Hey stage crasher, you remind me of a bad TV commercial
Please don't interrupt me when I'm not paying attention to you. And if you do, please make it relevant and preferably entertaining.
From the corner of my eye I saw a figure approach the stage. Despite the fact that I was in the middle of a speech, some guy decided it would be cool to interrupt by handing me a small piece of cut out corrugated paper bearing a cryptic message scribbled in black Sharpie. Something about wanting a job. It probably had contact information, maybe even a blurb about what he did — or aspired to do – for a living, but to be honest, I don’t remember his name, his face, his craft, or what action he wanted me to take.
Fortunately I managed to make a quip about the stage crasher with a reference to unwanted interruptions and resumed my talk. What’s interesting about this event is that it took place during the Hatch Awards, Boston’s annual celebration of advertising creativity. My comments, ironically, were about how advertising was entering the age of consumer controlled content, and how while creativity remained at a premium, the old interruptive model was slowly fading away.
The stage crasher proved my point brilliantly. Like a bad TV commercial, he showed up uninvited. He interrupted at a moment when I couldn’t have been less interested. His message was totally irrelevant. And despite a tactic he no doubt thought clever, chances are pretty good I’ll never become a customer. Advertising at its worst.
So here’s some advice for the stage crasher before he tries a similar antic. Why not create a beautiful website, easily discoverable so that if and when someone is looking for talent, they can find you? Consider following a prospective employer on Twitter before you get in his or her face. Take the time to discover what they care about (it’s called listening) then share some interesting, useful content that shows you’re paying attention. And finally, think about embracing an approach that’s not about intrusion but about engagement. That way your target employer might actually get to know you first, making your request for favors or consideration a little more welcome. You may find that you end up with a dialog that actually leads somewhere, if not to a job, then perhaps to one’s willingness to help you in some other way.
So Mr. Stage Crasher, whoever you are, since I never bothered to remember your name or what it is that you do, perhaps you’re at an advantage. You could start all over again marketing yourself the new way.
What do you think? Does interruption still work? Or is it as annoying as a guy who crashes your speech?
Comments
Nice to see all the good dialog. Honestly, I'm a bit tired- just got home from a night class teaching young minds about design- but I felt compelled to join in. Yes, Edward was great; very gracious, and had me up for coffee this afternoon, though as he said, there was no coffee-probably would've gotten cold anyway as we both did a lot of talking. I tried to be a better listener than talker, because he had a lot of great perspective about what's going on in our industry, but I also wanted to tell him why I want/need/desire a job, blah, blah, blah. The best thing- he held no grudge, took pics, and I think we both have a better understanding of where we were coming from. Social media is great, but wow- real contact between actual humans- it almost seems quaint. I think Fairfax Cone (Foote, Cone and Belding) said "Advertising is what you do when you can't go see somebody. That's all it is." But I think when you can go see someone, face to face, mano a mano, it's friggin' great. And if it's not too "self-promoting" (I guess why should I stop now?), I will post a new web site of my work and info in the next few days.
Wow, Craig.
I applaud your courage to stand up and say who you are. While the power of interruption may be changing in our industry, the power of courage is still alive and well. The power of integrity is gaining some ground, too. And people who are willing to go out on a limb and even maybe make a mistake once or twice or seven times - those are the people who really keep things interesting.
Thanks for sharing.
Amy
.-= Amy Flanaganu00c2u00b4s last blog ..There's a reason God made women have to sit down to pee. =-.
The power of courage and the power of integrity will never die. We actually need those more than ever. Wanted you to know that Craig and I met today. Why, because he came here and engaged in a way that was relevant and about conversation. Don't get me wrong, interruption can work under the right conditions and I've made a living doing it for years. But there's something more real about dialog and conversation than there is about one way messages.
Agreed 100%! Thanks for sharing this whole story. I was dying for the unknown interrupter at the beginning of this story. Never dreamed he would pull out of it. Credit to him for his courage. Credit to you for giving him another chance after going out on a limb and maybe messing up a bit. (Trademark of a all the best creative directors I have ever worked for.) Credit to social media for letting us all engage in more of the story than an interruption could ever provide. Learned from this one all the way around. Thank you.
.-= Amy Flanaganu00c2u00b4s last blog ..There's a reason God made women have to sit down to pee. =-.
Edward - I applaud you! And Craig! As a former creative services recruiter (and, yes, former- laid off in March), I gained employment (luckily very quickly) at the Boston Business Journal - and I'm done with that recruiter thing for sure. Anything that helps you to stand out in a non-stalkerish way is great in my book. I tell my contacts to look for me on Linkedin as I still connect people to hiring managers and internal recruiters, and no fee involved now :) Love that....Kudos to you and Craig! Hope to meet you at some point (and I know Suzanne Daley - say Hi)
Bad move for sure. The clueless stage crasher could be a candidate for one of those spoof "Real Men of Genius" radio spots.
