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#001:
ARE WE NOT ADEQUATE TO THE TASK? A few weeks ago, some of us in the creative industry were calling on tech giants and ourselves to address a problem they and we are in no position to solve. Unfortunately, history doesn’t bode well for anyone other than the manufacturers or — if not — the government to act. The Consumer Product Safety Commission ALONE regulates over 15,000 different consumer products. Why? Because manufacturers apparently can’t be trusted to make lead-free anything. Don’t believe the government can act swiftly in the name of consumer safety? Look up “lawn darts.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and others all exist to ensure the safety of products put in the hands of citizens. Do note that the FCC regulates advertising and tech. Oh, I forgot to mention the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Forgive me. For now, let’s rule out tech companies from solving the problem. The technology already exists. Again, it relies on manufacturers’ benevolence or real government action to implement. That leaves creative agencies. Advertising has effectively addressed social causes and health crises such as teen smoking. Now, due to the sheer goodwill of manufacturers, we’re making ads fighting the rise in e-cigarette usage. Our industry can encourage you to reconsider your choice of soda, a new make of car, or that all-natural treat Mittens will just absolutely love. All while being federally regulated, mind you. We can conjure the events from nearly a decade ago — and annually mark that these events continue to occur — like clockwork. Calling on advertising to solve the problem puts the wrong industry on the hook. We haven’t the means any more than a teacher’s union. We’ve been pushing this same goddamned rock uphill for 10 years. Preaching to the same exasperated choir. Do we continue failing to change hearts and minds while others offer thoughts and prayers? Bring on the bread and circuses of political theater. Ten years… And nothing has changed. We are past the point of being clever. Clever sells stain-remover. We are past bestowing another pencil, cube, bust, or lion to the resounding cheer of ineffectiveness**. We are past the point of persuasion. Because a vast majority of Americans already agree — here, here, and yes, even here. We are past the point of making old white men look like fools. Because the talking heads are incomprehensibly comfortable with being foolish. We are past the point of reasoned debate. Because they can’t be bothered with reason. As for all the noise from a few weeks ago? They’ve apparently sucked all the air out of the room and have rendered us silent, if not complacent. The news cycle grinds on and the fervor from a mere few weeks ago has faded.
How do we move forward?
There is no brief, no strategy, no media plan to solve this. There is only brute force.
If we as an industry don not recognize this…
Then we are not adequate to the task.
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