Back when I was a wet behind the ears, smart-assed copywriter I was in awe of the giants of the ad industry. I was equally in awe of television as a medium. TV was It. Period. All other media had to get in line behind the awesomeness of The Tube.
Well before director Ridley Scott shouted, "print it!," this historic spot already was.
Imagine my surprise when I learned that one of my giants — Ed McCabe, creative chief of legendary Scali McCabe Sloves — used print as the medium to evaluate prospective creative hires.
I’m not sure of the exact quote, but it was something close to, “I don’t want to see writers’ TV reels. I want their print work. If a concept doesn’t work in print, it’s not a concept.”
That got my attention.
This can be compared to the measuring stick Hollywood uses to evaluate movie ideas – the log line. If a script concept can’t be described in a single, simple sentence it is considered highly suspect.
For example, “what happens when a certifiably crazy police detective is cut loose against the drug lords of New York?” (The French Connection, that’s what.) Or, “three bachelors are forced to take care of a new born child.” (Well, sir, you’ve got a hit on your hands – Three Men and a Baby.) In fact, the title itself is a log line. Perfect.
Here’s another: “why 1984 won’t be 1984.”
Actually, this isn’t a log line. It’s a headline written by Gary Gussick of Chiat/Day San Francisco for a print ad for the original Apple MacIntosh computer. Gary’s colleagues, art director Brent Thomas and copywriter Steve Hayden of Chiat/Day Los Angeles, discovered it buried in a pile of layouts. They thought they could make a good TV spot of out of it.
Did they ever.
Print can capture the essence of a brand’s character. Here’s a recipe. Take one product shot. Add a twist of “Lemon.” What comes out is the expression of the personality of every classic Volkswagen print ad and commerical in the mid-1960s. Not to mention advertising history. Thanks, Doyle Dane Bernbach.
Instant brand character, across all media. Born of a single print ad.
So what have we learned? It could be this — before you dive into that script and storyboard, work on the print first.
It’s amazing how far a headline and rough marker visual can take you.
For more on Bob Devol, visit www.bobdevol.com.
