Photoshoppers - a new rant

Okay, lets be argumentative purely for the sake of it.

The reason I left the ad industry is because underneath all the unbridled creativity, you need to be a beast.

Advertising is all about making people feel inadequate about themselves so they can buy your product – a product that can (most probably) not live up to the stated advertised claims.

But there is luckily more to advertising than that... it informs about choice, and informs about products, and the best ads do no make claims about a product, but creates a feeling. The feeling of Coke, the feeling of owning a Black & Decker power drill. The fact that Coke makes your teeth rot and that you cannot drill a straight hole to save your life is notwithstanding. At least, these ads do not make unsubstantiated claims, 'cos I STILL feel my chest hairs grow when I pack out my power tools. The fact that the ad does not show the guy who drilled through his hand is immaterial. The fact that the ads do not show the guys lying drunk in the street is immaterial, because we sell a product for use, not for abuse. If you abuse our product, or use it incorrectly, that is YOUR problem.

The problem with cosmetic ads – like Verimark ads – is that they make claims that are IMPOSSIBLE, as opposed to merely not telling the whole truth. I know it's a fine line, but it's a line none the less. At the end of the day, EVERYTHING is bad for you if used in excess, or used wrongly. Should we stop ALL ads because of that?

No, we should stop ALL ads because they get bloody irritating! :-D

Advertising is all about making people feel inadequate about themselves so they can buy your product – a product that can (most probably) not live up to the stated advertised claims.

+1

I like ads where you are informed of choice

I hate it when they play ads louder so that you can even hear it on the toilet taking a break.

I would like to argue today because ... sommer

+110% we sell (market) a product for use, not for abuse

PVR = no ads I wonder when they will ban us from fast forwarding the ads??! ;-)

hate it when they play ads louder so that you can even hear it on the toilet taking a break

actually, "they" do not play ads louder - its just the technical settings on ads are "up-sampled" - for lack of a better term - by the production houses to make them louder - you lose sound quality for this. "normal" programming does not have this up-sampling of volume because sound-quality matters. So when Mnet say they do not play ads louder, they are correct, they are played at the same volume as anyone else, its the production companies that pops the top off the volume.

PVR = no ads I wonder when they will ban us from fast forwarding the ads??! ;-)

They are already doing it in the US - you cannot fast-forward on some Tivo models during ads - kinda like the FBI warnings on DVD.

actually, "they" do not play ads louder - its just the technical settings on ads are "up-sampled" - for lack of a better term - by the production houses to make them louder - you lose sound quality for this. "normal" programming does not have this up-sampling of volume because sound-quality matters. So when Mnet say they do not play ads louder, they are correct, they are played at the same volume as anyone else, its the production companies that pops the top off the volume.

The most annoying thing is, its EVERY SINGLE damn advert. Ive actually stopped watching tv because of this. Its a serious pain in the arse, to sit with the remote, to put the volume up and down every 10 minutes, for the sake of stupid adverts. I remember when I still used PC's (about 10 years ago) I used to use Winamp to listen to music... it had an, equalize volume on all songs setting. This was a free app, available over 10 years ago!
WTF is wrong with the the broadcasters, that they cannot do the same thing? The agencies may be boosting the levels of their ads, but why cant the SABC, QA this... or at the very least control it from their side before / whilst broadcasting...
I saw briefly the other day, that they were renting out some of their older recording studio's to the public... with what they say is full of state of the art gear... more like state of the fart gear if you ask me. Losers...

Is it just me, or are ad's becoming shitter and shitter as time goes on?
I recall ad's being a lot more creative before. Now I watch some of them, and I havent the foggiest what theyre even trying to sell... Its like the advertising industry has gotten so "creative," that its almost abstract.
What really pisses me off, is when they start making up words that dont exist to try sell a product. Bullshit baffles brains I guess...

/SABC rant

Haha the SABC... How often do you not see them repeat the ad they just played. Or advertise a program that has already been shown.

What really pisses me off, is when they start making up words that dont exist to try sell a product.
According to one episode of QI, halitosis is one such example. Floorwash was repackaged as mouthwash and sold by the gallons.

Back on topic please - over photo shopping..

Thomas - it does not help you blame the SABC, the last time they did anything right was... was... erm, nevermind. I worked for them for a year in 1996. Yeah, it was a one-way street into a dead-end.

