ADOI Blog

The creative process.

edward_ong on 06 15, 2009

Remember those great Volkswagen ads? What went through their minds when they came up with the big idea? Here’s a hypothetical scenario in a typical US agency in the early sixties. The Creative Director (CD) has just received the brief and is having a discussion with the Copywriter (CW) and Art Director (AD).

CD: Hey guys, remember that car account Bill brought in? We, uh, need an ad for Saturday.

CW: What? It’s almost 5 o’clock now man.

AD: Let me guess – the media guys went ahead and booked the space, now we’re committed to it.

CD: Same old same old. It’s like they’re a separate company, the way we’re working.

CW: So what’s this car about anyway?

CD: Well, it’s called a … lemme see, Volkswagen … it’ll never take off.

AD: Hey, that’s the car by that Hitler guy. That sonofagun killed my parents!

CD: So anyway, client doesn’t have a picture of the car  – we’ll just have to make do with this tiny pic from a brochure.

CW: It’s a mouse of car.

Intern: Looks more like a beetle to me.

CW: Who asked you? And where’s my coffee anyway?

AD: Why are we doing ads for Hitler?

CD: So what can we say about this car? Why do we get all the last minute work dumped on us?

CW: My cosmic sense tells me … we won’t be doing many ads for this …yolk, folks … whatchallit?

AD: I’ll just do a simple, boring layout. We can all go back after that.

CD: C’mon guys, where’s the team spirit?!

CW: Hey, show him some love man … I mean his parents, the holocaust…

CD: Alright, fine! Tell you what … you just draw a little box … like this … stick this sucker in a corner here and we’re done!Blame the suits for not giving us a hires.

CW: How about this as a headline: Introducing the polks …

CD: Volks.

CW: Introducing the Volkswagen. Fun and excitement begens!

AD: I like it.

CD: Great! Let’s do it up guys!

Intern: How about ‘Think small’?

CW: What kind of stupid, lame-brained, moronic, half-baked headline is that?!

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