Twitter Powered Agency Website Has No Soul

I was making an effort this week to be less cynical, when along comes a letter from Claire at EuroRSCG to ruin my vow. Seems the London agency's new "Twitter powered" website is up, "letting the 200 people within its office power its website in real-time."

Russ Lidstone, CEO Euro RSCG London, said, “The agency listens to its employees and connects with its clients on a completely new level. This new Twitter centric website embodies our belief that social media should sit at the heart of what we do.” OK, Russ, now let's change your title to CWO, Chief Wanking Officer.

Why won't this work? First, employees are going to be cheeky yet careful, not allowed to reveal their true thoughts, which is half the fun of Twitter. They will always be mindful of the boss and the clients watching.

How to get around that? Create fake profiles, or alternate profiles for real people so they can keep their normal lives off the homepage of the agency. What do you get? Boring, safe, company shills alternately touting client sites while trying to make life in the London office appear light and fun. This won't last, and what is its point anyway? To show clients that we understand the crazy new world of social media?

Here are the profiles of some of the recent tweeters on the EuroRSCG page:

Seeing a pattern?. All new accounts. Either EuroRSCG's employees really weren't all that into Twitter in the first place, or more likely, brass made them create alternate "work" accounts for this endeavor.

Naomi, from one of the profiles above, offers a link to her personal blog, however, where her bio tells it all:

London girl in the soulless world of advertising, seeks outlet for obsessive need to consume and own many pretty things.

Finally, honesty. But I'll bet you some money Naomi's bosses will ask her to remove the link very soon. Too much transparency. Too much truth.

To Photocopiers!

Last week's Mad Men ended with the office Christmas Party, but they forgot one thing. Original image found at a Flickr stream I will be frequenting. (Click for larger)

Old Art Director: Special Holiday Edition

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Previously:

Old AD #3
Old AD #2
Old AD - Pilot

Old Art Director - Volume I, No. 3

Alright - this theme might be played now.

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Old Art Director - Volume I, No. 2

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This is Exactly What iGoogle Is to Me

Having all my toys in one place when I open a browser has proven a bad thing, as I am so easily distracted by the colors and sounds. Then again, if it keeps me from throwing fits and acting like a baby, softly cooing in that docile way the boss appreciates, maybe it's not so bad.

Bring me some smashed peas and carrots.

Starry Eyed Dreamer

Let's Run That By A Few More People

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You're Not an Artist. You're a Tool

David Burn over at AdPulp remarked in a tweet yesterday that the best line from this week's episode of Mad Men was, "You're not an artist, Peggy. You solve problems."

It was a great line, but I'm feeling even more cynical than that today. So, here's to all the short-sighted, buck-passing, back-stabbing, micro-managing, self-inflated clowns we deal with daily.

grande

Lest you think I harbor fantasies that this business is anything more than selling, here's a 3-year old post.

Oops, Did I Just Say That?

Like the accidental "reply all" only meant for one recipient, sometimes we accidentally say what's really on our minds.

Click it and print it and post it in your hellish little cubicle

Create Cool Shit

Another in what has become an endless series, the components of which I am trying to locate and put together in a comprehensive category for your viewing pleasure.

Click it if you ever hope to read it.

Cuttin' Slack for Good Customer Service

I called the garage where my car is being worked on today. It's been two days. They’re usually pretty prompt. Al answered the phone. He’s a nice guy with a thick accent that I can’t place, though it's somewhere in America’s Northeast. Al explained that it’d been a hectic day and they were “working on it.” Having a hectic day myself, I understood. In fact, I’ll bet our jobs aren’t much different, Al’s and mine. (And agencies love to call themselves "shops.")

When I think about it, my job now isn’t much different from many jobs. When I was a room service waiter at a resort in San Diego years ago, we’d arrive at 3 in the afternoon, get buried in work, help each other out, run around like mad dogs trying to keep ahead of the rush, find a brief lull where we caught our breath, then another rush, unexpected complaints and do-overs, solve problems, sneak a beer, (we had a friend in Purchasing who kept us stocked in iced-down Heineken) clean up the area, restock and shut the place down at 11:00 and go home. Same here, except for the sneak a beer part. Probably the same for Al at the garage. Or an emergency room surgeon. Or a Navy chaplain. An automotive designer. A Defense Department programmer. Elementary school janitor. OK, we're not saving lives or protecting the Pentagon's servers where I work, but you get the idea. We’re all keeping ahead of the rush, solving problems and going home.

At day's end Craig from the garage called me. "What's up?" I inquired cheerily, fully expecting the "Come pick up your car," notice. "I screwed up and ordered the wrong part," Craig said, "It won't be ready until tomorrow. But I thought I'd just give you the news upfront rather than beat around the bush."

Craig screwed up. He was honest about it. We're out of a car for another day. But we'll deal. And the same garage will get our business next time the car needs servicing. They always treat us fairly.

When we're straight with clients, even when we're late on a job due to our own screw-ups, we're likely to get some slack cut our way.

Someday I’m going to bring a case of beer, on ice, to Al, Craig and their crew.

Tire Tracks All Across Your Back

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