Viral Twitter thread compares advertising then and now
Has the ad industry really lost its creative spark?
We know the world of advertising has lost some of its magic and mystique. It's no longer one Old Fashioned after another like the world portrayed in Mad Men, nor continual lunches, dinners and industry events. But a Twitter thread has gone viral by suggesting that things are a lot worse than that. It seems that the industry's losing its creative spark – and the examples back that up.
The thread contains a series of 'then and now' comparisons that puts classic ads of the past alongside more recent, much less creative ads from the same brands. From Absolut Vodka to Apple, Porsche and Louis Vuitton, the examples seem to suggest that advertising creatives just aren't trying any more (for some examples of truly creative ads, see our pick of the best print ads of all time).
I've gotten a number of requests to create a single thread of my "How it started / how it's going" ad series. So here it is.https://t.co/c5FQmGesr2October 10, 2022
John Long, a former executive creative director at advertising giant Ogilvy and now at LG's in-house ad agency, began sharing ad comparisons on Twitter way back in 2020, heading each tweet with the phrase, 'How it started / how it's going'. His posts became so inundated with comments that he's now put them together into one devastating thread that highlights an apparent drought of creative ideas in recent advertising.
The difference in the level of the concepts and imagery used is stark, and particularly in the copy. Long juxtaposes past campaigns with sharp, witty copy with newer efforts that are just flat and dull. In the examples chosen, advertising appears to have become more literal. Instead of trying to capture the audience's imagination with a surprising concept or phrase, the ads simply show a product, with the copy often feeling like an afterthought. Even Apple comes in for criticism, with Long comparing its Muhammed Ali Think Different ad with a more recent ad for the MacBook Air that simply shows the laptop and its price.
Started / going pic.twitter.com/EWP6gwn0x6September 20, 2021
The thread has generated massive debate, with voices chiming in on both sides. Some agree with Long that advertising has become dull and have shared their own 'how it started / how it's going' comparisons. But others think the criticism is unfair, pointing out that some of the ads being compared were used in very different contexts – print magazine campaigns are compared against website and social media banners. However, Long argues that "everything a person sees from a brand makes the brand."
Nick Childs, chief creative officer at DIRT, replied: I think has shown us simply and perfectly how far we’ve fallen. How easily we gave up. It’s time to push back. More words, better pictures, richer craft."
We've gotten really lazy, folks. pic.twitter.com/Eb8f23fMOZSeptember 18, 2020
How it started / How it's going pic.twitter.com/GiR43TEBPvOctober 6, 2022
How it started / how it's going pic.twitter.com/JMwt87upYLOctober 10, 2022
How it started / how it's going. pic.twitter.com/WPM9dGYPNVJanuary 18, 2022
How it started / how it's going pic.twitter.com/xFnGTIq4g6September 30, 2022
How it started / how it's going pic.twitter.com/kiQNGkICPgOctober 7, 2022
Long's point is an interesting one, and we wonder if there has been a move to more literal, and more prosaic, advertising. But we suspect budget is also a big factor. Many of the older campaigns that Long uses in his comparisons had big budgets, which, in the current post-Covid-19 inflationary economic situation of 2022, many brands probably aren't going to spend on a social media campaign or on copy for their online store.
Get the Creative Bloq Newsletter
Daily design news, reviews, how-tos and more, as picked by the editors.
The debate reminds us a little of the argument that logos are all becoming the same. While some argue the fault is a lack of creativity, changing trends also play a role. Many of the sharp ads that Long has shared were from print magazines, which don't have the same weight in advertising as they once did. Readers would spend longer looking at an ad in print than they do online. However, we do still see creative print ads today – as we recognised in our print ad category in our own Creative Bloq at 10 awards.
Read more:
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
- Daniel JohnDesign Editor
Related articles
- I'm already excited for Black Friday iPad deals – and here's why
- The challenges of being an indie dev, "About a third of the way through the game's development, I hated the damn thing"
- Maybelline’s new campaign is a refreshing take on mental health
- Fans declare Silent Hill 2 fog removal mod 'blasphemy'