Because certain creative directors like to send updates to Twitter about what award show they’re currently judging, I thought to ask a rhetorical question in the wee hours before sun up this morning.
Q. how much time do “famous” creative directors spend working versus judging award shows? in a ratio please.
Thankfully, one famous creative director had the nerve to answer.
Mark Tuttsell of Leo Burnett has been appointed Film & Press Jury President for Cannes Lions 2010, an honor, but one that’s bound to eat up at least two weeks of the man’s time this spring.
Uh oh. I’ve judged two shows this year and another one coming. And I’ve tweeted about it. You’re right: trapped in a hotel conference room for a day or two does take you away from the business of creating and creative directing. In some ways it’s like when politicians endlessly campaign instead of actually governing. In defense, seeing so much (presumably) good work does provide me with a ton on inspiration. And it’s fun meeting so many luminaries. Last week Stan Richards. Next month Jeff Goodby. How do you say no to that?
I think the issue is ‘famous’. I come from outside the Ad Industry, changing careers from Industrial B2B to Advertising (I know, why you ask LOL) and only last summer started on Twitter. I notice Creative Directors tend to self promote themselves and their agencies. The nuts and bolts creatives..you know the ones doing the real work tend to enjoy sharing ideas/views and critiquing the CD’s self gloried tweets LOL Are most CD’s people who failed to become stars in TV, Film or Art?
Certain people do seem to spend an awful lot of time judging shows. Advertising is a strange business that way. Imagine if great architects, or directors or painters stopped practicing their craft so they could instead fly around commenting on the work of others? Martin Scorsese will be directing movies when he’s 70, not just sitting on film juries.
ha.
sorry i spelled Tuttsell wrong. but it is a bit funny how “certain” characters seem to spend ALL their time on juries. things must be ticking along just grand back at their agencies. right? surely.
i also meant the ratio to be 9:1 in favor of jury-mongering over actual work.
Certain characters keep going to certain shows over and over. Cannes is a perfect example, as are the Andy’s. These folks are advertising’s version of slum landlords. They flit around having their fun and once in a while check in on their “property” which is usually in need of a lot of renovation.