THERE IS MORE ART IN ARTISAN THAN PEOPLE MAY THINK.
I’m bored of celebrating Creative Directors and their vast game-changing ideas, so this article is a tribute to the people that take that big idea, often just a random statement during a eureka moment which is then transformed into something resembling a commercial solution, precariously packaged as such and then somehow sold in.
Imagine the scene “I’ve cracked the VW brief! We have three kittens swinging from trapezes off the Burj Khalifa, they sing a cheeky song, do a little belly dance then a deep VO says something nice about the car”. “Brilliant!” cry the Art Director team, “WTF” whisper the creative team. By the Creative team I am of course talking about the Studio Managers, the Production team, the Artworkers and the Desktop Publishers, the Illustrators, the Copywriters and even the good old-fashioned Account Management. Day in and day out these unsung heroes take the turd they’re handed from upon high, give it a little polish, roll it in a bit of glitter and then, if it has begun to resemble an actual idea, bring it kicking and screaming into the public domain.
I am delighted he got an Artisan named Michelangelo to have a go instead
I’ve been doing a bit of interviewing recently and through meeting some good old skilled people, I have rekindled my fondness for the communications professional. The ones that know the difference between Typography and typing, the people who clearly see the benefits of the layout rather than mere placement. These people are often forgotten about during awards celebrations and nearly always taken for granted. Yet they make up the engine room that powers our industry forward.
take the turd they’re handed from upon high, give it a little polish, roll it in a bit of glitter and then, if it has begun to resemble an actual idea, bring it kicking and screaming into the public domain.
There is more Art in Artisan than people may think. Too often I’ve worked with creative heads who are incapable of turning on a Mac, never mind skillfully producing thousands of marketing assets through an in-depth knowledge of all things Adobe.
Can you imagine what the Sistine chapel ceiling would have looked like if Pope Julius II, the top ecclesiastical chap at the time, had decided to take that painting job on himself? Instead, I am delighted he got an Artisan named Michelangelo to have a go instead. Who would be considered the more creative of the two I wonder these days? The originator of the big idea or the chap who did the artwork.
Phil Lynagh
Director SHA.
“The opinions in this article are that of the author alone and in no way, reflect the opinions or viewpoint of the agency. Unless of course we happen to agree with those opinions completely, in which case they might, but otherwise they don’t”
