davidmacgregor's posterous

When I practiced advertising for myself (and my clients) one of my favourite clients was Auckland Opera.

My erstwhile business partner and I pitched for the business by professing ignorance about opera. Nothing feigned - we seriously knew absolutely nothing about the art form.

As is so often the case, a couple of things converged and conspired to create the situation.

I had been listening to the BBC World transmission in my car - an immaculate 1975 3.0 csi BMW coupe. (I have always been a young fogey. Even when I had a Mohican haircut and was seriously into The Clash). I heard a story about Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz. According to my interpretation five years or so prior to writing the work he had composed nothing.

For some reason the tale stuck with me.

Until the following day.

In the National Business Review's reports of the travails, scandals and gossip of the advertising industry I read that Auckland Opera were amidst a blazing row with their advertising agency over Carmen's tits.

A billboard had been erected downtown so gratuitously salacious that complaints from the good burghers of Auckland City were sufficiently aroused to demand the removal of said soft porn.

The client, rather reasonably, asked agency to revise the concept. Why not use a photo of the singer in the role, but include her face, as well as her chest?

'No way Jose' said the agency without even bothering to affect a Catalan accent.

Which reminds me of an old joke.
How many art directors does it take to change a lightbulb?
- I'm not changing a fucking thing.

Not letting the truth ever get in the way of a good story - I triangulated the data and made an ad on my ancient (though it was new at the time), black and white Apple Powerbook.

The headline read: We know nothing about opera. But, then again, 5 years before he wrote Symphonie Fantastique Berlioz couldn't write music.

It proceeded to explain that my business partner and I were ignorant of the company's product but had a prodigious capacity to create award winning advertising. We had, we protested, won advertising awards all over the English speaking world…oh, and America.

I made a bromide. Rolled it up, placed it in a cardboard tube and sent it to the Company.

It amused them sufficiently so to invite us for a meeting.

Paul Jeffreys and I rocked up to the opera and charmed them sufficiently to give us their account.

About forty minutes later Paul was sufficiently charmed by Saatchi & Saatchi to take a job with them, leaving me to deal with our clients.

I thought it was ironically operatic - but the show must go on.

We had fun, Auckland Opera and me.

The shows sold well. I have a letter that says "All productions during this period enjoyed season that extended prior to opening night" and another "I believe that the tremendous marketing success of Auckland Opera is in no small measure due to his creative input."

It was a wonderful time. It taught me to not worry about conventions in categories.

In fact - ignore them.

Lead, don't follow.

Have fun with your clients and don't assume they want boilerplate work.

Also. Don't worry if you screw up from time to time.

It's not over until the fat lady sings.