August 27, 2009 by
As a fan of Scratch and Infamy (two other documentaries by Doug Pray) I was counting on Art & Copy to deliver an authentic and gritty look at the ad world. Unfortunately, I ended up sitting through an 86-minute advertisement for advertising.
Showcasing 50-years of canonized commercials—from Volkswagen's 1959 "Think Small" ad to today's vibrant iPod billboards—the film introduces viewers to the dozen or so creative minds behind the famous spots. The colorful cast offers interesting behind-the-scenes details (did you know "Just Do It" was inspired by a deathrow inmate?) and personal anecdotes for how the images, slogan and concepts came to be. There's also a historical thread tracing pivotal events responsible for revolutionizing the industry. The highlight of the film for me was George Lois, the gonzo Greek mastermind behind countless award-winning, highly provocative works. Hilarious and incredibly honest, Lois describes advertising as "poison gas" capable of inducing intense, visceral reactions—but not always positive ones.
Coming from an advertising design background, I was really excited for this film. I wanted to see the industry scrutinized for what it does to manipulate people and I hoped non-industry viewers would find an exposé of the ad world's underbelly—not the backstory for who created the Budweiser Frogs. Covering several dominant agencies (DDB, TBWAChiatDay, W+K and Goodby, Silverstein and Partners) the film seems to forget that's really only Omnicom the giant multinational conglomerate! I would've loved to see the process and works of independents like Taxi or Smart instead. There were fleeting moments of inspiration and reflection, but for the most part, it looked and felt like a highlight reel for a fellowship award. Considering the film has major support from The One Club, I guess I should've seen that coming. The best part were the breaks between the talking heads: footage of slow motion commercial satellite launches and elevated billboard installations with frightening statistics proving advertising control over our daily lives.
If you're a student designer or young agency type, see it now for the one-sided history lesson. Otherwise, wait for the DVD and keep watching Mad Men.
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