Why Art Galleries, TV Stations and newspapers win awards

It’s quite hard to get people to care about most of the things we sell.

Washing powder, chocolate, cars… They’re all much of a muchness, and so ubiquitous that they’re almost invisible.

That’s why charities are usually given their own award category: of course you feel more emotive about abused children, dead dogs and tortured prisoners. So much of the work is done before you’ve even started.

But there are plenty of commercial clients who can have the same effect.

Look at Channel 4’s advertising. The TV station is cool, but how fucking cool is Stanley Kubrick?

(By the way, TV stations can also run ‘ads’ that don’t have to be passed by the BACC or its foreign equivalent:)

But it’s not just TV stations. Look at how many awards The Guardian, The Financial Times, National Gallery, Tate Gallery, the BBC and other media conduits have won.

You care about the issue so you care about the ads.

You like the work of the great artist, so you like the place that shows it, and the ad for that place.

Your intelligence is flattered by the clever piece of work that the ad features.

Whereas someone pointing out the benefits of white clothes can often feel somewhat dull.

So get on a medium for someone else’s genius, then piggyback that fucker to a pay rise.