But I fell out of love with home ownership, which means I also fell out of love with HGTV. At first I was just indifferent. But now, after two-plus years living out of a van, I discovered I was rather disgusted by it all. People whining that their walk-in closets aren't huge enough, that the ceilings aren't high enough, that they don't have a twenty-seat home theatre or wine cellar.
No, I don't expect everyone to live a minimalist life like me. Yes, I understand the home building, remodeling and decorating industries keep a lot of people employed and money flowing through the economy. But, people, seriously???
Then there was a commercial break, and I got more pissed off.
I spent 36 years in advertising as an art director and copywriter. So I am not sinless. But I would have hung my head in shame if I'd created commercials as dumb and annoying as the ones I saw. Forget the level of hype and borderline lies. They were just awful from a creative point of view. Trite, unimaginative, grating, unnatural, lacking in charm.
It's not totally the fault of the creative teams, though. Most of it can be laid at the feet of MBAs who were taught that advertising must conform to certain formulas. Say the product name X number of times, state the product benefit Y number of times, end with a call to action, and so on. As long as you do all that, entertainment value is irrelevant. Because they believe the formulas are magic. Use them and customers will be irresistibly compelled to buy your product or service, even while they hate you for interrupting their programs with crap. Sadly, there's a tiny bit of truth in that. And if/when the advertising fails to generate the desired increase in sales, the MBAs can say, "Hey, it's not my fault. We followed the formula."
All this is why I was happy to throw in the towel on my career a few years earlier than originally planned. Get out of the depressing ad racket, get out from under the burden of home ownership, free my mind and soul. And stop watching television.
Very good analysis of what is happening in the TV industry. Remember when it was free? Whenever a commercial comes on I mute the TV. When I start going solo rving there will be no TV, period.
ReplyDeleteBack in the 70s I became appalled at how poorly houses were designed. I wanted to become an architect so I could teach buyers about designing for use not space. Just think, I could have been Sarah Susanka. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree completely! HGTV used to be one of my vices when I lived in a house.No TV in my little motorhome.Who needs all the junk and decorating when you have nature out your door and windows.
ReplyDeleteIn the early 80s and into the 90s, John Cherry went with the theory of "make 'em laugh and they'll buy your stuff" -- the Ernest / Hey, Vern commercials and later films. The comedy sequence had something of a formula but not the client content. I can't remember them running in the SF market but they did in L.A. They don't make 'em like that anymore. LOL
ReplyDeleteYou've become the source of a little mystery. Whenever anyone else leaves a comment, I get notifications in my email "Social" in box. But notices of your comments show up in my regular in box. Huh, technology.
DeleteMagic, Al. Actually, I have no idea how/why that would happen. But even my mother has said I've always been a little odd. hahaha
DeleteMaybe our paths will cross at RTR.
More evidence of your/our iconoclastic perspective. As a mere glance around shows, the formulas have proven effective for the majority. Fortunately, you/we/I saw through their ruse. I credit my LSD experiences when I was 16. But it sounds as if you found at least a marginally satisfying outlet for your creativity while accruing the means of escape. Congratulations!
ReplyDelete