The Diary of Putney Swope.

Who's that?

Which creative director of a large NY based agency has been informed by management that while he's welcome to share his ideas with the office he's going to have to keep future appearances of Mr. Winky to himself?  Evidently said CD had a habit, possibly up to addiction status, of walking into cubicles and offices with his privates not so private.  While the young gay copy-writing mafia didn't complain, at least a dozen women did.  Seems that the agency tried to sweep it under the rug until someone at their holding company got wind via an anonymous "tip" (pardon the pun).

Dear Diary

Another day another another $617.69.  Today was a tough one.  Damn clients are actually expecting to get their money's worth and one particularly bitchy one threatened to hold us accountable for our work's results.  What the hell is that all about.  I would have gone into management consulting if I wanted to be held accountable.  Well, if I wanted that and if I could have gotten into a half way decent business school.  To be honest it was either the assistant manager training program at Budget Rent-a-Car (Hertz turned me down) or advertising.  Not a day goes by that I don't question whether I made the right decision.  Our new business guy mentioned that he got a call from a fortune 162 advertiser (my guess is it is actually the 162nd given the way he cut it at that number) that is considering us for a pitch.  That's exciting.  I think I'll hit the bottle tonight and get the creative juices flowing.  peace.

Does GE's new CMO = Agency Search

GE just named their new CMO, Danny Henson (per AdWeek report).  While he's quite young, we've been told he does in fact shave and has his driver's license, or was that permit.  Regardless, the question is whether this young new Turk will be looking to put his own stamp on things and maybe put the $140 Million account (yes that's 7 zeros) up for review.  BBDO has some history, but there is a brand spanking new account head, Bill Power.  Hopefully, young Danny doesn't take BBDO's catchy catch phrase to heart and put his "Imagination at Work" thinking of all the great sucking up he could get from a nice agency search.  We'll see and as always, I'll let you know what we hear.  If he does, I just hope he considers the great work that Putney Swope can pump out and that's no jibe turkey.

Why Putney Swope?

Putney Swope 1969-USA-Parody/Spoof/Media Satire PLOT DESCRIPTION After several years working along the margins of the underground film scene in New York, director Robert Downey broke through to wider recognition with the arthouse hit Putney Swope, a wildly irreverent satire of race and advertising in America. Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson) is the token African-American executive at an otherwise all-white advertising agency when the chairman of the board unexpectedly drops dead. Through a fluke in the chain of command, Swope becomes the new head of the firm, and decides its time to do things his way. He fires nearly all the staff (except for his one token white employee), renames the agency Truth and Soul, Inc., and announces they'll no longer accept accounts advertising tobacco, alcohol, or war toys. The ads they do produce -- for acne remedies and breakfast cereal, among other things -- are wildly successful, and the iconoclastic ad agency (which only accepts payment in cash) is targeted by government operatives as a threat to the national security. Antonio Fargas and Allen Garfield lead the supporting cast; Mel Brooks makes a cameo appearance. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide Link to Movie on Blockbuster

Step aside AdWeek and AdAge.

Ok, there is AdRants, AdFreak, etc., but no blogs on the advertising industry worth their salt (never really knew what that saying meant to be honest, still don't).  As such, I've decided that as an old time icon of the advertising industry, at least the Hollywood version, it was my responsibility, no, my obligation to fill the void.  For any of you old enough, assuming anyone old enough doesn't blog, you know who Putney Swope was.  For everyone else, he was the protagonist of one of the best movies on the industry you call your own.  The movie has more of a social message of white and black America, of which I will not follow.  My interest is not social commentary, but rather an honest view of the goings on in our industry.  An industry some say is dying and others say is already dead.  That said, in my quest to create an informative place for all of you adies out there, I will follow these simple rules:

1.  Honesty is the only policy.  I won't include any bullshit unless it is clearly identified as such or unless it is just too interesting not to include.

2.  No personal slams on named individuals unless again it is just too interesting to not include.

3.  Every post must be about an agency, ad professional, advertisement or Paris Hilton.  She's always interesting and must be included.

4.  No shilling or sponsored-driven post, unless some offers me a lot of money (a lot defined as enough to buy a beer and shot at divey lower east side bar).

5.  That's it, my Editorial Manifesto completed in 50 words or less.  Not bad for an ad man, or could it be ad woman?