-list celebrities who had sworn never to sully their careers with a foray into advertising.

Well, I could have countered, it's a lot easier when all you have to do is throw money at a problem.

Account people have to deal with clients. More often than not, stupid clients. But I rarely made a habit of standing up for account folks or disagreeing with Lee, so instead glanced out the window of the jet and said…

"Ooo, look there's the Santa Monica Bay."

I could also take on the Planning Department.

But it seems to me, I've exhausted that topic before. On many, many occasions. And really what could I possibly say about Ad Agency Planning that is more visceral and more accurate than this quickly hand-drawn graphic?

Or, I could -- you know just as a change of of pace -- wisely recognize that I've already walked up too close to the precipice and that if I want to continue working as a 44 year freelance copywriter, maybe now is a good time to shut my big fat mouth.

Yeah, that seems like a good idea.