Artwork by Tarek Chemaly

"These people know each other... Hang out in the same places, smoke the same cigars" this is what a friend told me when lately I was upset about how the advertising Agencies treat me - a blogger who basically is a full one-man army who does his own research, and publishes his own material and disseminates it via social media. Compare that to how agencies suck up to the "leading" trade magazines in the region - a simple mention of those agencies in those magazines to which they agencies in question have sent the material, paid for a full page ad or an online banner (or both) - is enough for those companies to gloat and brag.

Fact - I have more readers than many of those so-called leading magazines. I have amassed that following via consistent hard work, an incredible archive, a keen eye for duplicates all without whoring myself to the highest bidder in the hope of covering my monthly losses (which, by not printing, distributing and warehousing left-over issues, and by not having inefficient staff - I do not incur such losses).

Interestingly, agencies reach out to me more often than you think - when their material is plagiarized (either to notify me or to defend their theft), when I have given an unbiased opinion about their substandard work (yes, I guess they need to threaten - and I am measuring my words, to justify their failing work in front of clients).
Here's another fact  - this blog is part of the Epica Awards jury sitting alongside very prestigious publications some of which have ceased their physical presence and focused on the digital element, because, you know - the times they are a changin' as the Nobel laureate for literature Bob Dylan once said.

Here's my two cents: today, I feel pity for you ad agency people.

You are still stuck in your echo chamber. You think by reaching out to your own people you are gratifying yourselves.

You are not.

Do note, if I write this it's not for "consolation prize" inclusion in your silly mailing lists. Or for you to send me material (and then emotionally blackmail me to either include it or throw a positive spin about it). It is simply for telling you that by keep doing what you are doing, you are trying to exclude the same people - the average person looking at your ad - from the equation.

"The consumer is not a moron, she's your wife" said David Ogilvy. I dare misquote and say "the consumer is not a moron, he's my reader".