.-= Leo Bottaryu00c2u00b4s last blog ..Remember To Close Your Questions! =-.
Apparently, Edward, interruption still works.
Craig, good luck ;)
.-= Ben Kunzu00c2u00b4s last blog ..Healthcare napkins =-.
Thanks Ben. There's always two sides to every story. I honestly didn't think Edward would even respond to my explanation- it's not often you get a second chance to get in front of someone (so to speak) these days. He reached out, and I really respect that. But also, my story was true, and honest- the way it happened. I do think there's still something compelling to that even in the jaded times we live in. That's why the "reality" shows have done so well, at least the first iterations of them - now they're almost parodies of themselves. I think everyone is so on edge these days with the economy, that we're quick to judge, and there certainly are a lot of "stage-crashers"- the whole Kanye thing is either just really pathetic and greedy on his part; doesn't he have enough- ego, fame, power, money? Or, it may have been very calculated on his part- he has been out of the spotlight as of late. Doesn't matter to him, I guess. But for me, I certainly didn't want bad "PR", and I'm hoping I get a chance to sit down with Edward over coffee. Hopefully, he'll buy.
Craig and I had (not coffee; too late in the day) a great meeting today and a discussion of life, the vagaries of our business, and the challenges with staying relevant when you're not 30 anymore. Will write another post soon. Have a great photo, too.
Edward- I am the "stage crasher" you are referring to. And I would like you, and anyone following this, to understand why I did what I did. I had not originally planned on "stage crashing" nor "interrupting" you. I did not get on stage- and I did try to reach out to you directly the next day. I had a (paid) ticket to the event, and I had been handing out my "cards", which were on corrugated cardboard. They read "Homeless Art Director/Designer- really needs job - lets' do lunch- U buy craiggrant@comcast.net and my phone#. Of course, "Homeless" was meant in the context of not having a "home" in an agency/corporate environment, as I am a freelancer. And though I am not "homeless" now, I could very well be in a couple of months. But many people had positively reacted to the cards already. So later on, as I was sitting in the audience and you, unbeknown to me, began to discuss the story 25 years ago of Jonathan Plazonja, and his best of show "campaign" he did for himself, I made a quick (right or wrong) decision to approach you, because it just seemed right given what you were talking about at the time. It was not preplanned, and it was also way out of my comfort zone, but when things are very tough, you tend to do things you might not normally do. And I was at the Hatch Awards that year when Jonathan Plazonja won Best of Show; I was working for Steve Cosmopulos at the time, and a lot of people were bulls..t that some out-of-work kid without a job won, and all the big agencies with their big budgets didn't take home the "grand prize". There was lots of grumbling walking out of the hall that night. But when I approached you last week, I first apologized for interrupting you, (which I realize does not mean it's OK), and I said "in the spirit of Jonathan Plazonja, I wanted to give you this". I know not everyone is going to agree with what I did, and I understand that. But not everyone is in my position. I didn't streak the crowd (which may have been funnier) or cause a scene- it just seemed the right place at the right time, and I'm sorry if you don't agree. Not everything in this world is preplanned, preordained, analyzed, marketed, and researched. And right or wrong, sometimes you just go with your gut.
Craig:
This is awesome. I love social media. And it's a pleasure to meet you in this environment. So thanks for your comment. I will look at your stuff and engage. And if you don't mind, might even turn this into a post.
Craig, I share everyone else's kudos for coming here to tell your story. The only thing you left out was a link to your work!
I think it'd be really interesting for the peanut gallery here (which includes a few CDs) to have a sense of what level creative you were.... might add some context to the story. : )
You might want to know that Craig and I met in person today. Subject of upcoming post. Proof that engagement works, too.
The newest Levi's spot "Oh Pioneers" is welcome in my home anytime. Please interrupt me with this type of work more often.
There is so much coaching for job seekers in today's market, but last week I was 0 for 2 as the recipient of these pitches.
First I had a job seeker call with her mouth full. Perhaps she planned to swallow before receiving my voicemail, but she was unprepared to reach me live on the line. And it was a cold call... yeah, let me watch for your email to follow.... not!
From another person I received a terse vm, analogous to a collection agency: you need to call me back at... number. No pleasantry or intro, no indication of context or purpose of cal. Problem is we've already spoken so I know why this person is calling. When you're rude, you don't get a reply.
Just because we fly at the speed of 140 characters with texting shorthand doesn't mean the principles of Emily Post are dead-- unless you're Kanye.
Let's hope that the interruption of thought, norms, beliefs, etc. is still a valuable exercise.
Perhaps there's a simple equation - The value of the thought/information conveyed must be greater than the effort one is put through to engage it.
That sounds about right, Jim.
I'm agreeing with both of you. If the reward (in the form of entertainment, enlightenment, value) for paying attention is worth the interruption, it probably works.
I can't believe that happened. That goes to show that you can't only rely on the shock factor of the media you choose to display your message. Content is still the most important component.
