The Ambush

February 8, 2008 at 3:48 pm (advertising, new media) (, , )

Hey Everybody,

I wanted to ask your advice on a situation that happened to me yesterday at work. If you are trying to work in New Media this has undoubtedly happened to you at least once. But this was my first ambush.

I was asked by one party in our company to create some ideas (public relations and new media) to promote our agency’s involvement in the production of some new wine labels. I was asked to meet with our head art director. She in turn scheduled the meeting for me with herself, our creative director and many other creative dept. employees, 8 in total I think. And Me. I did not know that I was walking into a chopping block.

I believe they felt the I was challenging the artistic integrity of their ideas by suggesting that users and current consumers could play an effective role in selecting the new labels. I didn’t even know how to argue against so many negative voices. Plus, I am the freshmen of the PR dept., and it is no small feat to take on the Creative Department. So, I tried to swallow my pride and move on. But what do you do here? If you know that your ideas are good and inexpensive and can make a difference, you have to play them, right? You have to try, right?

What I always hear about this revolution is that it will not come from the top down, but rather from up from the trenches. Well, I’m in the trenches and I can’t advance with the general’s boot-heel on my throat.

What have you done in similar situations? I tried to present cases of similar ideas that were effective, but they were laughed off by saying that consumer opinion isn’t as important as design and can’t be trusted. How can I argue with that opinion?

Anyways, I’m hard-up for advice and I don’t know who to talk to.

Down and out in Omaha, NE,

EverybodysAGenius

1 Comment

  1. Miranda McCurlie said,

    February 8, 2008 at 8:28 pm

    Hello,

    I am even more junior then you (new blood and still in school) but it seems to me that any type of change is always started out with rejection and cynicism. It’s a historical fact! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Luncheon_on_the_Grass)

    Do your co—workers read your blog? Because perhaps you have stepped closer to a victory because they are able to read your thoughts.

    Social media is cheap, effective and honest (for the most part). I think it is a brilliant idea to give some of that illustrious control back to the people who actually buy the product. I think they call that web 2.0? (insert wink face emoticon that we all love to hate)

    Once again, I am lower then the trenches. I am the people back at home saying you should do this and that.

    Cheers!
    Miranda

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