As for the creativity of ads... I think the OVERALL standard has gone down, but the exceptions have gone up. So while the average is getting more and more boring, unoriginal and repetative each day. Three, count 'em, THREE ads is currently on 702 where its the "blank name" ad. "Hi, I'm calling from *beep* bank/homeloans/insurance agency"... pisses me off. I turn off the radio. But on the flip side, the GOOD ads, are actually quite brilliant, the ad for Cinema Novaeu (of however you spell) it, is awesome!

Back on topic please
Now what would we wanna do that? :-D

Back on topic please - over photo shopping.

BTW its Photoshop not photo shop.

This thread is 5 pages long. IMHO the original OP / rant was answered on page one already. Talentless PS work will unfortunately plague the world forever Im afraid, and there's nothing anyone can actually do about it.
Ive seen many threads on the same subject, and not just here either.

You could maybe send perpetrators some hate mail, if you like?

Fortunately we still live in a free world, so opinions and taste's differ. One mans art is another's crap.

Thomas - it does not help you blame the SABC, the last time they did anything right was... was... erm, nevermind. I worked for them for a year in 1996. Yeah, it was a one-way street into a dead-end.

As for the creativity of ads... I think the OVERALL standard has gone down, but the exceptions have gone up. So while the average is getting more and more boring, unoriginal and repetative each day. Three, count 'em, THREE ads is currently on 702 where its the "blank name" ad. "Hi, I'm calling from *beep* bank/homeloans/insurance agency"... pisses me off. I turn off the radio. But on the flip side, the GOOD ads, are actually quite brilliant, the ad for Cinema Novaeu (of however you spell) it, is awesome!

I guess...
SABC = crap. End of story.

More and more clients are asking for this look, go figure.

Oh yes another thing, since they pay my bond etc who am I to complain.
They just want to look ???? like the magazines??
OK then

I like photograbbing and I refuse to stop foto shopping. I am warning y'all !!!

I work in Advertising, basically I make promos for various DSTV Channels... We get briefed by clients and we make stuff happen.

And just to clarify,
Ads were not boosted in volume, TV shows were reduced due to a difference in international standards between various shows, and with silly egotistical people who refuse to let the MCR control the sound levels.

As to overall creativity,
People forget that people are stupid, some of the best ads out there are ones that 75% of majority dont understand.

When we make promos, were often told to "dumb-it-down" so that it is understood by more people.

Just throwing that out there.

And my R2.50 cents,

Id rather Photoshop my picture and deliver something more impactful or meaningful than have a crap SOOC shot for the sake of being "pure".

Quite frankly, how you do it means eff all, if your image is crap.

In a lot of photography,
The ends justify the means.
You take a good photo or you dont. Sometimes you cant afford all the gear or make-up, but you make a plan.

This isnt photojournalism, this is art, fashion and commercial portrait shooting.

No normal person cares that you stood for 900 hours on a pole to get that shot, or if you photoshop it in 5 minutes.

They want a cool looking shot.
You want a cool looking shot.

What else matters ?

P.S. The Liquify Tool isnt the devil either. You remove a slight bump from a bad angle or one extra bagel then its not the world ending. Change her form entirely and it no longer is a true reflection of the model. If the model isnt the primary focus ( shock horror ), then whats the problem ?

As to overall creativity,
People forget that people are stupid, some of the best ads out there are ones that 75% of majority dont understand.

Thats a strange generalization.
Im not stupid (I have passed the MENSA accreditation test) , and I am still left wondering wtf its all about sometimes.
IMHO, there's a difference between creative and clever to obscure and purposefully opaque. Kyle, Im not referring to you here, its just MO.

Id rather Photoshop my picture and deliver something more impactful or meaningful than have a crap SOOC shot for the sake of being "pure".

+1

Id rather Photoshop my picture and deliver something more impactful or meaningful than have a crap SOOC shot for the sake of being "pure".

+1

+100!

This isnt photojournalism, this is art, fashion and commercial portrait shooting.

No normal person cares that you stood for 900 hours on a pole to get that shot, or if you photoshop it in 5 minutes.

They want a cool looking shot.
You want a cool looking shot.

What else matters ?



From the mouth of babes you shall hear the truth! The only thing that matters is the image. the process is entirely irrelevant.