May 11th, 2009
Grey gets my middle finger.
Posted by
Michael Calienes in
miscellany
The only comfort in grey is imagined.
Grey is a state of mind — a nebulous mass of indecisiveness. Grey is a maybe. Grey is nothing but an excuse. Grey says it’s okay to straddle the fence, delay the decision, and avoid a position. Grey keeps you average and impedes greatness.
Yes, grey exists, and it’s good to be able to perceive and understand it, but living grey is a whole other matter.
Be black. Be white. Be whatever color you want to be. But make it solid. And f* grey.
absolutely, positively…spot on.
Michael, first time on your blog. A lot of intriguing perspectives.
This one reminds me of the continual battle between brands and their corporate compliance teams.
Agencies develop impactful creative and messaging, only to be dumbed down and muted by brands who are concerned about overpromising. The result is all-to-often ads that are more or less ‘grey’ in nature. I agree with your sentiment especially in this scenario.
hey jamie — i agree with you but did you hear about norwegian cruise line’s gorgeous campaign back in the 90s? goodby was the agency; herb ritz was the photographer/ director; customers rebelled because the reality didn’t match the advertising. overpromising is a valid concern but it shouldn’t be an excuse from crappy work. and i know — we’ve all been there. it’s always good to err on the side of underpromising and overdelivering. thanks for coming in and posting a response. i appreciate your feedback. hope all’s well with you.