Comments on: There are a lot of people in this business but damn few really good ones. — Hal Riney

By: tom

tom — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:36:28 +0000

i found this to be absolutely thought provoking.

thanks!

By: T. C. Knight

T. C. Knight — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:46:52 +0000

Since I live 37 miles from the NEAREST store, please let me know when the DVD comes out. :>)

By: STONER

STONER — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:04:46 +0000

@William Anthony, Right on, Wm!

By: William Anthony

William Anthony — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:40:25 +0000

A classic example from HYPE!. Leighton Beezer describing grunge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gywsDLRIF7Y#t=02m03s

By: William Anthony

William Anthony — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:25:39 +0000

If any of you are unfamiliar with Doug Pray, make a point to see his other documentaries. HYPE! is legendary in Seattle. Scratch and Infamy are also fantastic films.

In addition to being extremely talented, you can’t meet a nicer guy. A true gem in the industry.

I can’t wait to see Art & Copy.

By: STONER

STONER — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:06:57 +0000

The ad industry has always been low-hanging fruit for anyone wanting to blast capitalism. But, having spent a decade in the business, I can say that 80% of the produced work is garbage and it really should be blasted away at.

Of course I’ll agree with the great Mr. Riney, but I’d add to that: “…but damn few really good campaigns.”

Advertising, at its best, is a contribution to society. At its worst, it’s nothing but an interruption…a quick trip to the john during your show, a page you have to turn to get back to the story, an annoyance in the beautiful scenery along the highway. It can be one of the most rewarding careers anyone could ask for. But, just like anything else – including photography – there are precious few people who put truly great work into the world.

As much as I miss the industry – and I really do pine away for it sometimes – I got out for one very important reason: I wanted my work to be a contribution, not an interruption.

And I can’t WAIT to see this doc!!!

By: Donnar Party

Donnar Party — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 01:48:21 +0000

I guess I’ll have to be in New York this week.

By: Rich Adams

Rich Adams — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:08:10 +0000

@Bob,

“The reality, most products are just more stuff. Often boring stuff.”

Agreed. Hence the need for marketing to shine them up a bit.

“Advertising seeks to make people uncomfortable with who they are and what they possess”

I agree again. But think about most ad campaigns, and consider the inference that we, as consumers, can become someone or something else simply by associating ourselves with a product or service. The Marlboro Man is a great example.

My point about being unorthodox and edgy comes from observing so many ads that tried to be something that they (the company) were not. I wonder how many of these ads even made it past the storyboard phase.. They were just a bad idea from the start!

My assertion was to be unorthodox, edgy, and (most importantly) authentic to who you are as a company. Slick advertising and huge budgets might put forth the illusion that you are something other than what you are, but this illusion is short lived. The modern consumer is smart and resourceful, and now armed with the ability to really research purchase decisions in an unprecedented way through the internet.

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:31:45 +0000

@Rich Adams,

“unorthodox, edgy, and authentic” ?

The reality, most products are just more stuff. Often boring stuff. These products don’t ‘complete’ the person. It’s been said, “Advertising seeks to make people uncomfortable with who they are and what they possess”.

Adding drama, edge, unorthodox… can be contrary to an “authentic” cultural experience. Of course today many of our culture experiences (Western Consumer Culture) are manufactured.

By: Gordon Moat

Gordon Moat — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:46:08 +0000

I look forward to seeing this. They are fairly good at updating their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-Copy/118376101284

By: mark maziarz

mark maziarz — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:41:10 +0000

Saw this at Sundance this year–it’s a must see. Hal Riney was probably our favorite part of the film, and overall it was one of the highlights of the festival for us.

By: Cynthia Wood

Cynthia Wood — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:32:25 +0000

What? No scheduled screenings in San Francisco? I can’t wait to see this! But I guess I’m going to have to…

By: Aaron Brumbelow

Aaron Brumbelow — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:03:46 +0000

I can not wait to see this documentary.

By: Darrell Eager

Darrell Eager — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:33:07 +0000

The children of MadMen?

By: There are a lot of people in this business but damn few really good ones. — Hal Riney at MICHAELSCHULZ|PHOTOGRAPHY

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:50:58 +0000

[...] There are a lot of people in this business but damn few really good ones. — Hal Riney: “ [...]

By: Rich Adams

Rich Adams — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:48:13 +0000

We need more unorthodox, edgy, and authentic advertising. There’s to much perceived awareness in the ad industry thinking they all unequivocally know what we want. They water it down, remove the veneer, and sell it to us as hip and cool. The fact is that the “target demographic” will often cringe at the majority of crappy ads that do nothing but reflect poorly upon the brands they represent. Let the creatives run free, unencumbered by the governing firewalls who think they know better.