GLOBAL – MARCH 27, 2012: The 50th anniversary of what is considered the Oscars of the creative industry – D&AD and the Yellow Pencil – is the inspiration behind “Ad Men”, Ridley Scott Associates’ first ever TV documentary. It aired in Britain through Sky Atlantic, coinciding with the premier of the fifth season of the creative-agency centered series “Mad Men”.
The documentary, which chronicles the history of British advertising, features interviews with prominent personalities in the British advertising and creative scenes, including Bob Brooks, John Hegarty, Alan Parker, and David Puttnam, and makes a reference to the impact of D&AD and the Yellow Pencil on British culture and the influence of commercial creativity to daily lives.
“British advertising is seen all over the world as the benchmark for creative excellence. D&AD was established in 1962 to highlight the value and importance of design and advertising to our culture and economy, and over the last 50 years the organization has become the international standard setter for commercial creativity,” said Tim Lindsay, D&AD’s chief executive.
“It’s great for RSA to be moving into TV documentaries with a subject matter so close to our hearts,” added RSA executive producer Caspar Delaney. “We were inspired by the 50th anniversary of D&AD, the organization at the heart of Britain’s creative industries. It’s a fascinating story about the country’s most memorable ads and the amazing, eccentric and maverick men who made them. With great access to the big names of the business, this is the story of one of the most significant chapters in British cultural history, straight from the horses’ mouths,” he continued.
BBH’s Sir John Hegarty was quoted in “Ad Men” as saying: “I think the function of advertising is to constantly try and capture the mood and feeling of the people, and reflect it back in a way which is positive and energizing. We’d hire a farting dog with bad breath and only three legs if it could come up with a brilliant idea. We genuinely would.”
Bob Brooks, one of the original founders of D&AD, said that the group “was created to showcase the work of art directors and copywriters, advertising people and designers. But the important thing is names were named and suddenly the whole business became professional. Salaries went up, that was the whole idea, we weren’t in art we were in a business, this is what advertising was – selling.”
Meanwhile, Sir Frank Lowe said about the the D&AD: “D&AD was important… It has a book. It has an Annual and it’s not just the winners, it’s all the work of that year that is going to be good. And so if you’re a creative man, to have your work in a book of record means a great deal, which other festivals don’t have.”
