I Would Write Anything For Cash, But I Won’t Write That

It’s been a long time since Neil Young sang about…well, who he wouldn’t sing for:

But when it comes to advertising people, most of us have few, if any, clients we wouldn’t work on.

What does it say about us if we refuse to work on something, or oppose the way a prospective or current client runs its business? It doesn’t make someone an anti-capitalist. As advertising professionals, we’re paid to compete in the marketplace of ideas. Part of that also means we can work to change our clients’ minds about their business practices.

But taking a stand has its risks. It’s easy to feel queasy about refusing to work on a piece of business, knowing there’s a distinct possibility that in this economy, five other people are willing to step up and work on it.

It’s the subject of my new column on Talent Zoo.

Are there accounts you’d refuse work on? Did you ever say, “No, I won’t work on that account” at a job you had? If so, what was the reaction?