I may have told this Bloomsday story before, but I’m old and I think I’ve earned the right to repeat myself.
As a graphic designer, I created advertising for Bloomsday, a local 12k race known around the world (not an exaggeration). For twenty-five years I provided advertising and marketing materials for the annual race, held in Spokane on the first Sunday in May.
At this writing, the 49th running of Bloomsday is in a couple days, hence this reminiscence.
Bloomsday Mad Men Style
Every year, I created advertising concepts and presented them to the Marketing Committee. The goal in each presentation was to provide professional advertising options that ran from mild to wild. Inevitably, the committee ignored wild and mostly went with mild. I think they did this to avoid giving offense to those who might take it, eliminate the potential for uncomfortable phone calls, and show their ignorance of good marketing.
Accordingly, this is the way with committees everywhere. I think it’s a federal regulation.
In truth, a few committee members had actual life experience and knew good marketing. They were outnumbered by lawyers.
Even dragging that judicatory anchor, I created some pretty good ads over the years.
However, there was one ad campaign concept that never saw the light of day, and it remains one of my best ideas ever.
Best Idea EVAR!!!
Like all good marketing, the concept attempted to solve a problem. In this case, the problem being a slight drop in family participation in the race; we wanted to promote more families running together in Bloomsday.
After a bit of thought, I provided a hilarious, simple, and guaranteed-to-get-noticed concept:
This campaign would have been AWESOME!!!
Too Good For Bloomsday
…and, given the membership of the committee, totally impossible. Never in a million years.
Just imagine the phone calls! The letters and emails! The idiot media stoking controversy! The viral Facebook posts!
Imagine everyone talking, yelling, screaming, and protesting about Bloomsday! In effect, the best possible results for the best advertising campaign of my career.
Sadly, I can only dream about what might have been. The humor-averse lawyers nixed it.
About the Author
Topdog is Steve Merryman, a retired graphic designer, illustrator, and unrepentant asshole. Steve can usually be found working on a portrait commission or some other artwork. Steve fills his days by painting, writing, shootin' guns, cuttin' trees, hiking with his dogs, and savoring a beer or two, all while searching for the perfect cheeseburger. He studiously avoids social media and is occasionally without pants.
Comments 4
Yup. They have no sense of humor. And we’re ruled by the lowest common humor denominator in a committee.
Author
Committees are where all good ideas go to die.
Steve, Mark Starr here.
Read that a few weeks ago and forwarded it appropriatly.
Simply put in order to stir the pot.
Also mentioned a few things I recalled including the first and possibly only cease and desist order I’ve ever been involved with. Still love reminding folks of that..
Wanted to say hello to you and Faith.
As always hope one day to catch up again.
Short note from an even shorter pot stirring former Board member.
Mark
Author
Thanks, Mark.
Always good to hear from you.
That Cease and Desist story is a good one. I’ll need to add that to the blog for posterity.