Old man ad rant #4,397

There are many great Porsche ads. This is my favorite.

There was a time in the 90's, while I was working on Nissan ads, when I'd pore through the car enthusiast magazines (remember those) and actively seek out the Porsche ads. Mostly to steal...er, mimic their style, wit and intelligence. 

Considering my less-than-storied career and what most of us are doing to put food on the table right now, it's clear I came up woefully short.

First look at the amazing art direction. The symmetry, composition and photography cannot be beat. But it's the headline. The one that, no apologies to Mark Reed, harkens back to the 70's -- GASP.

Not only is the line conspicuously short, it is packed with real human insight. I'll be the first to admit the seemingly redundancy of the two short sentences threw me. But it also stopped me. And consciously made me put the pieces of this magnificent puzzle together. That's what smart advertising does. It eschews spoon-feeding in favor of brain engagement - and heart engagement. 

How novel.

Of course the Porsche was sold close to 40 years ago. That's when young boys, and young girls, on the swing set first laid eyes on its distinctive profile and felt the throaty rumble of its 207 hp engine. That's when the first impression was made. An impression that didn't go away, but lasted. And lingered. And stayed dormant until a raise came through.

Or an IPO paid off.

Or, more likely, a divorce was settled.

There's impactful storytelling going on in this ad. And the astute reader, particularly ones who see themselves in the ad, know exactly where those goosebumps are coming from.

We don't do ads like this anymore. 

We don't dig for insight.

We don't trigger emotions.

We don't tell stories that spring from the DNA of a brand.

We don't engage and make people think, want or even crave.

We analyze, banalyze and regurgitate briefs. 

David Ogilvy was wrong. Because in today's prevailing ad environment , "the consumer is a moron."