Related Posts
More Posts
Additional Posts in Advertising
What's the deal with BBDO LA?
What are your thoughts on Wunderman Thompson?
working from home? say Aye!
This is gross.
Chip on your shoulder for the win
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Pay is on the decline and hours are on the rise with no hope in the future. We need to look out for each other.
Yes ✊🏼
Much like a Cannes idea, i think this works better in theory than practice - at least on the creative department side. Unions work best when the work is very standardized and the workers are primarily motivated by the same set of simple incentives (i.e a clear, defined pay structure). Creative department work is the opposite of standardized. And creatives' motives a murky, needy stew that includes the desire for our own brand of micro-fame, novelty, creative expression and competition with other creatives - as well as money. How you take all those desires, and the variety of creative work - and create one simple contract that every creative (and agency) signs on to? I's ask other creatives to consider this hypothetical: If there were unions, and creatives could strike against agencies, would you cross a picket line for the opportunity to work at W+K, and do the kind of work they do? I would. In a heartbeat. And therein begins the trouble. I agree that the holding company capitalists work us, and make us compete with each other, like ravenous cannibal mules (again i'm talking creatives here) but they only succeed because we buy their unstated psychological premise: that our self-worth is connected to the quality of creative advertising we produce. If we can step off that particular psychological merry-go-round the creative department would be a perfectly pleasant place to work. But no union can rid of us of our need to be special. And until they can, they just won't work for ad creatives.
CD1 My vote is for the project managers.
I just read a tread about an employee who got sick from overtime work. Maybe we're past time to make a union to protect ourselves.
I don't know, CD1, dedicated professionals who have a stake in it?
Who the hell would organize it?
Unfortunately, I think we have a better chance of getting a health care bill through Congress then a union in advertising.
No.
Yes.
Every few years there's an article about someone dying because they were overworked. And, I just read a post about people over 40 worried about being aged out. Grey1 makes great points, but I think there could be demands with broad appeal.
Thanks for the love. To follow up: I think there could be something - some kind of association, or group - that isn't as adversarial and structured as a union, but still makes life fairer (if not perfectly fair) for us. Something that gives us a kind of voice.
This should have been done a long time ago. I consider the fact there is no ad creative union to top the list of why this industry is failing. There is no basement for payment from brands so it's a race to the bottom. Cheaper the better. And free pitches? Absolutely crazy. No other industry would give away their best ideas for free just for a chance to work on a business.
@Grey1 🙌
Well JAD1, i think it could be something like that. I think we have to realize that there are no clear standards of how to treat people in creative departments. Clients take as much as they can possibly get, push as hard as they can, then the bs runs downhill from there. So i think the first step would be getting a bunch of creatives together and defining reasonable standards. Then, step two, make more creatives aware of these standards, you know? I think that's where it begins - a clear standard, rather than just wanting to be treated "better".
Yes!!
Great answer @Grey1
Yes, definitely.
Yes!!!!
A petition?