Could being pragmatic be wrong?

Posted at September 3, 2009 // Random Thoughts

We are always pushing the envelope. We are always testing the line to see how far we could go before we get into trouble.

Very early in my career, I was introduced to the local paper headline test. Other knows this as the Wall Street Journal headline test, or NY Times headline test. Pick a newspaper of your choosing really. But the point was, if your action became public knowledge, could you live with it? Would you be ashamed of it?

In today’s competitive and confusing world, perhaps this simple test is not enough.

DDB Brasil made a very controversial ad in an attempt to win business with the Brazil chapter of WWF, World Wildlife Fund. This ad was submitted to WWF, and was rejected. If you haven’t seen it, it is an ad that has countless planes heading toward a Manhattan that still had the World Trade Center standing. The tagline was the Tsunami killed 100 times more people than 9/11. This was meant to highlight the power of planet earth and the need to preserve it.

This ad made DDB the worst person in the world by Keith Olbermann on MSNBC. In fact, Mr. Olbermann listed individual’s names from the DDB roster on the WWF account responsible for this ad.

Does this mean that the ad went too far?

Hold on just one minute.

DDB also submitted this ad for an advertising competition. In fact, this ad won a best of 2009 award from the One Club.

I would think that they are quite pleased with that headline.

So, the new benchmark in this world full of controversial points of views… You may win big with some audience. You may at the same time lose big with others. Would the win be worth it?

And really, what kind of question is that? What kind of benchmark is that?

If DDB says yes, this generated more buzz for our business than ever. Are they immoral / insensitive / wrong or just pragmatic? Is being pragmatic wrong?

Such is the confusing world we live in…
wwf-reject-ad
The unauthorized ad, that was condemned by the WWF.

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