I agree with Mariano in that that if he would've made it entertaining or would've handed you something relevant and unique instead of a piece of cardboard you might consider hiring him.
.-= Diana Mu00c2u00b4s last blog ..Random Things =-.
I love that you turned an inappropriate situation into using it to make your point perfectly.
Interruption CAN work as someone already laid out, but the fine line is figuring out when to do it because there are right times and wrong times like this. It also must be relevant and done in a manner that is correct for YOU.
It is a strange, weird , fuzzy line that everyone is trying to figure out and one key point is that what works for you, might not work for me. Each of us is different.
.-= C.C. Chapmanu00c2u00b4s last blog ..13 Years =-.
I'm sorry for interrupting you. The note said: "Edward, your fly is down."
Jokes aside, I think interruption still works. Just not the brazen sort.
From my club days, I can tell you that the woman who screams at a busy bartender might get her drink early but she also risks being tagged by security and launched. I've also seen a bar crowd part for a really beautiful woman who didn't need to tell anybody to notice her. She was interrupting trains of thought and placing unexpected periods in conversations because she possessed something remarkable.
As promoters begin to realize that expecting 99 no's for every 1 yes might not be a good way to relate to people, I think we'll begin to see fewer stage crashers.
Here's to hoping!
.-= Seth Simondsu00c2u00b4s last blog ..What Will People Say About You 5 Years After Your Funeral? =-.
That's what you get for pulling a Kanye.
.-= Stuart Fosteru00c2u00b4s last blog ..See You In Chicago! =-.
I don't know if I completely agree that interruption doesn't work anymore. Certainly, the stage crasher you describe interrupted in a really poor manner, and I would have been equally frustrated by his attempt if I were in your shoes, but I don't think dismissing interruption as a possibility is the answer.
What if, for example, the crasher had been dressed in a bear costume, akin to the one that Mullen uses for its Bruins commercials? Maybe even wearing a Mullen t-shirt? Arguably, that kind of interruption could have been much more effective - it would have been memorable to you because somebody made that connection and showed in a brief moment that he researched your company, and probably wouldn't have looked like an interruption to anyone else in the audience. And his (or her) ability to draw that connection and execute would have probably been a much more effective way to get your attention.
To take it a step further, maybe all you get on the corrugated paper *is* a web site, allowing you to make the decision of whether to further investigate this mysterious person dressed in a bear suit.
It's certainly not something anyone can execute cleanly or effectively, but it's all about taking a chance at getting noticed. Of course, by now if they are following your blog (or on twitter), they'd know that the approach doesn't quite work with you. But they would have never found out if they didn't try.
(PS - I will remember to interrupt you at a more appropriate point in your speech next time...kidding, kidding)
.-= Marianou00c2u00b4s last blog ..Find New Prospects with Twitter Search =-.
Mariano,
The real question is whether or not we, as consumers, want an unwelcome interruption. I like TV commercials on a football game, because I expect them to entertain, be funny, and ideally represent brands that are relevant to me. But for most other shows I use DVR or watch on HBO/Showtime. If I'm interested in a brand or a category I'll find them on my terms. So the point isn't whether or not an interruption can grab your attention, it's whether or not it really makes sense anymore. Bear costume, t-shirt, whatever, out of context, undesired, with a message irrelevant to the situation, I may remember the interruption itself, but might still dismiss the message.
Once upon a time, there were these moments of delightful surprise on television.
I'm thinking Aaron Burr. Apple 1984. Saturn during the Jamie Barrett era.They disarmed the consumer, for just a moment. And, made them ever more slightly predisposed to a message about our product.
Is the issue that we no longer welcome delightful surprises?
I'm not sure I believe that.
Or is it rather, that nothing delights anymore? In an era when we've already seen just about everything imaginable on our TV screens, have we just become immune?
One thing that's really backwards in this new opt-in era - if you have to go looking for something, you lose that opportunity to just sit back and truly be surprised.
Let's see, I have to get the email from my friend, click on the link, already see the title of the page before the plot starts to unfold, start to second-guess what it's all about before it's really gotten started....
In the world of opt-in, purely invited engagement you describe, will there never be another surprise party in your head? What a shame.
Stephen:
I think that the key point here is surprise and delight. Note my emphasis on unwelcome. When I saw American Express's new faces spot for the first time it not only held my attention, it made me want to share it. I think there's a difference between intrusion and delight. One is offensive, interruptive and offers me no rewards at all for paying attention; the other makes me appreciate for the chance to discover. It's just that in an era when I have so many options and don't have to tolerate the offensive imposition. It should raise the standards of surprise and delight even higher. Then perhaps they'll at least be somewhat welcom.
I completely agree that icky work is like your uninvited guest/stage stalker.
All I'm saying: if I can only throw you a surprise party at your house between 7 and 9 on Thursday nights, it's a little less surprising, isn't it?
I just hope in this new world, we'll still have the chance to come out of nowhere and delight consumers when they're least expecting it.
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