Tale of Joy

Advertising can be a dark, discouraging, even embittering business at times, don’t you think? So, in the hope of mitigating the misery, let me share with you a tale of joy, not woe.

Last fall I got a call from Rick Scobee, Top Dog at the Marketing Edge. His client, Carl Buddig Meats, had decided to do a TV spot as part of their summer push. Buddig hadn’t done any TV advertising for a decade or more, and the spots they had done were few and far between.

Apparently, they had gotten a deal on a media buy. The only thing was, it was for :15 spots. So, okay, we were going to do a :15.

Then there was the budget. Their hope was to bring this spot in for $50,000 or so. My initial reaction, upon hearing this budget, was to recommend radio. But TV it would be. So okay, we’re going to do a :15 for $50,000 or so.
I began working with the Marketing Edge on concepts in February, and we presented three of these concepts to the Buddig folks.

Here I must digress. As a freelance copywriter, I have adopted a policy regarding concept development that has served me well: Give the client at least one idea you’re confident they can buy. And at least one concept you love. Of course, with many clients, the concept you love (or at least the concept I love) is often so odd as to be unbuyable by the client. Nevertheless, it serves a couple of purposes. It’s a means of keeping your creative chops working. And it entertains the client, thus reassuring them that they’ve chosen an actual creative person to work on their project, even if they haven’t got it in them to buy the really creative idea. But the most important reason to always present at least one idea you love is best expressed by Chairman Jimmy’s sage words: The client will surprise you. The client will, on occasion, buy something you never thought they would. But only if you show it to them. If you leave that really interesting concept back at the ranch, because it had no chance, well, that’s a self-fulfilling failure if ever there was one.

So, came the presentation. In deference to the limited budget, we forewent storyboards, presenting our ideas in script form. First we showed a fairly straightforward, not terribly unexpected tabletop idea -- the one the client could buy. Then we presented an unconventional tabletop idea that was pretty funny. I liked the idea, but wasn’t sure if the client would go for it. Finally we showed a kind of odd, fun idea involving a ping pong match between a good player and a bag of Buddig meat. This of course, was the one I loved. Guess what happened? The client bought it. And then guess what happened? They didn’t start chipping away at it, or diminish it in any way.
That set the tone for the entire production. Producer Linda Garland, art director Linda Buchanan and I got to work. Deals were struck. Favors were asked. Fees were forsaken in the name of doing the spot right. All the pieces fell into place like butter.

The client agreed to the director we recommended: Dave Dolle. We showed them three possible ping pong player principals, recommending the most interesting, who was, of course, also the riskiest. Again, the Buddig folks consented. They agreed to our location recommendation without batting an eye. Id Music’s John Mennella signed on to do the track. Swell would do the editing. We were in business, somehow.

Dolle displayed his directorial genius, plotting out, and then executing a virtually flawless, remarkably efficient one-day shoot. He worked the ping pong players masterfully. Again, the Buddig folks were nothing but supportive, cooperative, flexible and trusting all day. What a pleasure.

At Swell, Gregory David cut the spot. Upon viewing the initial rough cut, we made maybe three or four little tweaks. Showed it to Buddig. They loved it, making only one suggestion, which, as it turned out, made it a stronger spot.

Next, John Mennella and I spent an afternoon exploring a vast spectrum of musical approaches. The result of this seamlessly collaborative dance was a very fun, somehow perfect track. Meanwhile, Gregory David, always pushing, tweaked the already-approved edit. The change was such an obvious improvement, we didn’t even seek approvals before finishing it the new way.

Rick Scobee was deftly hands-off, asserting his presence only when it was needed to ensure that the process proceeded smoothly. Linda Garland discreetly orchestrated the project, on time, on budget, with nary a hitch.
So guess what happened? In the end, we had a quirky, charming little :15 that is sure to boost Buddig awareness and sals.

To top it off, synergistic serendipity reared its always welcome head in the form of this summer’s ping pong festival. Thank you, Chicago, for putting your support behind this spot.

This unlikely, not terribly promising project, became an orgy of mutual respect, egoless collaboration and single-minded, unwavering focus on the goal. And it was fun. Take heart. It can happen.