Have You Seen “Art & Copy” Yet? Do.

By: Cynti Oshin
Director of Client Services and Business Development

I recently watched the 2009 documentary “Art & Copy” by Doug Pray. It reminded me why I got into the business at J. Walter Thompson back in the 1980s fresh out of UCLA and why I still love it to this day. Honestly, it was like watching, well, an ad for advertising. I was sold. And wanted to get me some of that stuff.

It also reminded me of something important. Our business does not save lives, find cures, solve international crises or establish peace. But it does help companies grow and succeed. When done well, advertising can help a simple dream become a reality; it can help a business grow, employ more people and throw more dollars into the economy. When it works, it can be like magic. For example, the 1984 Macintosh campaign, Got Milk, Nike’s Just Do It, Wendy’s Where’s the Beef? and more from the last century. Or Apple’s Get a Mac, Dove’s Real Beauty, Obama’s Yes We Can, Bud’s Whazzup and more from this century.

More times than not, this magic comes from a perfect storm. It is the moment when art and copy sync up behind a GOOD idea—big or small. When the agency and client commit to stand behind the effort, and then they allow the magic to happen. Sometimes it is instantaneous, sometimes not. But in the end people call, cash registers ring and index fingers click.

If you haven’t seen the movie, watch it. It’s available on Netflix.

For the trailer, click here: http://vimeo.com/5822967