ads made by robots
Apparently the results are pretty mediocre, but that would then make them of a similar standard to the vast majority of advertising done by human beings.
So where does that leave the industry? Well, I think there are three possibilities:
1. It will make no difference. I think this is the most likely outcome. Despite the fact that most clients and agencies don’t seem to give the first shit that the work they take so much time and effort to produce is mediocre, as soon as anyone gives this thing the green light, everyone involved loses their jobs, including the marketing department. No longer will Spewtex Washing Powder require six levels of clients. Instead, advertising could just be something the MD sorts out on the crapper in between Sudoku puzzles. To avoid this happening, I think we’ll all just pretend this thing doesn’t exist so that the wasteful, shit-making machine that is the current advertising industry can carry on its quaint little circle jerk.
2. It’ll make a bit of difference. There are plenty of small clients that could get professional so-so advertising rather than amateurish so-so advertising, and they might like to use this programme. Also, if many of today’s marketers were honest with themselves, if they got their ads this way it wouldn’t be any worse, but it might be cheaper. However, there will always be the others who pride themselves on their need for innovation, making them immune to the programme’s charms.
3. It could get more sophisticated/better, making it good enough for every client. Pretty much all technology improves with time and this may not be an exception. There will still be some requirement for originality and the stewardship that ensures quality of execution, but a really good version of this programme could replace 90% of what ad agencies currently produce.
Oh look! One more reason why you need an out.
Scary. But then not. One thing this software won’t do is give you a creative ‘leap’ that can make turn average into gold dust. It could even be used to highlight the value of the humans in the creative department.
Not sure whether it’s the journo or the agency who have misunderstood what’s actually taken place here.
All they’ve done is create a database of crap headlines and stock images. There’s no “intelligence” at work, artifical or otherwise.
People fucking love computers don’t they. They’d put their willy in them if they could. It’s like bloody Pygmalion. An infatuation with an inanimate object.
Clients don’t want creative leaps. They want quick, cheap, crap ads.
@John
No U reckon there must be some element of parsing the statements about healthiness, organic-ness, price as well – rather than just matching headlines to pictures.
It’s a pretty good idea I think, not as a serious tool, but to give the industry a jolt hell yeah.
Bit suspect that they haven’t put it online isn’t it? Or are people really scared by it?
The technology is pronounced ‘Kay’ apparently.
Sheer coincidence.
When I was (much) younger my dad convinced me that all cashpoint machines actually had a little bloke siting inside them, handing out the right amount of cash. Maybe this system works in the same way.
It was invented by the French so they can spend more time at lunch.
GC.
It’d be interesting to know what the actual variables they assigned to the data sets were, and how many.
Damn right it’s a great jolt industry though. Because it proves (unequivocally) that the static, logic-based demands of the client create bland, unremarkable advertising. This is what you get when you answer the brief literally, people!!
The worry/weird thing for me is the way the agency seemed almost surprised/impressed with it. Like it wasn’t just a PR stunt but a genuine attempt to streamline the creative process.
You’re right though, they should put it online for us to see for ourselves. Bastards.