Tuesday 22 November 2011

Here's To The Crazy Ones. The Misfits, The Occupiers




Adland insists it has a finger on the cultural pulse but in recent months its counter-intuitive incentive to pretend the outside world doesn't exist is in full swing. It's a little bit like NYPD beating peaceful protesters while the rest of the world waits for a banker to be arrested. Everybody knows it's a sham but those within the NYPD and banking circles are obliged to stifle their own consciences because it pays the bills. Interestingly those least sensitive to this injustice are statistically most exposed to the news agendas of the corporate media that put profits before people by portraying in the news, peaceful protesters as undesirable. This is all paid for by brands in the commercial breaks. It's branded lying.

So is Adland now finally decoupled from a love of Apple-endorsed misfits, embrace of mistakes and lionization of authenticity in social media? 


While Adland ignores the outside world it's plain to see that the fundamentals are changing? It would be a piss poor planner who failed to extrapolate the momentum of failing markets, degraded ecology, consumer debt exhaustion and most critically the first global protest to ignite all continents including culturally deferential Asia.

And to be silent about it is the nail in the branded coffin.

It's a mistake if brands are going to grow up and be part of the future. The service to self consumer culture is inextricably linked with capitalism's ferocious greed. If 20th century advertising collapsed, along with the Euro or Dollar tomorrow (not inconceivable), it would leave brands as an historical anomaly of less significance than gentleman's wig wearing which lasted for over two hundred years.

Get out into the world and speak up about the difference between right and wrong. If you're unsure what that is, the heart knows more then the brain. 

Ask your heart. Is this the right thing? It will speak to you.