Let us rid the industry of this scourge

I hate scam. I hate how the industry continues to turn a blind eye to so much of it. And I hate that the people behind it are often rewarded with awards, bonuses and new jobs.

I appreciate some clients are very closed-minded. I appreciate some creatives want an outlet to demonstrate what they can do. But why the awards shows do not create a ‘concept’ category where creatives can show what they could do is anyone’s guess.

Of course, I know the real reason why. It is because it does not do our industry much good if the only creativity we can show is when we do not have a client to answer to.

That said, I do think awards shows are important. Not just to get the industry together and discuss major issues. Not just because they allow us to showcase the work that actually deserves to be showcased. But because they offer access, exposure and training to the people who are new to the industry. It means (hopefully) they will want to progress based on substance rather than the superficial.

This brings me back to the importance of killing scam. If we want to win back our credibility with the chief executives and chief marketing officers worth their salt, we are going to have to accept that giving awards to a single print ad that ran in a free ‘newspaper’ for a local barbecue supplies shop is not going to cut it. Quite the opposite in fact.

This industry – with our clients – has, does and can do amazing things. But it is hardly surprising that businesses questions us when our strategy to demonstrate our value appears to be bestowing an obscene amount of awards on the fictitious or the spurious. And then shouting about it like we have just won the Nobel Peace Prize.