Grrrballs
I was speaking to a copywriter recently and he explained that he had a nickname for the regular demands for a Grrr/Cog/Balls/Gorilla.
He called it Grrrballs.
When I were a lad and all round here were fields it was Tangounexpected (doesn’t roll off the tongue quite so well, but whatevs). Every client wanted a Tango or a Dunlop Unexpected (more a Tango to be fair. It was much more famous than Unexpected) and whether you were being briefed on Sugar Puffs or Pirelli the planners and client wanted to let you know how high they were setting the bar.
Almost always that’s not what they wanted. Most of them just wanted to look as if they were after a big, famous ad, so they pointed to the most topical one. But in those instances it was like the owner of Doncaster Rovers pointing to a great Arsenal game and asking for that kind of performance. None of the necessary factors were in place, so it was never going to happen.
But should we condemn the client who wants an ad way out of his league? I suppose it’s better than the client who goes straight for the crap, and in shooting for the moon you might hit the stars they really want. Then again, creatives are never keen on bashing their heads against a brick wall, and false hope can be pretty tedious.
Then there are the ones who actually mean it. They really do want a Grrrballs.
Few and far between, but most welcome.
Clutch them to your trembling bosom and never let them go.
At ogilvy we always used to get asked for a ‘dove’ unless you were working on dove, who fucking hated the campaign.
Just tell us exactly what you want and how much money you have and we’ll do the best we can given the parameters.
I don’t think there are (m)any of those in the UK at the moment. Clients seem to get fired a lot at the moment – big cheeses at Tesco, Morrisons, Halfords, or so rumour has it. If you have a family and have spent years getting to the top of the Milton Keynes-based greasy pole, you probably like the idea of of a Grrr, but when it comes to the crunch, you approve a saccharine mood film voiced by some aged thesp, with a full range of product/target audiences/locations/’universal’ appeal.
I’d be careful about hugging your clients – a guy here did it after a refreshing lunch. He now works elsewhere.
If I was a CMO, I’d still be asking for work like HHCL delivered.
I’d steer well clear of all that Juan Cabral type stuff. Of the moment, and fun. But there’s more in it for the agency than the client, IMO. I certainly wouldn’t ask for it if it was my own money.
HHCL delivered the best of all worlds. Brilliant, funny creative that the public loved and which drove the product benefits all the way. Plus, their work stands the test of time. Asking for work like that is just good marketing.
But it’s all academic as I’m not a CMO.
Thank God.
When I worked in a digital agency, every brief was basically “Client wants another Whopper Sacrifice”. And by that, it meant that they wanted a lot of buzz and had no money. Then I’d ask if they were willing to give their product away free to anyone who participated, which a key factor to its success – and the answer was obviously no.
Wasn’t grrbals what Richard gere used to stick up his bumhole?
Anonymouse: not sure I agree work like Gorilla and Balls is ‘of the moment and fun’ compared to HHCL’s stuff which…was also very of the moment and fun, as well as strategically sound. Apart from Tango, I doubt many of todays public remember any of it as opposed to Gorilla and Balls, which will still be applauded in 10 years. AND most of HHCL’s clients were pretty maverick/open to having a fun tone of voice which made it easier.
Fair enough.
Game of opinions and all that. Still hold mine though.
But … seeing as I’m a last word merchant.
‘Does exactly what it says on the tin’ For a wood varnish?
‘The fourth emergency service’ For a beardy automobile club?
I think most could still remember those – some who weren’t even born at the time. And neither client was particularly out there.
I also doubt the public memory of ‘Balls’ is that great in terms of the brand etc.
Gorilla, yes. Fair enough. Though an internet age was there to help it. But yes, agreed.
Anonymouse – not particularly disagreeing with you BUT people will remember balls was for the brand Sony just as much as people remember DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN was for Ronseal (people know the line but the actual product?). And the 4th Emergency Service, again good line but not good ads. Its all swings and roundabouts innit.
The danger of asking for ‘Grrrballs’ is that sometimes you get this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBujoJpDxo0
Which is just balls.