Time to StopTheAdness?
By Steve Mullins. Ad advancement. “Advertising professionals are now the second least trusted professionals in the world after politicians.”
Who says?
David Smith, executive creative director at Baltimore-based ad agency Carton Donofrio Partners.
What else does he have to say for himself?
“Advertising simply isn’t working as well as it could because the social contract – the implicit agreement advertisers and consumers have established to support a productive exchange – has been violated.”
What is Carton Donofrio going to do about it?
Well, it has launched StopTheAdness initiative which aims to change the way advertising is done. Or, ‘one little agency’s ambitious attempt to cure a very sick patient called advertising’.
And everyone is invited to help make things better.
“StopTheAdness.org is a place where we – the industry and consumers – can articulate our likes and dislikes about advertising to learn what we can collectively do to improve it,” say Smith.
The website includes a pledge, which asks advertisers, agencies and the media to commit to changing their behaviour. There’s also a Wall Of Fame, a place for praise for those getting it right. And a Wall Of Shame for… well, you know. And there’s a What’s On Your Mind feature to facilitate a dialogue between consumers and the ad industry.
The initiative has support too.
“We applaud StopTheAdness.org,’ says said Mike Donahue, evp of the American Association of Advertising Agencies. “Carton Donofrio’s initiative is in today’s spirit of asking consumers to join important conversations, and anything that can help our business improve our image is a worthwhile endeavor.”
