Hyperbole - how annoying

[vraiblonde]

http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001348797

"He said 'because they are crap,'" Vonk told Adweek. "It felt like I got a shotgun blast in the face...."

Apparently some ad dude made a disparaging comment about women in advertising at some event.

When people say stupid things like this, I have an insane desire to actually shoot them in the face, then ask them if that's what it really felt like when the guy called women ad-hags "crap".

 

[Tonio]

Here he is defending his comments:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051021.wxfrench21/BNStory/National/

"The woman asked why there are so few women creative directors. I said because you can't commit yourself to the job. And everyone who doesn't commit themselves fully to the job is crap at it . . ," Mr. French said yesterday in an interview.

"You can't be a great creative director and have a baby and keep spending time off every time your kids are ill. You can't do the job. Somebody has to do it and the guy has to do it the same way that I've had to spend months and months flying around the world and not seeing my kid. You think that's not a sacrifice? Of course it's a sacrifice. I hate it. But that's the job and that's what I do in order to keep my family fed."

While I disagree with him, I think you're right that Nancy Vonk is overreacting.

By the way, I've dealt with ad reps before and I've never heard the term "ad hag." Sounds like a bizarre Halloween marketing campaign.

 

[migtig]

I've heard ad-hag a lot. It's kind of like a badge of armour - especially for the old school brass thumb tack chewing ladies I know and admire. :shrug: I don't know why this woman is getting all bent out of shape about a honest comment. It's true - in advertising and marketing you need to be there 150% and can't achieve success if you are placing a family or a social life first. Most of the older (50+) ladies I know who have made it close to the top or to the top don't have kids or even many social friends. Everybody they know is either a client or contact. Yep, it's offensive to be told you are crap at your job, but if shoe fits wear it otherwise prove 'em wrong with a smile on your face and the client's check in your purse.

 

[vraiblonde]

By the way, I've dealt with ad reps before and I've never heard the term "ad hag."

That is what female ad reps refer to themselves as, at least the ones I ran around with. There's no reason why you'd have ever heard it.

I actually agree with him. While outside advertising sales in a small market is the ideal job for a single parent, a large market advertising career is not. You're gone constantly and when you're not gone, you're on call. I know a few women who do it and they are either A: single with no kids or B: highly stressed because their juggler is about to break down in a blithering heap.

He's right in that it's a huge sacrifice, and most women don't want to make it. And I don't blame them one bit.

 

[Tonio]

He's right in that it's a huge sacrifice, and most women don't want to make it. And I don't blame them one bit.

I agree with you and Migtig about that. I don't think French was implying that ad agencies not hire women at all. But that seems to be what many women in the audience thought he was saying.

 

[vraiblonde]

if shoe fits wear it otherwise prove 'em wrong with a smile on your face and the client's check in your purse.

And that's the way it is.

 

[vraiblonde]

But that seems to be what many women in the audience thought he was saying.

Women are hyperdefensive these days. As a friend of mine once said to me, "Which do you like to say more: 'get bent' or 'yes, thank you, I'd like to make a deposit'?"

 

[Tonio]

I found out that Neil French was Judas Priest's agent early in the band's career. He worked with Priest on the title and cover concept for their 1976 album "Sad Wings of Destiny."