Issue #7 | Vikki Ross on a better way to judge ads and the taglines we should leave in 2021
Welcome to RIP, a tribute to every great idea the world never gets to see
Things have been a little quiet around here lately. (If this is the first you’ve heard from Rest in Progress then hi, hello, welcome—it’s usually more happening than this, I swear.)
They say one of the telltale signs of suffering from depression is your antipathy to doing the things you love. And for me, when I received the big D diagnosis from my doctor last spring, it meant anything creative went straight out the window. I backed out of side projects, neglected improv, and let this newsletter gather dust in my browser history.
Life felt like one big blank page I was afraid to start on. Cursor impatiently blinking on the screen, brain tricking me into thinking I had nothing worth saying.
But when I spoke to Rishi Dastidar about blank pages back in 2020, he told me “the first flush of creation needs us to be as uncritical as possible.” He says, “There’s always time to tweak, change, improve, rewrite, but you can only do that once you have the first draft out.” And it’s this advice I’m slowly applying to my life—getting back out there, without criticism or expectation, and revelling in saying yes. Yes to therapy and to medication, but also yes to lunchtime strolls and late nights in the pub, to camping trips and climbing hills, and to leaving my troubles (read: face-planting) on a surfboard in the Atlantic.
And now, though there are still (plenty of) days when it all feels too much, the blank page of my brain feels a little less scary. Pens are scattered around my flat, notebooks have found their purpose again, and the tap tap tapping of my keyboard is a familiar sound once more.
I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m back (sort of). Rest in Progress will be more frequent again and I’ll be chatting to new and exciting folk about their favourite pieces of work that never saw the light of day.
Joining me on my big return is Vikki Ross. Copy chief, twitter legend, and someone I had on my features wishlist when RIP was mere scribbles on a napkin. She shares her idea for a new kind of advertising award, the copy lines that make her wince, and why chicken kiev is such a great pairing of words.
Welcome to Rest in Progress, Vikki. What’s your idea and what happened (or better yet, didn’t happen) to it?
Jury Service for Advertising.
An advertising awards competition judged by real people—the people we advertise to. With industry legends leading the categories they specialise in. So I’d ask Mary Wear to lead the Copywriting category, Alexandra Taylor to lead the Art Direction category, Dave Trott to lead the advertising category, Steve Harrison to lead the Direct Marketing category, MT Rainey to lead the Planning category. You get the idea.
What happened? Nothing. It’s still waiting to happen so if anyone reading wants to make it happen…
What is it about this idea you can’t let go of?
It’s a bit different, isn’t it?
So often we talk to ourselves. And we don’t listen to the people who matter. The real people who see our ads in real life. I think it could be an interesting experience for everyone involved.
You often take your Twitter followers on a #CopySafari where you search for words in the wild (display windows, out-of-home etc) and comment on execution and creative. Does seeing what other brands are putting out there factor into your own creative process—even if it’s establishing what not to do?
Sure does.
Everything does.
Seeing or hearing a word can trigger an idea or a line. And seeing what other brands are doing—especially brands in the category I’m working on—makes sure I do things differently.
Another benefit of seeing words in the wild on a #CopySafari is that we see them as real people do. Not on a computer screen or presented in a deck. And we see how real people react to ads on the street and signage in-store. It’s really important that we pay attention to real people and what they do and say.
What do you think is the most overused phrase in advertising?
Oh my word, there are so many. Unfortunately.
Here’s one that’s annoying me this week: Why not… When the line’s all “Why not try our blah blah blah?” I’m all “Yeah, but why?” We’ve got to give readers reasons to believe and buy.
“Redefined” is another. Do you know how much stuff is redefined? I’m talking sleep, smoking, luxury, lifestyle, royalty, denim and distribution. And woman. WTF? I have a collection—68 examples of ads that say redefined. FFS.
🛎️ QUICK-FIRE ROUND 🛎️
If your creative process was a Netflix series, which one would it be and why?
Merry Happy Whatever.
(Readers, please note I’m writing this right after Christmas.)
“Merry” because I get excited at the start of the process. “Happy” because I calm down once I’m into it and think everything’s going okay. “Whatever” because by the end, I’m all “I can’t do this” and “How did I get this job?” so what I send to a client is whatever I have to accept as the best I can do without having an anxiety attack.
Which brand is putting out good work right now?
Netflix.
They know their brand, and they aren’t afraid to use it. In everything. It shouldn’t be so impressive because every brand should be as committed to brand consistency. But they’re not. So Netflix are nailing it. Right down to using their sonic brand asset (the sound you hear when you watch a show or film with them) to name their fan event last year, Tudum. Give ‘em a Grammy. Or whatever they’d win for being brilliant at branding.
Shoutout to Vikki for sharing her wisdom (and to you for making it to the end). Time to round this thing up with things that kept my brain happy this week:
Wordle. IYKYK.
This brilliant aboot page (and comic sans logo)
I live here now
But when I’m not there, you can always find me here
This stunner of a film
The absolute truth of this tweet
Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman
Everything about the original What We Do in the Shadows
Me in a Disney movie
Got an RIP you want to share? Slide into my DMs. Also struggling with your mental health? Please, hit reply, and let’s do coffee.