Real success in entertainment has always come from word of mouth, so naturally the marketing weenies are chasing this elusive phenomenon by way of social media.
The underlying point in yesterday’s post was that all this “social opportunities” thrumming is in itself a means of diminishing the value of traditional advertising skills. It’s hard to imagine News Corp., Viacom, Time Warner, Comcast et al. wanting to continue picking up the tab for multiple six-figure-a-year-salaried art directors working on campaigns that may or may not be as effective in driving viewership as co-opting 40 or 50 million Facebook potatoes.
Still think the floodwaters aren't going to reach your floor?
Who cares? I got enough crops planted in Farmville to feed my family for years.
Posted by: Farmer Ted | Friday, September 16, 2011 at 12:49 PM
That's "Floodwaters©," Edwina
Posted by: Potato in Pomona | Friday, September 16, 2011 at 01:47 PM
Rising floodwater lifts all boats.
Posted by: Captain Ahab | Friday, September 16, 2011 at 01:55 PM
Shit! Now my ex-wife knows how much I make.
Posted by: The Screaming Art Director | Friday, September 16, 2011 at 04:07 PM
Not all art directors make 6 figures, please don't stereotype the poor souls that are working their ass of for pennies. Flooding is good, it weeds out the bad ones and maybe I can have my 6 figures job back.
Posted by: I got laid off and I am pissed | Friday, September 16, 2011 at 10:12 PM
Uh duh. No wonder you got laid off -- you’re a tard. Srsly. Did you flunk reading comprehension?
Posted by: Pope John | Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 09:10 AM
I got news for you, Laid Off, you’re already under water.
Posted by: Adee Do! (no relation to Peter) | Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 04:34 PM
“Disaster good! Me like!” Laid Off sounds like a typical art director: dumb as a box of crayons.
Posted by: Smarty Pants | Monday, September 19, 2011 at 11:48 AM
Display advertising of any kind, print or web, is going to be gone in a few years. Social media requires little design skill. Most people will access the web off their phones and if a page won't load within a second or two (and good luck with that if you have ATT), it's useless. They're already being stripped down to basically text. Fancy schmancy rich media sites will look as quaint as one-sheets in a few years. Streaming will eliminate the need for DVD art.
I'm just waiting for one of the studios to take the leap and release a film without a poster. It's bound to happen sooner rather than later.
Posted by: Anita Cocktail | Monday, September 19, 2011 at 03:09 PM
Producers cant hang facebook in their office. I hear tv is going to kill off movies, and we will all be flying our own planes to work soon.
Posted by: BitterLemon® | Monday, September 19, 2011 at 05:33 PM
Facebook is the future AOL (or better yet, Prodigy.) "Like" R.I.P.
Posted by: Nostradamus, Jr. | Monday, September 19, 2011 at 07:30 PM
Hey BitterLemon only old people have offices.
Posted by: www | Monday, September 19, 2011 at 11:00 PM
omg, there won't be any need for artists/designers anymore....hurry get out while you can...save yourselves!!!! take up that exciting career in telemarketing you always wanted! hurry, operators are standing by.
Posted by: gold1807 | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 11:08 AM
BitterLemon is right on. As long as there are eye sore digi boards, billboards, tall walls, busses, bus benches/shelters,etc. (ummm, until the end of the world) there will be work for art directors and designers.
Posted by: old person in an office | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 01:14 PM
I think the point is that the work will remain but wages will decline.
Posted by: Peggy Olson | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 01:22 PM
A recent study by the global management consulting firm Hay Group found that planned salary increases for 2011 are at 3 percent for clerical, supervisory, middle management and executive positions.
The 3 percent increase is below the 4.5 percent to 5 percent increases common during the beginning of the decade, and the steady 4 percent from 2005 to 2008.
"The past three years have seen the lowest base salary increases that most employees have ever experienced," the study said.
Meanwhile: According to results from The Wall Street Journal/Hay Group direct compensation for CEOs jumped 11 percent in 2010 to $9.3 million.
Posted by: George Bailey | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 02:14 PM
Will you people please shut up! I’ve got a deadline on this album cover art I’m airbrushing!
Posted by: Norman Van Rockwell Kent III | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 03:12 PM
"Display advertising of any kind, print or web, is going to be gone in a few years."
Bwaaa HAAA!! Whatever. Put down the crack pipe. Paper will outlast any storage medium/mobile device out there. I'll take the 400 year shelf life of paper to any digital storage medium out there.
Posted by: Johannes Gutenberg | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 10:00 PM
This is why I'm trying to get out of the rat race. I'm working on a tampon that can vibrate through WiFi or 3G network from your phone. It will be a big hit.
Posted by: einstein | Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 12:04 AM