I used to live in Philly and it’s far from the ugliest city in America. Yet, Travel & Leisure named it such in a readers’ poll. The readers have obviously never been to Gary, Indiana. At any rate, Philadelphia-based agency Gyro is now making lemonade from the lemons.
Gyro CEO Steven Grasse remarks, “Walking around this city is like rubbernecking at a car accident. It’s hideous, but you just can’t stop gawking. It’s fascinating and deeply disturbing at the same time.” “I’m from Philly. My ancestors are from Philly. And it seems every day I see new levels of ugliness. It’s time we cashed in on our heinousness.”
According to Gyro’s press release, this is a campaign without a client at this time. The agency will offer the campaign to the board of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation. Gyro would like to see the campaign run in hipster publications that beautiful people look at such as Surface, BlackBook and Nylon. “Beautiful People love to feel superior to everyone else,” comments Grasse.
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Really?
Gyro does spec and you post about it?
Let us know next time bogusky wipes his ass.
Oh, and where’s that Burger King Movie everyone was jizzing over a couple years ago.
The one without a director, script, distribution, production company or investors? Remember? That one.
What am I supposed to do with a comment like this? My first impluse is to ignore it. My second impulse is to blast the sender with my own brand of cynical barbs. Of course, I could also delete it.
The fact is, I’m over this kind of interweb bitchfest. The fact that it comes from an anonymous source in Seattle is little help to anyone. What can a person possibly gain from anonymous bitching of this sort? I truly do not grasp how leaving a shit trail for other people to step in makes one feel better.
Eh. Ignore him. Philly rulez, even if we are ugly! I dig the post, thanks for pointing it out!
At the risk of having my goolies handed to me on a silver platter, I — somewhat reluctantly — find myself taking up the cudgel on Vox’s behalf.
You may not like the tone of Vox’s criticism or the fact that he (or is it she?) hides behind a nom de plume. But from where I sit, he (or she) does have a valid point.
Sure, Gyro’s spec work is cute. But does it really merit any more praise or attention than the bogus “ghost ads” that fill the pages of “Archive” and win way too many awards ?
Seems to me that the only thing this “campaign” is advertising is Gyro.
Of course, they are well within their rights to promote themselves however they see fit — just as you are well within your rights to post whatever you see fit.
But, as a longtime visitor to this site, I think you’ve got the stones to take legitimate criticism, no matter how unpleasant it may be.
What you call an “interweb bitchfest,” I call a free and unfettered exchange of ideas and opinions.
Carl, are you an ad man or a politician?
When I post something here it doesn’t mean I’m endorsing the work, the agency, the client or what have you, unless I specifically say I am.
As for the “free and unfettered exchange of ideas,” I’m far from convinced that comments on a blog come anywhere near that lofty ideal. I’m even further away from believing that AdPulp needs to provide this kind of imperfect forum.
Am I an ad man or a politician? Is there a difference?
By the way, David, your claim that you are not necessarily “endorsing the work” would seem to be belied by the header “Gyro Offers Its City Some Nice Spec Work.” The word “Nice” would certainly seem to indicate your seal of approval.
As for the “free and unfettered exhange of ideas and opinions,” well, yeah, I suppose that’s a bit lofty given the nature of many of those exchanges (this one being a case in point).
And yet as much as I enjoy reading you and Danny G, many times it’s what readers have to say in response that really gets me thinking. I’ve had my own opinions challenged and changed. And I think that’s a good thing. Otherwise you just wind up operating in an echo chamber where the only voice you hear is your own.
Goofballs like me aside, I think Adpulp has benefited from the presences of intelligent, insightful commentators like HighJive and veedub (who also, by the way, choose to remain anonymous).
In fact, I dare say that providing an open forum for frank discussion and debate is the most valuable service that your site — and Ernie Schenck’s and George’s and Adfreak’s — provides. It’s certainly what keeps me coming back.
And I say that as a fan of this site.
And don’t forget: Vote Carl LaFong in ’08!
I hear you Carl. And the back-and-forth is valuable when it works. That’s why it’s still here.
Concerning Gyro, it is “nice” spec work. But I don’t offer my opinion on spec’s place in our world. Also, please note that Gyro isn’t calling what they’re doing spec and I highly doubt that they appreciate me doing so. I know that’s not obvious without their press release as a source document. I’m just adding it in now for your benefit.
p.s. I think regular readers know who Veedub is. But who is Carl LaFong? Google tells us it’s a W.C. Fields reference.
First: When you link the agency website, and reproduce half their Press Release, you’re endorsing them.
Second: My snarky bitchitude was misplaced. My distaste is for Gyro more than adpulp.
Your blog is good. As are your comments on this and other blogs.
So.
Chalk it up to a bad day?
Sure. Thanks VoxUnpopuli.