ISN’T THIS BUSINESS TOUGH enough without having to prepare for a catastrophe of global proportions? I figured that the biggest challenges we would face in 1999 would be shrinking budgets, lack of work and paying our AICP dues. Judging from the number of surveys I’ve received, as well as agency contract addenda and 20 pages of insurance exclusions, I guess I was wrong! The biggest challenge facing the production community this year will be the Y2K bug. From what I’ve heard, it’s going to finally do to film what video was supposed to. Remember that conspiracy?
I’m one of those people who loves a good conspiracy. Give me five shadowy figures and a grassy knoll anytime. Call me part of that vast right wing, but I still think there is something fishy about Vince Foster’s death. This Y2K thing, or millennium bug as it’s known, puts me in a tough spot. If it unfolds as they say it will, it’s the end of all conspiracies as we know them—not to mention packaged goods advertising. This makes me very suspicious. We might be able to survive without the Zapruder film, but there’s no hope for us without antiperspirant.
Current conspiracy theorists allege that nothing short of total societal meltdown looms ahead at the stroke of midnight on December 31, 1999. Beginning with the failure of the power grid and moving through food shortages and riots in the streets, some would have us believe that by this time next year, we’ll find ourselves back in the Stone Age, sans sabertooth tigerskins. That would make it very hard to sustain the current conspiracy theory of production industries. We may have to return to locking cameras down on tripods.
I’m not ready to give up yet. I still wonder just what those little lines above my name on mailing labels represent. I’ve heard there are demonic numerations in key code. As long as I can get my hands on a copy of The Catcher In the Rye, I think we’ll be okay.
What will replace the sacrosanct information pipelines of the conspiracy theorist? How will we produce without T1s, e-mail and cappuccino? Will it be tom-toms instead of [Sprint’s] Drums? Smoke signals for the Internet? Messengers instead of faxes? What will happen to Matt Drudge and Art Bell? I’m a little suspicious that they have something up their sleeves. Oh, they’ll survive; any industry that feeds on itself needs no food. That’s how we all made it this far.
Pundits point to all the really wealthy programmers and captains of the computer industry who are selling off their palatial valley mansions and literally heading for the hills, buying easily defended farmstead compounds high above desert plains. I would too if I’d made a fortune selling billions of dollars of stuff that will cease to work before Dick Clark is put back in cryogenics storage for one more year. Will our office’s all-in-one printer/fax/copier/scanner go to diode heaven by confusing 2000 with 1900? That may very well be the case. In 1900, a printer was anyone that had yet to learn script, and fax were what came out in court. What happens to all those frequent flier miles?
Maybe Bill Gates and Andy Grove are planning to go to those farmsteads to sell pre-cooked survivalist foodstuffs: Microsoft Meals, with genuine Intel vegetables inside. Monica Lewinsky could have been the cover-up that gave them just enough time to get the crops in the ground. While we struggled with impeachment, they were busy planting Cling peaches.
I’m suspicious that this Y2K thing is just a diversion from the real story. No one is really sure what the story is just yet. But I’ve heard rumblings. It could be the much-anticipated "first contact," Jane Doe #9 or even videotape with warmth. But whatever it is, we’ll be ready. Even if our printer isn’t working.
By the way, I’ve already purchased several extra copies of The Catcher In the Rye. There are some things you just don’t take chances with.
Jury Presidents Named For The One Show 2025
The One Club for Creativity has announced the global creatives from around the world who will serve as jury presidents for The One Show 2025.
These creatives will lead judging for each discipline, and have a vote on the work.
Confirmed One Show 2025 Jury presidents, by discipline, are as follows:
--Brand-Side/In-House: David Lee, CCO, Squarespace, New York
--Branded Entertainment: Malcolm Poynton, Global CCO, Cheil Worldwide, London
--Creative Use of Data, Creative Use of Technology: Nancy Crimi-Lamanna, CCO, FCB Canada, Toronto
--Cultural Driver: Bianca Guimaraes, partner, ECD, Mischief, New York
--Design: Liza Enebeis, creative director, partner, Studio Dumbar/DEPT®, Rotterdam
--Direct Marketing: Vicki Maguire, CCO, Havas London
--Film & Video: Javier Campopiano, global CCO, McCann Worldgroup & McCann Global, Madrid
--Gaming: Taj Reid, global chief experience officer, US CCO, Edelman, New York
--Integrated, Experiential & Immersive: Chris Beresford-Hill, worldwide CCO, BBDO New York
--Fusion Pencil: Walter T. Geer III, CCO, Innovation North America, VML, New York
--Green Pencil: Barbara Humphries, ECD, The Monkeys, Sydney
--Health & Wellness, Pharma: Wendy Lund, chief client officer, WPP, New York
--IP & Product Design: Ronald Ng, global CCO, MRM, New York
--Moving Image Craft & Production: Irene Kugelmann, chief creative officer, DDB Group of Companies Germany, Berlin
--Music & Sound Craft: Joel Simon, CCO, JSM Music, New York
--Out of Home, Print & Promotional: Kainaz Karmakar, CCO, Ogilvy India, Mumbai
--Public Relations: Patricia Ávila, regional director for Latin America, Ágora, São Paulo
--Radio... Read More