why make it so hard for kids to crash the party?

Attendance was down at the Clios this year, confirmed by Nielsen's Director of Events Karl Vontz who added, sounding upbeat, that the quality of attendees was better--meaning that those able to wangle expenses from lean travel departments were execs higher on agency hierarchies.

Notably diminished in number were the eager young who swarm shows, making no secret they're trying to jump levels or jump shop.

One junior team came at their own expense--which didn't include the price of the $1550+ tickets. A freelance writer and AD from San Francisco anointed themselves "Crash the Clios."

"Why are we doing this," they asked on their blog. (Of course--they had a blog.) Because no one is going to send us... because it’s the 50th anniversary... because we feel all you need in advertising to make it is cojones and a good story. Truth was, they were there for the same reason many others were: to make connections that could lead to work.

At first, their attempts to infiltrate were thwarted by hotel security. The show was held at the Hard Rock Hotel, host to Rehab TV shoots for which security is tantamount to training for the old KGB. But thanks to intervention of Agency Spy, they managed to procure passes and spent the next couple of days live-tweeting, milling about and generally contributing to conversation.

My question is--why were they so resented? When Agency Spy posted about their presence, comments ranged from nasty: The last things creatives want to do at award shows is meet eager people looking for a job to vitriolic: Rather than sending some naive kids into the clios to pester folks who paid good money to be there, howsabout going and doing YOUR damn job and getting us the skinny on what's happening out there?


Have we become the type of business that eats its young? OK, financial investing in the next generation may be a thing of the past (remember paid internships and executive training sessions?) but a word of advice or encouragement costs nothing--yet proves invaluable to those launching careers. Remember?

Did the reaction have to do with a new meanspiritedness on Madison Avenue that Alan Wolk observed recently? Or did people unconsciously feel they were doing a favor by imparting the lesson most needed to succeed in this business: overcoming rejection.
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UPDATE--DISCLOSURE
Crash the Clios Team comes out of hiding to disclose contact info. (Now that they're safely back in SF and no longer in fear of retribution by Hard Rock security goons.) Good luck to art director Patrice Speed and copywriter Christopher Ryan. Hope your ingenuity and chutzpah pays off in card keys.

postcards from vegas

Last night was the CLIO Moving Image Awards (formerly known as Television) and the show opened with a Walk of Fame where larger than life icons of classic commercials bounced, danced and jiggled down a red carpet: Kool-Aid Man, Nesquik Bunny, Michelin Man, Charlie the Tuna. Big line for photos with Morris the Cat. Yep, I succumbed.



It wouldn't be Vegas without Barry Manilow who was honored with a Clio for his contributions to advertising, jingles he obligingly belted out in a medley on a white baby grand: You deserve a break today...I am stuck on BandAid...Like a good neighbor...All across the nation, it's the Pepsi generation...It's the most original soft drink...Up, up and away...no wait, he didn't write that one, only suggested it for the next Viagra commercial. He was wildly cheered by a standing crowd, some of whom held up lighters in tribute. (yes lighters. It's Vegas. You can smoke indoors. And engage in other activities the real world prohibits.)



Vintage spots from the 70s and 80s evoked nostalgic sighs from the audience. Remeber Coke's Mean Joe Green from 1979?



The kid who handed the Coke to Mean Joe was honored with a CLIO last night, 40 years later. He's Tom Okon. His dad was a Mad Man at Benton & Bowles and invited his brother to a casting session. Tom tagged along and was cast for the spot instead. He's got four kids of his own now. When I asked if he was in the business, he look surprised. Nope. He owns a construction company.



Extending the theme of Former Child Stars Now on the Speaking Circuit, presenter for the evening was Chris Knight. Peter from the Brady Bunch, remember?



Still here? You must be reading to find out who won the awards. Click through.

CLIO awards for emerging (some would say already hatched) media

High energy and entertainment value at last night's CLIO awards for Emerging Media. (Emerging? Neil Robinson, AKQA CD bridled at this in a panel: "Is it still 1997? Why are we still talking about the novelty of digital?")

No surprise that Crispin Porter + Bogusky took Gold in Interactive for Whopper Sacrifice which ECD Rob Reilly pointed out leveraged both social media and human nature. A Facebook application convinced more than 233,000 to defriend someone in return for a free Whopper. Dumped friends were informed they'd been sacrificed in messages that included their profile pics in flames. Facebook stepped in, disabling the app as it violated FB policy of not informing users when defriending occurs. But by then, the campaign had already converted 233,000 consumers and generated incalcuable free press and WOM. Crispin cleverly leveraged the fallout by cross-platforming the news in traditional print.

Another no brainer: Obama campaign won Gold for Integrated. Dipdive acceptor said, humbly, "Our client was the American people." No wonder their "product" was named Ad Age Marketer of the Year. A companion campaign, the hilariously effective "The Great Schlep" won Silver in Content & Category.



Surprises were multitudes of strong showings from afar. Particularly impressive was Silver winner for Innovative Media: BBDO Auckland's campaign for New Zealand Book Council. Brief: Encourage people to read again. Concept: Disguise books as computer documents so people will be able to read them at work, despite BOS. And organize books into an online library diguised to look like a Windows desktop.

An Aussie campaign for a travel company  was produced, interestingly, by an alliance between a strategic agency The Hallway and a creative one Happy Soldiers. How to get people to take vacations during a recession? Produce household staples and price them for pennies, so shoppers can spend money on travel instead.

Gold winner for viral (I know you hate that word) was Superfad's brilliant because oh-so-simple concept executed in charming animation for Durex. (As of today, 2.8 million unpaid views)



Lots more CLIO goodness (including stunningly sophisticated work from students at NYC's School of Visual Arts and Miami Ad School) in full list of winners here.

me and my new BFF Matt Weiner

Of course, the highlight of last night's CLIO awards for me was getting the opportunity to speak with Matt Weiner, recipient of first honorary CLIO award which wasn't a shiny gold statuette (his spots for the Relaxicizer would have to be real to earn one of those) but instead the more understated and recession-appropriate Lucite.

He is also creator of characters I ran away with on Twitter. So I was a little nervous about shaking hands with him. But "Mind?" he asked, looking incredulous. "I love what you're doing with Betty Draper!" Heartening words indeed from the man who created her. He said he loved all the Mad Men on Twitter and asked me to thank the other writers behind them. Sheepishly adding that he doesn't twitter himself. Yet.

I was impressed by his warmth and patience for photo-opps with fans who swarmed him. And by his generous words on the stage: I was interested in the history of advertising, and ironically I get to be a part of advertising history. But what most impressed me was that after accepting his award, he didn't bolt backstage to party or jet home to LA. He humbly stepped down, took a seat at a front table and watched attentively as others gathered their awards, looking rapt through even the student competitions. He is an old-school gentleman just like Don Draper. And, apparently, just as captivated by the business of advertising.