Underdog accuses big shops of 'adbesity' We'd love to suggest how to Overcome Adbesity, but the people who coined this disease seem to have a hard time explaining exactly what it is. But I’ve combed through enough of their Web site to deduce that adbesity is a) an awkward portmanteau, and b) the way large agencies rely on annoying, overpriced, synchronous ad campaigns that favor profits over creative exposure of the product in question. If I’m right, then the term is spot on. But current treatments appear limited to regular doses of juvenile, sputtering rage at anything in a suit, and a vague nostalgia for an imaginary heyday where advertisers were respectable artistes. So while this microsite by Connecticut-based Outhouse Communication has a commendable message, the tone suggests that they despise the system not because of ideological differences, but because they weren’t allowed behind the velvet rope. —Posted by David Kiefaber

May 16, 2008 in Kiefaber | Permalink

Comments

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I work for a large agency and must agree that things have become bloated. I'm not seeing Outhouse as having a solution, though. Their site is poorly designed and it takes forever to get to any useful content--a bloated approach if I've ever seen it.

The problem with advertising today is that the media environment has vastly changed, and the old boys haven't kept up. Every day I see our broadcast department struggle to stay relevant and continue to present the same sort of ideas that worked in 1985. Time to wake up, dudes!

Posted by: copybot | May 16, 2008 3:37:21 PM

Greetings all. I just joined the site and wanted to say hi.

Posted by: llamafruit | May 19, 2008 9:29:38 AM

Focus group, anyone? You know, sometimes I think our industry is deserving of the notoriety it often receives. Did you happen to check your hypothesis about OUTHOUSE? You know..your 'velvet rope theory'? As a matter of fact, if memory serves correct, the head honcho at OUTHOUSE was a 16 year vet of FCB (now,sadly, DRAFTFCB). I think he's had his share of time behind in front of the rope, under the rope, behind the rope. In fact, he was probably either your boss or he authored one of the campaigns you've ripped off recently. Take a look at their website: www.outhousecomm.com and check out samples of past work. Then, check your hypothesis on the door and get on with it.

Posted by: Anonymous | May 20, 2008 4:37:25 PM

Please don't waste your time pointing out my typos. Merely a premature click on the 'Post' button.

Posted by: Anonymous | May 20, 2008 4:40:46 PM

OK, visited the website. The company name is totally appropriate. Half the print work looks like a student’s portfolio. The other half is ordinary. The TV is corny and dated. You may have been part of some club in the 90s, but you’re not getting past the velvet rope today, ladies.

xoxoxo

Posted by: adorexic | May 20, 2008 8:02:57 PM

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